Reform UK accused of targeting vulnerable with £50bn benefit cut plan

Reform UK is facing accusations of targeting the most vulnerable with proposed welfare cuts totaling £50 billion. Robert Jenrick, the party's finance spokesperson, is set to detail plans that include £20 billion in cuts to disability benefits and £21 billion by stopping foreign nationals from claiming various benefits.

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Our polling shows that people do want to renegotiate our relationship with Europe, but by moving closer, not by damaging ties with vital allies and punishing our neighbours, colleagues and friends who have settled status here.

The party aims to reduce the welfare bill by a quarter. Their proposal involves replacing personal independence payments (Pip) with a cash benefit restricted to those with "gravely ill and severely challenged" conditions. Support for "lower level conditions" would be managed by councils and mayors.

Furthermore, Reform UK plans to prevent foreign-born households, including those with EU settled status, from claiming universal credit, housing benefit, pension credit, jobseeker's allowance, child benefit, free childcare, or disability benefits. The party claims this change would save taxpayers £21 billion annually by the fifth year of implementation.

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paying benefits to non-British people was “plain immoral”

However, the proposals have drawn sharp criticism. Best for Britain, a pro-EU campaign group, stated that denying benefits to those with indefinite leave to remain would violate Britain's EU withdrawal agreement. Tom Brufatto, the organization's executive director of policy, argued that such actions damage ties with allies and punish residents with settled status.

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the amount spent on disability benefits was “not generosity … it is suicidal empathy”.

Jenrick defended the cuts, calling payments to non-British people "plain immoral" and referring to spending on disability benefits as "suicidal empathy." Campaigners, including Labour MP Rachael Maskell, have accused Jenrick of not understanding the impact on disabled people and of making their lives harder. Maskell asserted that Pip helps individuals participate in society and work, and threatening it shows Reform UK's unwillingness to include disabled people fully. She contrasted this with Labour's approach, which she said optimizes Pip's impact through the Timms review.

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When Pip helps people go to work, play a role in our society and simply live, threatening to remove Pip demonstrates that Reform do not want disabled people to play a full role in our society.