The Department for Work and Pensions has been urged to scrap cash benefits for claimants with three common conditions: anxiety, depression, and ADHD. Sir Tony Blair's think tank, the Tony Blair Institute, has called on the Labour government to impose an “emergency handbrake” on claims for these conditions, arguing that they should not automatically qualify for financial support.
Proposed Changes to Benefits System
The think tank argues that claimants should be required to provide medical evidence to support their claims. It warns that the current system is perceived as “vulnerable to misuse” and claims that “sickfluencers” on social media are offering advice on how to maximise chances of a successful claim. The TBI described the welfare system as “no longer fit for purpose” in a recent report.
The report states: “The handbrake is based on a simple idea: there are certain conditions that in the vast majority of cases do not limit an individual’s ability to work, and the default presumption should be that these non-work-limiting conditions no longer attract cash benefits.” It adds: “The British welfare system is now a problem the Government cannot afford to ignore. Reducing the number of incapacity and disability benefit claimants must be an explicit short-term objective of Government within this Parliament.”
Political Reactions
Sir Mel Stride, the Conservative shadow chancellor, commented: “It’s telling that even Tony Blair’s think tank is calling for an emergency brake to stop benefits being paid to people with anxiety and depression. While the Tony Blair Institute recognises the dangers of Rachel Reeves’s benefits bonanza, Labour continues to borrow billions to pay for it.”
A spokesman for the DWP responded: “We agree that the system we inherited left too many people written off – without treatment or proper help into work. That is a failure the Government is determined to fix, through reforms with opportunity at their heart. We’re already acting: we’ve rebalanced Universal Credit, saving nearly £1bn, increased face-to-face assessments and improved use of NHS evidence – all while ensuring those who genuinely can’t work are always protected.”
