Government expected to unveil welfare concessions after talks with Labour rebels

Politics
27 Jun 2025 • 4:51 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

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Labour rebels are understood to have been offered concessions by the Government on its welfare reforms with an announcement expected shortly.

Number 10 had been locked in crisis talks with backbenchers after some 126 MPs within the party signed an amendment that would halt the legislation in its tracks.

On Thursday night, sources said a deal was being thrashed out between leading rebels and the Government, which is expected to be announced shortly.

The Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill has its second reading on Tuesday, the first opportunity for MPs to support or reject it.

If the legislation clears its first hurdle, it will then face a few hours’ examination by all MPs the following week – rather than days or weeks in front of a committee tasked with looking at the Bill.

The Government’s original package restricted eligibility for the personal independence payment (Pip), the main disability payment in England, and limited the sickness-related element of universal credit.

Existing claimants were to be given a 13-week phase-out period of financial support in an earlier move that was seen as a bid to head off opposition by aiming to soften the impact of the changes.

However, concessions offered by the Government to save the Bill from defeat are expected to include a commitment that those already claiming Pip will continue to receive their current allowance.

Ministers had hoped the reforms would get more people back into work and save up to £5 billion a year, but fresh changes such as the exemption of existing Pip claimants from the cuts would leave Chancellor Rachel Reeves needing to find more money.

The Government had earlier said it was listening to suggestions to improve the legislation amid concerns about the swift timetable of the Bill.

The so-called “reasoned amendment” led by Treasury select committee chairwoman Dame Meg Hillier had argued that disabled people have not been properly consulted and further scrutiny of the changes is needed.

Speaking in the Commons earlier, Sir Keir Starmer told MPs he wanted the reforms to demonstrate “Labour values of fairness” and that discussions about the changes would continue over the coming days.