Lord McKenzie pledges to protect incapacity benefit claimants

A minister has promised that incapacity benefit claimants will not be worse off when they are switched to the employment and support allowance.

Work and pensions minister Lord McKenzie told the Welfare Reform Bill’s committee stage in the House of Lords yesterday that the new rate of benefit had yet to be decided but reiterated that it would be above the long-term incapacity benefit rate.

“The position of all existing claimants will be protected in cash terms. They cannot and will not be worse off,” he said.

McKenzie added that, alongside cash benefits, the new allowance would also bring with it support for getting people back to work.