Tory Analysis Shows Labour's Soft-Touch Welfare Plans Could Let 130,000 Skivers Off the Hook Every Month

Costing Hard-Working Taxpayers £2 Billion Over Five Years

A recent analysis by the Tories reveals that Labour's proposed changes to the welfare system could result in 130,000 individuals avoiding their work commitments every month. This could potentially cost hard-working taxpayers a staggering £2 billion over the course of five years, according to ministers.

Labour's National Policy Framework and Softening Welfare Sanctions

Labour's national policy framework (NPF), which will form the core of their next election manifesto, includes plans to ease "punitive sanctions" for those on welfare. The party aims to overhaul the current system, which they deem unfair and punitive, and put an end to sanctions that strip away people's dignity and trap them in low pay, insecurity, and poverty.

Government Cracking Down on Benefit Claimants Who "Choose to Coast"

The government, on the other hand, is launching a new campaign to crack down on benefit claimants who choose not to work. Under the proposed shake-up, individuals who refuse to work and fail to attend job coaching sessions may have their benefits and free medical prescriptions cut off. The savings from this crackdown will be used to fund long-awaited tax cuts.

Labour Dismisses Tory Figures as a Distraction

Labour has dismissed the Tory analysis as a desperate attempt to divert attention from their own failure to tackle unemployment and control the benefits bill. A Labour spokesperson stated that the party has always believed in conditionality, with rights being accompanied by responsibilities. They argue that the Tories should adopt Labour's plan to address the root causes of economic inactivity and reduce the benefits bill if they are serious about helping people find employment.