43 h. ago Voices: I went to a DwP benefit cut consultation: Here’s what I found

Attendees were told how important their views were – but it speaks volumes that we were handed leaflets with the number of the Samaritans on it, writes James Moore

Politics

4 d. ago Disabled single mum left £500 a month worse off thanks to benefit cuts

Hannah Leonard, who has achondroplasia, a bone growth disorder which causes dwarfism, said she lost working family tax credits and disability tax credits, worth around £500 a month combined under recent benefits changes

Economics

6 d. ago Revealed: How Farage’s £80bn tax cuts would benefit the richest most

Exclusive: Calculations for The Independent reveal the richest tenth of the population would gain almost four times as much as the poorest 10 per cent from Reform’s tax plans

Economics

9 d. ago Nigel Farage accused of ‘fantasy promises’ with expensive policy pledges

Reform UK leader unveils plans to reverse benefit cuts and bring in tax breaks without explaining how they would be fundedNigel Farage has been accused of leaving a multibillion-pound black hole at the heart of his party’s spending plans after unveiling a series of expensive policy pledges to be paid for by cutting nonexistent items of government spending.The Reform UK leader laid out a series of economic promises at a speech on Tuesday designed to take advantage of disquiet among Labour voters at the government’s policies on taxes and benefits. Continue reading...

Events

9 d. ago DWP benefit cuts to PIP planned by Government could be 'tweaked' amid backlash

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is said to be considering 'tweaks' to welfare cuts estimated to be worth £5 billion planned by his Government amid a backlash from backbench MPs over PIP cuts

Politics

9 d. ago Farage fails to guarantee pensions triple lock but vows to axe benefits cap

Nigel Farage says Reform UK will scrap the two-child benefit cap and reverse fuel cuts but refuses to commit to maintaining the pension triple lock.

Events

1 week ago Labour is taking the Pip – and disabled people have had enough | Cherylee Houston

I am in tears reading the stories of what might happen if these further cuts go ahead, which is why I’ve joined forces with others to demand actionDisabled celebrities urge Keir Starmer to scrap ‘inhumane’ benefit cutsWhy have so many deaf, disabled and/or neurodivergent public figures pulled together to launch the campaign #TakingThePIP?Every area of life as a disabled person is difficult – employment, social situations, healthcare, education, transport and by far the most pervasive and arduous: other people’s attitudes. Everything is a fight, but this feels like a fight too far. If Labour goes ahead with its proposed benefits cuts to tighten the eligibility criteria for personal independence payment (Pip) and reduce or lose the health element of universal credit, many people in my community don’t know how they will survive. Make no bones about it: this could be a matter of life and death for some people. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Disabled celebrities urge Keir Starmer to scrap ‘inhumane’ benefit cuts

Exclusive: More than 100 people including Liz Carr and Rosie Jones sign letter criticising Pip and universal credit changesMore than 100 of the UK’s most high-profile disabled people, including Liz Carr, Rosie Jones, Ruth Madeley and Cherylee Houston, have called on the prime minister to abandon “inhumane and catastrophic plans to cut disability benefits”.In an open letter to Keir Starmer before a planned Commons vote next month, they argue that the government’s plan to reduce eligibility to personal independence payment (Pip) and the health component of universal credit is a matter of “survival” and “basic human rights”. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Keir Starmer considering DWP benefit cut changes after PIP backlash

The Prime Minister is said to be considering “tweaks” to welfare cuts planned by the Government

Politics

1 week ago DWP PIP benefits £47 change will 'push people deeper into poverty', charity warns

The Work and Pensions Secretary said the Government is on the side of sick and disabled people

Events

1 week ago Labour pressure to ease welfare squeeze adds to Reeves’ headaches

The Chancellor faces demands to reverse the winter fuel payment cut, axe the two-child benefit limit and limit the scope of welfare reforms.

Events

1 week ago Starmer faces major revolt over benefit cuts as frontbenchers ‘poised to quit’ over reforms

A rebellion on this scale would be a significant knock to the prime minister’s authority and represent wider disquiet about the direction of the government

Politics

1 week ago Voices: What Rayner’s crackdown on child benefit will really mean for middle

A leaked government memo reveals that Angela Rayner wants to stop child benefit handouts to middle-class mums. The trouble is, says Charlotte Cripps, many on her hit list might have middle-class backgrounds but can no longer match them economically

Politics

1 week ago What Rayner’s crackdown on child benefit will really mean for middle

A leaked government memo reveals that Angela Rayner wants to stop child benefit handouts to middle-class mums. The trouble is, says Charlotte Cripps, many on her hit list might have middle-class backgrounds but can no longer match them economically

Politics

2 w. ago Welfare cuts could impact three times as many Welsh households

The Bevan Foundation says the number of households affected by UK Government cuts to Universal Credit and disability benefit may soar

Politics

2 w. ago Disability claimants with back problems to lose most in Labour’s welfare changes

Liz Kendall will argue her benefit cuts are necessary to save the welfare state

Politics

2 w. ago Food bank demand up by half in five years as charity urges Labour to act

“A whole generation” has now grown up in the UK while food banks are the norm, charity chief says

Politics

2 w. ago Rachel Reeves hints at winter fuel allowance shift saying she is 'listening' to mounting disquiet from Labour MPs

Chancellor Rachel Reeves suggested she is considering the threshold at which the benefit is removed after the cut was seen as a factor in dire local election results.

Politics

3 w. ago Keir Starmer doubles down on benefit shakeup despite Labour rebellion

Keir Starmer ruled out softening disability benefit cuts when asked if rebel Labour MPs should 'lump it' as he faces a huge Commons rebellion over welfare changes

Politics

3 w. ago DWP PIP claimants could lose a second benefit in payment cuts

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is set to overhaul the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) benefit, which could see thousands of carers losing their entitlement to another payment

Politics