Reforms could see reduced benefits

Welfare changes from this week will reform a system that has “for too long locked disabled people and people with long-term conditions out of work”, the Government has said.

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The reforms will tackle what ministers have branded “perverse incentives” which they argued encouraged people to stay on benefits without support to move into work.

From Monday, new claimants for the health element of universal credit (UC) will get a lower rate of £217.26 a month. Universal credit is a payment to help with living costs and is available for people in work who are on low incomes, and those who are out of work or cannot work.