Kemi Badenoch is preparing to push for a ban on foreigners claiming key disability benefits in a bid to prevent people “gaming the system”. The Conservative leader will use a forthcoming speech to draw a clear dividing line between her party and Labour on welfare reform. Central to her message will be a demand to restrict personal independence payments (PIPs) and sickness top-ups to Universal Credit strictly to British citizens.
She will say: “These benefits, which can be worth up to £1,200 a month, must only be available to British citizens. Foreign nationals, with the exception of EU citizens with settled status, should be excluded from these payouts.”
The plans come amid rising concerns within Tory ranks about the growing cost of disability benefits and fears that the system is being exploited by claimants, including foreign nationals, reported The Telegraph.
Government data shows that benefits claims by households with at least one foreign national have doubled to nearly £1 billion a month. This surge has intensified pressure on ministers to clamp down.
Ms Badenoch’s speech, anticipated this week, will also push to restore face-to-face assessments for PIPs, citing the need to reduce fraudulent claims. Tories are apparently concerned at the potential for “gaming the system”.
Another expected amendment will seek to restrict conditions such as anxiety, mild depression, and ADHD from qualifying as “severe conditions” eligible for the highest benefit rates.
According to the Office for Budget Responsibility, spending on all disability benefits — including PIPs and Universal Credit sickness top-ups — is projected to rise from £39 billion in 2023-24 to £58 billion by 2028-29.
Ms Badenoch is seeking to position the Conservative Party as the only force serious about controlling welfare spending.
She will declare: “The Conservatives are now the only party committed to serious welfare reform.”
“We are the only party that is prepared to take the tough decisions to get spending under control.”
Labour has pushed back hard, dismissing the proposals as “uncosted and unserious.”
A Labour spokesman said: “These are desperate attempts by the Tories to stay relevant. They had 14 years to fix welfare but left a broken system behind. Our Government is already delivering more face-to-face assessments, which the Conservatives neglected.”
Helen Whately, Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, also criticised the Government’s approach.
She said: “The Government’s welfare plans are in chaos. Instead of saving money, the welfare bill we’re voting on next week costs more. We’ve told them how to fix it: stop signing people off sick for mental health problems like anxiety, bring back face-to-face assessments, and only give sickness benefits to British citizens.”
Under current rules, foreign nationals must prove residency of two years out of the last three to claim PIPs. Ms Badenoch’s proposals would tighten this, restricting access to British citizens and settled EU nationals only.
Personal independence payments are worth up to £750 a month for those facing higher living costs due to mobility or other disabilities.
Sickness top-ups to Universal Credit add £423 a month for the most severely ill claimants.
The move to curb access for foreigners marks the first major welfare reform initiative since Ms Badenoch took over Tory leadership last December, when she pledged to “look after British citizens first”.