Leading think tank throws support behind Labour’s £5bn welfare cuts

PoliticsOpinion
19 Mar 2025 • 10:40 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

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  • The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) has thrown its support behind Labour's £5bn welfare reforms aimed at getting more people into work, saying “for too long now it’s been sickness that pays”.
  • The cuts will see the threshold for Personal Independence Payments (PIP) raised to curb the growth in disability and long-term sickness benefits.
  • The CSJ, while backing the cuts, says it is worried that the reforms don’t adequately address the over-medication of mental health issues.
  • A report conducted by the think tank reveals 84 per cent of GPs believe excessive medication is prescribed for mental health problems, particularly depression.
  • The CSJ says benefits remain high due to the over-medicalisation of everyday life challenges, citing a lack of a consistent NHS definition for mental illness.

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