DWP benefit changes Labour could make in 2025

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. There are now 3.7 million people of working age receiving them – 1.2 million more than in February 2020. open image in gallery Secretary of state for work and pensions Liz Kendall leaves after the weekly cabinet meeting at Downing Street on 18 December 18 2024, London Changes to Jobcentres and improving the NHS were the first of several early announcements made by the government last year to tackle this. Here are some of the biggest benefit changes Labour could make this year: Work capability assessment overhaul Changes to the work capability assessment are central to Labour’s plans to cut welfare spending. open image in gallery Work capability assessments and PIP assessments are the two main ways the DWP assesses people for different health-related benefits The previous Conservative government had consulted on changing the assessment to widen the rates of payment. However, civil liberties campaign group Big Brother Watch have argued that the powers are also about “correcting the government’s own frequent payment errors.” In October last year, the government launched an independent review into carer’s allowance overpayments after it was revealed that the DWP was seeking to recover money from over 134,000 carers, pushing many into debt and severe stress.