00:00We're announcing an important package of welfare reform today. The UK has been an outlier compared
00:07to other major industrial countries in recent years in that we are the only big industrial
00:13country where the proportion of people in employment is lower than it was before the pandemic.
00:19The number of people on long-term disability benefits is 2.8 million. It's expected to go up
00:26to over 4 million without action, so we want to introduce a package of reform that makes sure
00:33those who genuinely need help and who can't work get that help, but we also help those who could
00:38work into work. That'll be better for them and better for the country as a whole. It's really
00:43important that people with disabilities or vulnerable people get the support they need,
00:49but I don't think we can be relaxed as a country if the numbers on this are growing to 2 million,
00:55then a projected 3 million, then 4 million. We have to look at the criteria for this.
01:02My colleague the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions will be announcing
01:06a package of reform today and it's one that's aimed at making sure there is help available
01:11for people who can't work, but there's also incentives to work and support for work for those who can.
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