Amnesty International raises alarm bells of UK welfare reforms

A new report warns that benefit cuts could violate human rights. The government maintains that reforms are essential for a viable welfare system.

Transcript

00:00So, under international human rights frameworks, social security systems exist to prevent poverty.

00:09It's a cornerstone of our social and economic rights. Without social security, when things go

00:14wrong, you can't afford an adequate standard of living, food, housing, clothing. We talk to

00:20benefit claimants, look at research around the UK and benchmark them against the international

00:25human rights standards for social security system. And our system fails across the board.

00:32The amount isn't enough for an adequate standard of living. In reality, you've got people,

00:3616 million people actually in the UK living in poverty. That's the biggest sign of a failing

00:42social security system. People relying on food banks, unable to heat their homes,

00:47unable to give their children a warm bath. You know, some of the fundamentals that most of us

00:51take for granted. It's also completely inaccessible. It's difficult to navigate. People don't know

00:58what they're entitled to. There's stigma. And as a result, we've got 23 billion unclaimed

01:04entitlements. But also at the heart of it, there is indignity and lack of compassion.

01:11People feel that they are being demonised for needing help. And they're experiencing things

01:17like having a panic attack in a job centre and being told you're going to be sanctioned.

01:22These systematic cruelties are built into the system that's designed to kind of coerce people

01:29into work as opposed to supporting them to be able to live a dignified life with the essential needs met.

01:37Well, I think we are in a position where we are making decisions about what to prioritise.

01:43Rachel Reeves has a look at her budget and she decides what to prioritise. What international

01:48standards say is you prioritise the needs of those furthest behind and you prioritise their basic

01:54needs, their food, their housing. No one's hungry. No one's homeless. No one's living in accommodation

01:59that's damaging their health.

02:03Well, in response, the government asserts that the proposed reforms are designed to modernise the

02:10welfare system. They say it will make it more efficient and responsive, emphasising a commitment

02:16to protecting the most vulnerable. Officials highlight measures such as increased funding

02:21for employment support and initiatives aimed at reducing long-term dependency on benefits.