Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride says the government is "simply planning for failure" ahead of the upcoming Budget which is set to see taxes rise. "Not only is this is a colossal burden on the public finances but it is also trapping millions of people into a life on benefits when many can and should be working," Mr Stride said. Report by Kennedyl. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
00:00The terms of reference for their review of sickness benefits say that it will be conducted, assuming that spending is in line with the OBR's forecasts.
00:10If you look at those forecasts, you will see that the government is simply planning for failure.
00:16In fact, the latest numbers from March showed that spending on PIP alone would rise by almost one-third over the course of this Parliament.
00:24That's from £27 billion to £35 billion. That's in real terms.
00:30And that was assuming that Labour could make the £5 billion of savings which they have now abandoned.
00:37Not only is this a colossal burden on the public finances, it is also trapping millions of people into a life on benefits when many can and should be working.
00:48We need serious and fundamental reforms to get people off benefits and into work and to get the welfare bill back on a sustainable path.
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