Welfare cuts vote could be the government's biggest parliamentary test to date

Liz Kendall, the payment secretary, said contiguous that the payment strategy was astatine a crossroads - and that the roadworthy she had chosen was the 1 of "compassion, accidental and dignity".

Dozens of Labour MPs consciousness that what was promised arsenic a program to enactment disabled radical into enactment has alternatively turned into a cost-cutting workout to shave £5bn disconnected the budget.

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Kendall announced the reforms successful March, saying that the payment measure was "spiralling" and "unsustainable". The figures are striking: 9 cardinal working-age radical are economically inactive. Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claims per period person doubled successful conscionable 5 years.

Many MPs hold the strategy needs reform, but interest the authorities is acting without afloat reasoning done the consequences.

Today saw the authorities published - the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill - mounting retired a tightening of criteria for the main disablement payment successful England, PIP. It besides sets retired plans to chopped the wellness constituent of Universal Credit and hold entree to it until property 22.

Forty-two Labour MPs person signed a missive saying they cannot enactment the changes - and the names see newly-elected MPs who person not been captious of the authorities before. They accidental concessions, specified arsenic a longer grace play earlier benefits are removed, are not bully enough.

Cat Eccles, MP for Stourbridge, who spoke to Sky News today, has been connected sickness benefits herself - aft an unexpected unwellness saw her forced retired of her job.

She said she was disquieted astir radical who trust connected PIP for the costs of moving – specified arsenic petrol, and those who would suffer it, but not beryllium acceptable for employment.

"It's truly not bully capable due to the fact that we cognize truthful galore radical this is going to affect," she said.

"We cognize PIP tin beryllium a gateway to getting different benefits similar carers allowance which truly assistance families conscionable survive. We're not adjacent talking astir radical having immoderate large lifestyle, they're virtually hardly surviving connected these payments. It each conscionable doesn't consciousness precise Labour to me."

Other MPs who person not yet spoken publically are concerned. "It seems arsenic if we're getting each the atrocious worldly archetypal – earlier we perceive astir the occupation schemes and kid poorness strategy", 1 said.

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Several MPs accidental portion the £1bn for tailored enactment successful occupation centres is welcome, they interest it volition not assistance each those losing out; and they interest astir the economical outlook and employers being consenting to instrumentality radical on.

Government insiders judge the rebellion tin beryllium contained. But it poses a challenge, and some Ms Kendall and Stephen Timms person been devoting clip to one-on-one meetings to triumph astir idiosyncratic MPs.

PIP – paid astatine a basal complaint of £73.90 a week astatine the modular rate, and £110.40 astatine the enhanced complaint – would beryllium restricted from radical who bash not people 4 points connected the regular surviving criteria. Disability groups accidental radical who conflict to provender and formal themselves could suffer out.

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Kathy Laprell, from Eastbourne, who suffers symptom and mobility problems pursuing a superior car accident, has been receiving PIP for 9 years.

She presently qualifies for the enhanced rate, but fears she would not conscionable the caller criteria and suffer £440 a period if reassessed erstwhile these changes instrumentality effect adjacent year.

"People are terrified, we're angry, that yet again we're the scapegoat, we had it with the conservatives for 14 years", she told Sky News.

"I usage it to assistance wage for my carer's expenses due to the fact that I wage her, I usage it for petrol for the car truthful I tin get retired and about, and evidently other wintertime fuel; the summation successful bills since April has been astronomical. Losing it would mean I would beryllium astatine nutrient banks to really beryllium capable to eat.

"We're not scroungers. If I could enactment I would work," she said.

Yesterday, employment curate Alison McGovern faced down immoderate aggravated Labour MPs who had called for the wealth to beryllium taken from the wealthiest instead, saying the authorities had already enactment taxes connected backstage schools and backstage jets, arsenic good arsenic expanding inheritance tax.

MPs are besides acrophobic that aft spending months defending the determination to slash Winter Fuel Payments from pensioners, the authorities was forced into a U-turn.

With galore yet to beryllium convinced, the archetypal ballot successful 2 weeks could beryllium the biggest parliamentary trial the authorities has faced yet.