Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has defended his government’s controversial welfare reforms, arguing that the current system is not “progressive” and that action is needed to prevent millions more people from relying on disability benefits. Speaking to Sky News political correspondent Serena Barker-Singh, Starmer acknowledged the discomfort among some of his backbenchers but insisted that the reforms are necessary to address systemic issues in the welfare system.
Starmer drew on his personal experiences to explain his perspective, referencing his late mother, who lived with a severe disability, and his brother, who recently passed away from cancer. “I’ve lived all my life with the impact of disability through my mum, who was very ill all her life,” he said. “And more recently, my brother, who recently died of cancer, so I do understand the concerns.”
However, the Prime Minister argued that the status quo is unsustainable, particularly for young people. “It is morally indefensible that a million young people are going essentially from education on to benefits,” he said. “All the evidence shows if young people are in that position and so early in their lives, they’re going to find it really difficult ever to get out of that.”
Starmer highlighted that there are currently two million people on benefits due to sickness, a figure he warned could double by 2030 without government intervention. “We can’t just shrug our shoulders and pretend that it’s progressive to watch millions more people go on to disability benefits when they could and many of them want to be in work,” he said. “That’s why it’s so vital that we carry out these reforms.”
The £5 billion package of savings announced on Tuesday includes measures to make it harder for people to claim Personal Independence Payment (PIP), a key disability benefit. The government is also delaying access to the Universal Credit health top-up until claimants are 22, with the savings being redirected into training opportunities for young people.
Alongside these changes, the government plans to invest £1 billion in “tailored” support to help disabled and long-term sick individuals find employment. Starmer emphasized that the reforms are designed to create a fairer and more sustainable welfare system that provides support to those who need it most while encouraging greater participation in the workforce.
Despite the Prime Minister’s assurances, the reforms have sparked significant backlash within the Labour Party. Some MPs and grassroots members have accused the government of targeting vulnerable citizens to cut costs. Starmer acknowledged these concerns but argued that doing nothing would be worse.
“There aren’t many people who genuinely argue the status quo is working,” he said. “We have to take action to prevent a generation of young people from being written off and to ensure that millions of people who want to work get the support they need.”
Starmer’s defense of the reforms reflects his broader approach to balancing compassion with fiscal responsibility. While he has faced criticism for the cuts, he has sought to frame them as part of a larger effort to create a welfare system that is both fair and sustainable.
As the government moves forward with its plans, the Prime Minister will need to continue addressing the concerns of his party and the public, particularly those who fear the reforms will disproportionately affect the most vulnerable. The success of these measures will likely depend on whether they can deliver meaningful support to those in need while reducing long-term dependency on benefits.
