Stephen Timms, social security and disability minister, says ‘who knows what will happen in next five years’ as welfare bill is increasing even with cuts

The Guardian has today published this article by Brian, a single father with mental health issues who receives Pip, who explains why he is alarmed about the disability benefit cuts announced yesterday.

In his article in the Times about the disability benefit cuts, Keir Starmer makes a bold claim – that nobody with a condition meaning they can never work will lose out. He says:

Our reforms are guided by three principles. First, if you can work, you should. Second, if you want to work, the government should support you to make that a reality. Third, if you will never be able to work because of your illness or disability, the state should help you to get by with security, dignity and respect.

So, nobody with a condition that means they will never be able to work will lose out from our changes. Nor will they have to endure the indignity and fear of endless reassessment – that requirement will be scrapped.

The government haven’t given us a number for how many will be affected, and because they’ve made quite a detailed change to the system, we can’t tell exactly who will be affected.

I think it would have been good if the government had told us yesterday, but given what they’ve told us about how much they’re planning, the Resolution Foundation estimate it’s around a million people who are losing their entitlement to Pip completely ..