The leader of the Fire Brigades Union is calling on Labour MPs to vote against the government’s proposed cuts to benefits. Steve Wright has become the first general secretary of a trade union affiliated to the Labour Party to explicitly tell Sir Keir Starmer’s MPs to rebel against his plans. Wright told the BBC: “The most vulnerable and poorest in society are being asked to pay for a crisis they didn’t cause. I don’t believe that is why people are involved in the Labour movement.”
Ministers have set out plans for a benefits shake-up that aims to save around £5bn a year by 2030, including tightening eligibility for Personal Independence Payment, the main disability benefit in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. There are also planned changes to universal credit. Under-22s will no longer be able to claim the health-related element of universal credit, and the health top-up for new claimants is being cut from £97 to £50 per week from April 2026. A new top-up payment for those with the most severe conditions is to be introduced.
Voting on the plans is expected as soon as next month.
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