Responding to today’s announcement on welfare, David Sinclair, Chief Executive at the International Longevity Centre UK (ILC), the UK’s leading authority on demographic change, commented:

“Any cuts to disability benefits will have unintended consequences for welfare savings that could be made elsewhere. Decisions on the state pension age are on the horizon, but undermining support for those who can’t work may limit the government’s ability to increase the state pension age.

“A squeeze on ill-health benefits could mean increased numbers of people in their 60s are left with no access to a safety net – whether in the form of disability benefits or state pension payments – just when they need it most.

“In 2023/24, the state pension cost around £125 billion and will increase to an estimated £138 billion this year. As our population ages, forecasts indicate that if we keep the state pension age at 66, total costs will continue to climb significantly.

“Work gives our lives purpose, which is good for us all. Getting more of us to work for more years will both add to the public purse and save on benefits – but we must support those who can’t.”

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