UK government climbs down on welfare cuts after MPs' rebellion

LONDON: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government backed down on Friday on controversial plans to slash disability and sickness benefits after a major rebellion by lawmakers.

Only days after Starmer insisted he would plough ahead with the reforms, Care Minister Stephen Kinnock confirmed concessions had been made to rebel MPs who had threatened to scupper proposed reforms.

A total 126 of Labour's more than 400 MPs had publicly backed a move to block the proposals in the biggest rebellion of Starmer's premiership.

A spokesperson for Starmer's Number 10 office said the government had "listened to MPs who support the principle of reform but are worried about the pace of change for those already supported by the system".

It said a revised package of measures would preserve the welfare system for those "who need it, by putting it on a sustainable footing".

The concessions, due to be set out in parliament later, include a "staggered approach" to the reforms, Kinnock said.

This means that the narrower eligibility criteria proposed will only apply to new claimants, not those already receiving the benefit payments.

"What's clear from the announcement today is that it's going to be a more staggered process whereby people who are existing claimants are protected," Kinnock said.

The government u-turn comes at the close of a bumpy first year in power for Starmer.

His Labour Party ousted the Conservatives after 14 years on July 4, 2024, in a landslide election victory.

Kinnock said he was now confident that the universal credit and personal independence payment (Pip) bill, which contains the reforms, would make it through a parliamentary vote due on Tuesday.

Starmer's government had hoped to make savings of £5.0 billion ($6.9 billion) as a result of the changes that have now been partly abandoned.

Finance minister Rachel Reeves is seeking to generate growth from a sluggish UK economy.