But half of the public feel recent rise in claimants is not due to genuine health problems
The government have modified proposed changes to disability and sickness benefits, after more than 100 Labour MPs threatened to vote down the government’s welfare bill. Planned cuts will now only hit future claimants of the personal independence payment (PIP) and health element of universal credit, with levels unchanged for existing recipients.
In theory, the u-turn should win the government some credit, as a YouGov survey conducted on 26-27 June – shortly before the government bowed to backbench pressure – showed that the public tended to oppose the government’s initial proposals, by a margin of 40% to 26%, including a similar margin of 45% to 28% among Labour voters. But how do Britons feel about making changes to disability benefit in broader terms?
Most Britons are opposed to cutting the amount of money that disabled people receive in benefits, with 53% opposed to any cut in benefits aimed at supporting disabled people who are able to work and 74% opposed to cuts impact those who are unable to work.
Labour voters are even more opposed to the cuts than wider public, with 63% against any that impact those in work and 79% against cuts for those who cannot work.
Indeed, voters for all five main parties are opposed to cuts to benefits for those unable to work, though Conservative and Reform UK voters tend to support cuts for those disabled people who are able to work, by margins of 49% to 37% and 46% to 39% respectively.
The public are more supportive of plans to tighten eligibility rules so that it is harder for people to claim disability benefits, with nearly half of Britons (46%) support more restrictive rules for disability benefits aimed at supporting those who can work, compared to 38% who are against new limitations.
Nonetheless, the majority of Britons (52%) are still opposed to tightening rules for those unable to work, compared to 33% in favour. Reform UK voters are split 45-44% on this issue, while Tories are in favour by 45% to 38%.
Desire to see tighter eligibility rules is likely in part down to scepticism that the recent increase in people in receipt of disability benefits is down to genuine claims. Half of Britons (49%) believe that the rise has been more the result of people claiming benefits they don’t really need, compared to a third (34%) who believe it is more the result of an increase in people being in poorer health and needing genuine support.
Green voters are most likely (59%) to believe the increase is down to sincere claims, with Labour voters also tending to agree by a margin of 46% to 31%. Lib Dem voters are near evenly split 41% to 39%, while more than seven in ten Conservative (72%) and Reform UK voters (73%) believe it’s a case of people claiming benefits they don’t really need.
The Conservatives have said that the government u-turn has wasted an opportunity to reform the welfare system, specifically calling for cuts to mental health benefits for all but the worst cases.
But half of Britons (49%) believe you should be able to claim disability benefits for mental health conditions in at least most cases, including 15% who feel you should always be able to. This is against 44% of the public who think that claiming benefits for mental health conditions should either be in exceptional circumstances or should never be possible.
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Photo: Getty
