West Streeting has hinted at FUTURE cuts to working-age benefits and tax rises as the government looks to close a £22bn black hole.
The health secretary says there are “choices” in the budget that could go beyond just scrapping pensioners’ winter fuel allowance.
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Wes Streeting explains that the benefit cuts could extend beyond the winter fuel cut for pensioners
The warning sign comes after Chancellor Rachel Reeves has already warned of tough decisions about social care and public services.
The minister said: “I can understand why some pensioners will sit there and think: ‘Well, why us? What about the others?'”
Speaking to the New Statesman, he added: “Well, there’s another election coming up and it’s not just Rachel’s election that she has to face, it’s a whole-of-government election.”
He also addressed the concerns of party people who complained of poor messaging ahead of the October 30 budget.
Mr Streeting said: “I think people get the wrong idea that honesty is dreary.
“It would be quite disturbing if we were all bouncing around Whitehall singing Sam Cooke’s A Change Is Gonna Come or D:Ream’s Things Can Only Better while dealing with a £22 billion black hole.
“And making some tough decisions that are really on people’s throats, particularly around the winter fuel surcharge.”
Shadow business secretary Kevin Hollinrake said today: “Cutting benefits for pensioners and raising taxes for the rest of us. I’m not sure that’s the change people were hoping for.”
Mr Streeting hit back, saying: “We are cleaning up the mess left by your party.
“Like the cleaners coming to remove vomit and wine stains (and who knows what else) did at Number 10 after indoor parties.
“At least the drunks didn’t have the temerity to complain about them while they were doing it.”
BENEFITS FOR WORKING AGE
WORKING AGE BENEFITS provide financial support to individuals and families of working age (usually from 16 to State Pension age) to help with living costs, housing and specific health and childcare needs.
It came after the chancellor told The Sun in August that she wanted to get more jobless Britons back into work as the £306bn welfare bill was “out of control”.
She has vowed to crack down on benefit spending as the unemployment crisis drags down the growing economy.
There are currently 9.4 million economically inactive Britons with 2.8 million on long-term sick leave.
Moving from legacy benefits to universal credit
COST BENEFITS
The government is forecast to spend £305.6 billion on the UK’s social security system in the current financial year.
Total social spending is projected to be 11% of GDP and 24.9% of total government spending in the period from 2024 to 2025.
About 55% of social security expenditures go to pensioners.
This includes spending on the state pension, which is forecast to be £138.1bn in 2024-25.
The government is expected to spend £138bn on working age and childcare.
This includes spending on universal credit and its predecessors and social care not included in the long-term programme, including child benefit.
A further £89 billion will be spent on benefits to support people with disabilities and people with health problems, and £35.3 billion on housing benefits.
The Labor Party has previously said it wants to “rethink” Universal Credit, the comprehensive system that replaces the old benefits.
But the party has not yet given any concrete information about what will change.
It also said it would develop an “ambitious strategy” to reduce child poverty – but did not outline how it would be implemented.
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Source: HIS Education