Kemi Badenoch says welfare bill is 'crushing our economy' as Tories pledge to slash £36 billion

Kemi Badenoch says welfare bill is 'crushing our economy' as Tories pledge to slash £36 billion Kemi Badenoch will say the welfare bill is ‘more than the entire GDP of Ukraine’ as she outlines how her party will make the cuts - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Already a member? Log in The Conservatives have outlined plans to reduce the UK’s welfare spending by £36 billion, with proposals to restrict sickness and disability payments alongside bringing back the two-child benefit cap. Party leader Kemi Badenoch is set to say the country's welfare budget is "more than the entire GDP of Ukraine". She will maintain that individuals facing physical or mental health hurdles remain capable of working, highlighting double amputees competing in marathons alongside autistic individuals heading major global technology firms. Following her initial proposal at last month's Conservative Party conference to cut £36.1 billion annually from public benefits, the party is using an event on Tuesday to publish specific measures for achieving the target. Under the proposals, it will be claimed reforming sickness and disability allowances would save £13.7 billion, largely by halting payments for routine back or joint issues and mild mental health conditions. A further £9.5 billion would be saved, the Tories say, by withdrawing access to benefits for foreign nationals lacking EU settled status. Reimposing the two-child cap on child benefit, which Labour dismantled last year, is projected to generate £3.1 billion. Additionally, £2.8 billion would be recouped by replacing direct cash transfers with non-monetary support for children with mild learning and behavioural difficulties under the child disability living allowance, with a further £1 billion raised by addressing welfare fraud and administrative errors. Mrs Badenoch will say the weight of the welfare burden is “crushing our economy”. “The question of whether we should cut welfare goes to the heart of what sort of country we want to be. It exposes a fundamental difference between Labour and the Conservatives. Labour MPs think cutting welfare is always cruel. “They believe the kindest thing you can do for someone who is struggling is to tell them it’s okay not to look after themselves. “That there’s nothing wrong with a life of dependency,” she will say. She will acknowledge that there must be a safety net for those who “genuinely cannot work”. She will add: “But the reality is that millions of people can and do contribute – to our economy, to their families, to their communities – even when they face serious challenges. “Double amputees run marathons. People who are housebound do wonderful creative work from home. People with autism run some of the biggest tech companies in the world. “If you tell a young person that their ADHD means they are defective and will never amount to anything, that mindset is likely to be more destructive to their future than the condition itself. “That is what our welfare system is currently doing. Conservatives believe in a system that looks at people through the lens of what they can do – not what they cannot.” The Government is grappling with how to keep the ballooning welfare bill under control. The Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts it will rise to £431 billion by the 2031-32 financial year, largely driven by health-related and pensioner benefits. Reviews into disability benefits and getting more of the 45% of young people who are not in employment, education or training (Neets,) led by Stephen Timms and Alan Milburn respectively, are expected to report in the coming weeks. Shadow work and pensions secretary Helen Whately said: “The benefits bill is out of control. Labour has ducked the hard choices and now admits welfare spending will not fall on their watch.” Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments