Iain Duncan Smith will demonstrate his determination to intensify welfare reforms today.
The Work and Pensions Secretary will say in a speech that the changes the Coalition has made to the benefits system have played a key role in the recent falls in unemployment and ending the “culture of welfare dependency”.
The comments come amid speculation that the Conservative general election manifesto could pledge to lower the benefit cap of £26,000 to closer to £18,000 or extend other tough measures, after centre-right think tank Policy Exchange recommended the benefit cap should be lowered for people living outside London and the South East.
Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Rachel Reeves said: “The Government’s flagship welfare reforms are in chaos. Millions of taxpayers money has been wasted on the £12.8bn Universal Credit which less than 7,000 people are claiming”.
