PAT MCFADDEN SIGNALS WELFARE POLICY SHIFT AWAY FROM CASH PAYMENTS

Pat McFadden, Cabinet Office Minister and Secretary of State, has stated that government policy on sickness and disability benefits will move beyond simply providing monthly payments to claimants. Speaking at a jobcentre in south London, Mr McFadden said the state "owes people more" than a cheque and that ministers have a responsibility to help claimants change their circumstances. His remarks signal preparation for a fresh approach to the welfare bill, though he stressed that those genuinely unable to work would continue to receive support.

Mr McFadden's comments arrive as the government awaits final findings from two reviews he commissioned: Alan Milburn's inquiry into youth worklessness and Sir Stephen Timms' investigation into disability benefits. The interim verdict from the Timms review, published recently, assessed the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) scheme—claimed by almost four million people across England and Wales—as failing and requiring radical reform. The Milburn review's first phase, released in May, called for a "whole system reset" spanning welfare, schools and employers after youth joblessness and those outside education exceeded one million.

Mr McFadden confirmed that work on the government's formal response to both reviews is already under way, months before either report concludes in autumn. Officials are already holding discussions with the Department for Education and health officials as part of the planning process. The minister stated his objective is to reframe the entire purpose of the benefits system, shifting focus from what claimants are entitled to receive towards how the state can help them build a fuller life.