'There are more compassionate ways to balance the books than on the backs of the sick and disabled'

SIR Keir Starmer and Liz Kendall faced a furious backlash from Labour MPs and charities after announcing plans to slash the welfare bill by £5billion.

- By Jonathan Walker

People with disabilities and the long-term ill will bear the brunt of the cuts, which were condemned last night as “wrong” and “cruel”.

The Prime Minister said it would be “morally bankrupt” not to reform Britain’s “fundamentally broken” benefits system.

But Ms Kendall, the Work and Pensions Secretary, admitted that spending on working age sickness and disability benefits will soar by billions over the next five years despite the changes.

Labour critics included Debbie Abrahams, Chair of the Commons Work and Pensions Committee, who said: “There are alternative, more compassionate ways to balance the books rather than on the back of sick and disabled people.”

Conservatives warned that the Government’s efforts to force people into work were doomed to failure because the Treasury is imposing a £20billion jobs tax on employers by increasing National Insurance.

Most of the savings in the long-awaited package of reforms announced yesterday come from changing the rules on Personal Independence Payments received by people with a long-term health condition or disability.

It will become harder to qualify for this benefit, meaning more claims are refused.