DWP ordered to make changes so people are not 'abandoned to a life on benefits'

The DWP is being told to take 'urgent action' to reform the benefits system as costs soar. Detailed demands have been made to make multiple changes to the system.

Too many people's lives are being wasted, a new report said. And huge amounts of money are being spent - with everyone losing out.

The House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee has demanded an overhaul of the health-related benefits system. Following an inquiry into how welfare and long-term sickness interact, they've found that current setups are providing incentives for people out of work to apply for these benefits, and once they receive them, there's little motivation or assistance to secure employment.

The committee made it clear that their findings didn't align with the idea that worsening health or stretched NHS services were behind the spike in benefit claims. They're now pushing the UK Government for a strategy to iron out the system's flaws, cautioning: "If the Government does not do so, this growing area of welfare spending will remain a challenge for the forthcoming Spending Review."

Lord Bridges of Headley, heading up the committee, remarked on the urgency, stating: "The health benefits system is financially unsustainable, wastes human potential and - in the words of the Employment Minister (Alison McGovern MP) - 'does not work for anybody'. Given the pressure on the nation's finances, tackling this must be a top priority for the Government.

"Urgent action is needed to reform both the unemployment and health-related benefits system, and how they interact. There should be more support to help those who are able to find and accept work - and to ensure that those who cannot work for a period are not abandoned to a life on benefits.

"Without a clear