The work and pensions secretary is detailing changes to the government's welfare proposals, in a bid to stave off a Labour revolt over the plans at a vote on Tuesday
Liz Kendall says the government has "listened carefully" to concerns - but the Tories call the revised plans a "rushed and chaotic compromise"
Need a recap on this story? This is how we got here, in 99 words and a simple guide to the changes
Just before speaking in the Commons, Kendall confirmed changes to the plans that were already known, including an extra £300m for the "Pathways to Work" scheme
New modelling suggests that 150,000 people may be pushed into poverty by 2030 as a result of the cuts, lower than the 250,000 estimate under the original plans
Watch: Liz Kendall says government has "listened carefully" to concerns over its welfare plans
Helen Catt
Political correspondent
The Conservatives have just put the pressure on, and confirmed they will vote against the bill tomorrow.
That’s more than 100 no votes in the bag, and it's now likely to be down to how Labour rebels vote that decides whether the bill passes.
With Kendall's statement now wrapped up, let's take a look at what else was said:
Helen Catt
Political correspondent
Judging from the contributions to the debate this afternoon, the government's changes don't seem to have completely answered concerns.
Liz Kendall has promised that disabled people will "co-produce" a review into Pip assessments, but it will only report back around the same time that new criteria will come into force.
What's come across loud and clear is that the timing of that has raised questions for some MPs about how seriously disabled people's input will be taken.
We'll have to see now whether that means they can't support the reforms tomorrow.
For the Conservatives, meanwhile, the focus has been on the idea of a two-tier system being created, and the fact that the concessions mean there won't be as much money saved as originally planned.
Image source, House of CommonsWork and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall has just finished taking questions from MPs after detailing proposed changes to the government's plans to the welfare system. Here's a quick overview of what she said:
Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall is still taking questions from MPs in the House of Commons.
As a reminder, you can watch live by pressing the button at the top of the page. And we'll keep bringing you all the key lines as they happen.
Image source, House of Commons"Does she realise how cynical this appears," says DUP MP Sammy Wilson, talking about the concessions made to the welfare changes following a Labour rebellion - more on this here.
He says "this is not about well thought out proposals, but simply a way of buying back the backbenchers".
Kendall says leadership is about "listening to make sure that you get things right".
Image source, House of CommonsThe Green Party's Adrian Ramsay says the government's proposals lack competence and compassion.
He asks Kendall how she can justify people who might need support in the future not receiving the same support than those whose who do today.
Kendall replies that the government's changes are "rooted in clear principals" - that those who can work should, and those who can't should be protected.
She says that a fair and sustainable system is needed, and "I do not believe we can wait".
Image source, House of CommonsSNP MP Kirsty Blackman asks why changes to the benefits system were not in Labour's manifesto ahead of last year's general election.
"Is it perhaps because she realised how deeply unpopular and wrong these changes would be?" she asks.
Kendall says reforming the benefits system was in their manifesto, adding that she is "beyond proud" that the government has also extended free school meals to help lift 100,000 children out of poverty.
Helen Catt
Political correspondent
Nearly every question from Labour MPs so far has been about why the government isn't waiting for its Timms review to report back before it goes ahead with making changes.
In particular, they point to the decision that future claimants will have to score four points on any assessment to receive Pip.
The report is due back in Autumn 2026 but the change is due to come in from November 2026.
Could this turn out to be the biggest sticking point for those still making their mind up?
Image source, House of CommonsDame Meg Hillier - the Labour MP who tabled the amendment around which the Labour revolt has centred - is next up.
She begins by thanking the work and pensions secretary for the "movement made in the last week".
She asks Kendall to explain the "rationale" behind the the November 2026 deadline for the changes to the Pip assessment for new claimants, rather than following the wider Timms review.
Kendall says she's grateful for Hillier's "engagement", and says the review will look at the points-based system and descriptors as part of a much wider assessment.
Image source, House of CommonsScottish Labour MP Johanna Baxter asks what discussions are being had with the Scottish government over the changes.
Kendall says the government's spending review has delivered an addition £9bn for Scotland, which she calls "the biggest ever settlement in the history of devolution".
She adds that she hopes the SNP matches Labour's ambition to get more people into work, instead of cutting the employability budget "as they have done in previous years".
Image source, House of CommonsLiberal Democrat MP Steve Darling is up next, and he starts by saying today's proposals are a "leap into the dark".
He voices concerns that this is a "rushed proposal", which could have "unintended consequences".
Darling says the Access to Work scheme - which aims to help people find, or stay in, work if they have a disability - needs to be fixed as "a matter of urgency".
He asks what consultation has been done with carers.
Kendall says, as part of Green Paper, Labour are looking to reform the Access to Work programme so it's available to more people in the future.
"We passionately care about family carers", she adds, saying that existing Pip claimants will be protected as a result of the changes announced today, as well as carers.
Image source, House of CommonsNow it's time for questions from MPs. Debbie Abrahams, the chair of the Work and Pensions Committee, asks about the proposed changes to the Pip eligibility assessment.
These changes are due to be introduced in November 2026 for new claimants, at which time a Pip review is also due to be undertaken, she says.
Shouldn't the review determine the new process, she asks.
Kendall says the government is committed to the wider Pip review, which will end in Autumn 2026, and after which any changes will be implemented as quickly as possible.
Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall is back up to respond.
She says it's no clearer following Whately's comments what the opposition's policy is, and says the previous government's efforts to reform the welfare state "completely failed".
Kendall says the Conservatives left the system in a mess, and that Labour are now putting in place reforms that are fair for those who needs support, and to taxpayers.
Helen Whately goes on to say that the Conservatives agree with the need for reform to the system, and have set out the conditions under which they would support the government with their bill.
These are:
Whately asks if changes will be paid for through borrowing or taxation.
By Ben Chu
The government’s original welfare reforms - including changes to disability benefit - were intended to cut the working-age welfare bill by about £5bn a year by the end of the decade.
That bill was expected to rise significantly in the coming years.
Last Autumn, the Office for Budget Responsibility - the government’s official forecaster - projected that the overall cost of the working-age benefit system would rise from £48.5bn in 2024 to £75.7bn by 2030.
That would have represented an increase from 1.7% of the size of the UK economy to 2.2%, roughly the size of current UK spending on defence.
Factoring in the concessions the government has made - in the face of a major rebellion by Labour MPs – analysts now expect the government to achieve savings of only around £2.5bn a year by the end of the decade, rather than £5bn.
That means the government will have attracted a considerable amount of opposition to deliver a saving worth roughly 3% of the projected 2030 working age welfare bill, although ministers argue that such savings are still vital to keep the overall bill under control.
Whately continues, saying that the welfare bill is forecasted to be £100bn by 2030.
She says the proposed changes to the welfare system are "woefully unambitious" about making savings, adding that after concessions it will amount to a saving of around £2.5bn.
Whately adds that the government's own impact assessment shows the plans "won't get a single person into work".
Image source, House of CommonsNow standing to deliver the opposition's response is shadow work and pensions secretary Helen Whately.
She criticises the government's plans, saying they are not worth the paper they are written on.
Whately says that the Covid pandemic saw the welfare system start to break, and it's now no longer sustainable.
She says that Labour has delivered plans that have been rushed, calling it a chaotic compromise. Whately adds that she believes the plans lack compassion and contain no meaningful change.
Helen Catt
Political correspondent
Liz Kendall has tried to address head-on some of the concerns she knows colleagues are likely to raise
High among them is the idea that the changes will create a two-tier system - because anyone who claims Pip now won't lose it, but someone with the same needs applying in the future might not get it.
Kendall said it already happens elsewhere in the benefit system.
She also announced more money for employment support. But will that convince doubters on her backbenches?
Kendall now announces an extra £300m investment into employment support for sick and disabled people.
She says this will bring the total investment up to £600m next year, £800m the following year, and £1bn in 2028-29 - increasing total spending to £3.8bn over this parliament.
The overall savings and costing of the reform package will be certified by the Office for Budget Responsibility at the next fiscal event, she adds.
Kendall ends by saying that this is "the better future we seek to build for our constituents and our country".