MPs sound warning over welfare rejig

Cuts in the Department for Work and Pensions’ budget this year should not disrupt incapacity benefit reforms, MPs said this week.

The House of Commons work and pensions committee said the reforms could save money in the long term and must not be “squeezed out” by the 5 per cent reduction in the department’s budget.

The MPs were also concerned that incapacity benefit personal advisers were trained adequately, in view of plans to require people to engage in work-related activities beyond a work-focused interview in order to qualify for the benefit’s higher rate.

And they recommended that people with mental health problems should be involved in the review of the mental health component of the personal capability assessment, which determines entitlementsI.

Incapacity Benefit and Pathways to Work from www.parliament.uk