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Tories spell out benefit cut plan | Tories spell out benefit cut plan |
(10 minutes later) | |
The Conservatives say they would pay for their £600m plan to "get Britain working" by cutting the incapacity benefit bill. | The Conservatives say they would pay for their £600m plan to "get Britain working" by cutting the incapacity benefit bill. |
People on employment support allowance who are deemed fit to work would be put on the jobseeker's allowance, reducing their benefits by £25 a week. | People on employment support allowance who are deemed fit to work would be put on the jobseeker's allowance, reducing their benefits by £25 a week. |
All incapacity benefit claimants would be assessed to see if they could work. | All incapacity benefit claimants would be assessed to see if they could work. |
Ministers have described the Tory plan to reduce the number of people on incapacity benefit as "callous". | Ministers have described the Tory plan to reduce the number of people on incapacity benefit as "callous". |
Mr Cameron's position on the Lisbon Treaty is also under the microscope at the Conservative Party's conference in Manchester, amid calls for a referendum, whether it has been ratified or not. | Mr Cameron's position on the Lisbon Treaty is also under the microscope at the Conservative Party's conference in Manchester, amid calls for a referendum, whether it has been ratified or not. |
'Tailored help' | |
But the Tory leader wants to concentrate on what he has described as a "big, bold" shake-up of the welfare system. | But the Tory leader wants to concentrate on what he has described as a "big, bold" shake-up of the welfare system. |
He told the BBC it was not about trying to reduce people's standards of living: "There are about 2.6 million people on incapacity benefit. Those who genuinely can't work, who are disabled, we as a compassionate society should look after them, should help them, and should pay their benefits, yes. | He told the BBC it was not about trying to reduce people's standards of living: "There are about 2.6 million people on incapacity benefit. Those who genuinely can't work, who are disabled, we as a compassionate society should look after them, should help them, and should pay their benefits, yes. |
TORY CONFERENCE TWEETS | |
Twitter: @BBCLauraK | |
Boris warns Cameron on Crossrail-must be paid for-Cameron hasn't promised it yet#cpc09 17 minutes ago Boris gets his own video before his speech and an ovation as he arrives on stage-they love him#cpc09 46 minutes agoMon, 05 Oct 2009 09:56:37 +0000 About 1 hour ago Small but noisy UKIP group targeting tories on their way into conference this morning #cpc09 About 2 hours ago Tories have a mini shopping mall in the conference centre, including a Harvey Nichols-no room for tacky memorabilia here!#cpc09 About 17 hours ago What is this? | |
"There are also people on incapacity benefit who could work, and what we're saying is: 'If you can work, you should work, we will help you to work, we will get you the tailored help and support'." | "There are also people on incapacity benefit who could work, and what we're saying is: 'If you can work, you should work, we will help you to work, we will get you the tailored help and support'." |
The Conservatives recognised the social and economic dangers of people becoming long-term unemployed, he added, and would act earlier and more emphatically than Labour to help people at risk. | The Conservatives recognised the social and economic dangers of people becoming long-term unemployed, he added, and would act earlier and more emphatically than Labour to help people at risk. |
The Tories plan to scrap Labour's flagship New Deal back-to-work programme in favour of more personalised help for the jobless. | The Tories plan to scrap Labour's flagship New Deal back-to-work programme in favour of more personalised help for the jobless. |
They will offer training courses for those unemployed for more than six months - with benefits cut if people refuse to take part. | They will offer training courses for those unemployed for more than six months - with benefits cut if people refuse to take part. |
Private training firms would be used to prepare the unemployed for work and also to assess all those on incapacity benefit, with initial start-up costs totalling £600m. | Private training firms would be used to prepare the unemployed for work and also to assess all those on incapacity benefit, with initial start-up costs totalling £600m. |
The Tories plan to cover the cost of the scheme by transferring more people from incapacity benefits to jobseeker's allowance. | The Tories plan to cover the cost of the scheme by transferring more people from incapacity benefits to jobseeker's allowance. |
They say they would extend a government pilot scheme aimed at getting people on incapacity benefit into work, which has a 19% success rate, across the whole of the UK. | They say they would extend a government pilot scheme aimed at getting people on incapacity benefit into work, which has a 19% success rate, across the whole of the UK. |
'On a mission' | 'On a mission' |
Shadow schools secretary Michael Gove denied the approach was a throwback to more hard line Conservative policies of the 1980s and 1990s, saying the plan was within the tradition of moderate "one nation" Conservatism. | Shadow schools secretary Michael Gove denied the approach was a throwback to more hard line Conservative policies of the 1980s and 1990s, saying the plan was within the tradition of moderate "one nation" Conservatism. |
"The Conservative Party is a party on a mission, on a crusade, to deal with deep-seated social, structural problems which have kept 20% to 30% of our people in poverty because they have not had the opportunities to rise which others have been given," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. | "The Conservative Party is a party on a mission, on a crusade, to deal with deep-seated social, structural problems which have kept 20% to 30% of our people in poverty because they have not had the opportunities to rise which others have been given," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. |
The Tories don't seem to care about getting people into jobs, they just want to cut their benefit Jim Knight Employment minister class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=7074">Send us your comments class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/nickrobinson/2009/10/benefit_cuts_co.html">Nick Robinson on the welfare plan | |
"You can characterise that mission, that desire, to ensure social mobility is spread more widely and to deal with entrenched poverty however you wish but, as far as I am concerned, it is true to the mission that David Cameron outlined when he became leader of the Conservative Party." | "You can characterise that mission, that desire, to ensure social mobility is spread more widely and to deal with entrenched poverty however you wish but, as far as I am concerned, it is true to the mission that David Cameron outlined when he became leader of the Conservative Party." |
Following the Tory announcement, the government announced a number of new policies aimed at getting more than 750,000 people back into work by the end of next year. | Following the Tory announcement, the government announced a number of new policies aimed at getting more than 750,000 people back into work by the end of next year. |
People who have been out of work for more than six months - but have turned down work experience, support or training - will be required to take a work experience placement as a condition of receiving their benefits. | People who have been out of work for more than six months - but have turned down work experience, support or training - will be required to take a work experience placement as a condition of receiving their benefits. |
Labour rejected the Conservative approach to incapacity benefit claimants as "callous". | Labour rejected the Conservative approach to incapacity benefit claimants as "callous". |
"This is unfair on the genuinely sick who should not suffer a £25 a week cut in benefit," employment minister Jim Knight said | "This is unfair on the genuinely sick who should not suffer a £25 a week cut in benefit," employment minister Jim Knight said |
"Our plans are to get people off benefit and into work. The Tories don't seem to care about getting people into jobs, they just want to cut their benefit." | "Our plans are to get people off benefit and into work. The Tories don't seem to care about getting people into jobs, they just want to cut their benefit." |
The Conservatives are the last of the three main UK parties to hold their annual conference, running from Monday to Thursday in Manchester. | The Conservatives are the last of the three main UK parties to hold their annual conference, running from Monday to Thursday in Manchester. |
They are currently riding high in the opinion polls ahead of the general election which has to be held by next May at the latest. | They are currently riding high in the opinion polls ahead of the general election which has to be held by next May at the latest. |
Do you think this plan would get people back to work? Would you be affected by the cuts? Send us your comments using the form below. | Do you think this plan would get people back to work? Would you be affected by the cuts? Send us your comments using the form below. |
A selection of your comments may be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. | A selection of your comments may be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. |
The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions | The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |