Rishi Sunak's plan to cut sick pay bill sparks fury from charities

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Rishi Sunak's plans to reduce the rising costs of sickness benefits have drawn widespread criticism from mental health experts and others.

The Prime Minister said reforming the welfare system was a “moral mission”, while warning that the number of economically inactive young people in Britain was a “tragedy”.

But he was forced to deny that his proposals – which include scrapping benefits altogether for healthy people who refuse to work after 12 months – were aimed at cutting costs and lacked compassion as he faced accusations of “hostile rhetoric” and “all-out attack on people with disabilities”. people".

Since Covid, the number of people out of work due to long-term illness has increased significantly, reaching 2.8 million people in February.

With £69 billion, Britain now spends more on Benefits for working-age people with a disability or health problem are more than "our entire schools budget", a warned Mr Sunak in a speech

Declaring his reform plans, he announced that benefit payments could be withdrawn from some people with mental health problems, who would then be offered treatment.

Charities have criticized the proposal, pointing out that 1.8 million people are already waiting for mental health treatment under the NHS

The Prime Minister also revealed. projects which could deprive GPs of the right to issue “form notes”, thereby handing them over to other professionals.

Benefit fraud would also be treated like tax fraud, with new powers of seizure and arrest and a new civil penalty.

Meanwhile, those who are fit and able to work will have their job applications closed and their benefits removed if they do not take available work, under plans to be implemented in place after the general election.

In making the announcement, the Prime Minister said: "Anyone who fails to comply with the conditions set by the job coach, such as accepting an available job, will, after 12 months, see its application closed and its benefits eliminated entirely”

Downing Street said a quarter of a million people have been out of work for more than a year, at a time when there are 900,000 positions. vacancies in the economy

Labour leader, Sir...