Next week MPs will vote on the governments bill to change welfare. The Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill, aims to cut disability and sickness-related benefit payments in order to save £5billion a year by 2030.

The government is facing a rebellion by it’s own MPs, a number which is growing. More than 100 Labour MPs are signing an amendment that would give them an opportunity to vote on a proposal to reject the welfare reform bill totally.

Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, has warned that he will press ahead with reforms to welfare despite the rebellion.

Talking to journalists earlier at the NATO summit, he said that people on benefits under the current welfare system are trapped and that it was unsustainable for the rises in cost to taxpayers.

One of the big issues around the bill is the cut to Pip – Personal Independence Payment. Disabled people with less severe conditions, under this bill, will find it harder to claim Pip.

My Opinion:

The number one rule of government is to protect it’s citizens. Whether it’s the direct effects of war or society impacts on the individual.

People who are disabled who can’t work – or can only work for short periods of time – need protecting by society and therefore the government. It is a sign of a humane society when we can turn around to others and say we will help you, you are not alone. In a society where costs are still continuing to rise, these people need our help more than ever. If they don’t have help, then what life do they have. I know ideally people shouldn’t be dependent on the state, but for those who have no choice we should protect them. I wouldn’t be typing this today if there was no welfare for a sick relative a few generations ago.

Overall, regardless of the disabled or people out of work or people in work, benefits should not be cut.

We should live in a country where those who can work, do work. But not just work, they work for a job that pays to live. That means they don’t have to use benefits to top up their wages in order to live. That means they aren’t making the decision of whether they’re better off saying at home and going on benefits or going out to work.

We all know work is a better answer. Less people frown upon those in work, compared to those on benefits.

But we are all one decision – and most of the time someone else’s decision – away from needing that safety net of the government.

You just never know if or when it may happen. That is why it should be protected.

Our economy should grow because people are getting wealthier, not because the disabled and the poor are getting benefits cut.

I am a Labour supporter, but on this one I do feel like going against the government. It’s a very un Labour like thing to do.

Let’s get this country working because people can and want to. Let’s get jobs that pay. Let’s get a country that grows because it’s people everywhere are better off.