Money Saving Expert founder Martin Lewis warned ministers their decision to cut disability benefits will ’cause pain’ for the thousands of people who will lose their payments
Martin Lewis has said his “mailbox is flooded” with people worried about cuts to disability benefits.
The Money Saving Expert founder said slashing the welfare budget will “cause pain” for the thousands of people who will lose their payments. He warned ministers to “be aware” of the impact of their policy amid a growing rebellion within Labour over the decision to change welfare rules.
Martin told BBC Radio 4 on Friday: “My mailbox is flooded with people concerned on that – both with physical and mental health disabilities problems – worried about how they are going to live and how they are going to continue.
“When you take a payment away from people who have no other income the biggest problem you have is what do you do, how do you transition them to the new lower income when prices are going up? The answer is you can’t. So it will cause pain and the government need to be aware of that.”
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It comes as Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall told The Mirror she understood concerns over looming disability benefit cuts – but insisted the reform was urgent.
In March the government announced plans to cut around £5billion from sickness and disability benefits. Most of the savings will be made by restricting eligibility to Personal Independence Payments (PIP) – a key disability benefit.
Over 100 Labour MPs have suggested they cannot support the measure with Keir Starmer facing the biggest revolt of his premiership so far at a vote next month. And on Thursday evening the cross-party Work and Pensions Committee – led by Labour MP Debbie Abrahams – wrote to Ms Kendall telling her to pause the reforms.
Ms Kendall said: “I understand people’s concern and I understand people are anxious. But we are consulting with disabled people and the organisations that represent them on our PIP review, to look at the assessment process. I believe the task of helping people who can work, get work, is urgent.”
She added: “I am listening. I have great respect for Debbie Abrahams and members of the Committee. I am talking in detail with MPs… we want to get this right.
“I think the task of overhauling the system that has written off and denied people support for too long – there has been failure of the last government to deal with these problems – and I want to make a start.”
Meanwhile, Mr Starmer said earlier this week he would U-turn on his controversial winter fuel cuts to ensure more eligible pensioners could get the payment. The PM has been facing mounting pressure over the decision and was punished at the ballot box at the local elections over the choice.
On Friday Labour’s Welsh First Minister Eluned Morgan said Mr Starmer should provide winter fuel payments to the “majority” of pensioners after the major U-turn. She urged the government to rethink the cuts to millions of retirees, welcoming the PM’s reversal.
But the government is yet to set out how many more pensioners will be eligible for the payment of up to £300 this winter. Ms Morgan said she wanted the “majority of pensioners” to now get the benefit.
She added: “I’m not sure if millionaires should be getting a winter fuel allowance. So let’s just make sure that they don’t get it.” Speaking to the BBC, the Welsh First Minister also said she would “stick” to the left of UK Labour also said she was concerned about the Prime Minister’s comments on immigration.
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