Labour’s plans for social security are once again under the spotlight, after the high court ruled that a consultation on incapacity benefit cuts was unlawful. Coupled with an expected squeeze on departmental spending, and the latest warning from a House of Lords committee that the present system is “unsustainable”, the prospect of a new consultation ramps up the pressure on the work and pensions secretary, Liz Kendall, to come up with a policy to match her rhetoric.
Ms Kendall rejects the language of her Conservative opponents – for example, the claim by Mel Stride, her predecessor, that people were being signed off work by doctors because they felt “bluesy”. Her vision for reform involves closer coordination with the NHS, enhanced support for people who are economically inactive, and stronger local oversight of job centres and training. In November, she set out her ambition for a “genuine public employment service”, including work coaches to support people through the transition back into work.
