Shock as Labour Councillors Vote Unanimously to Support Government Disability and Welfare Cuts

• Merton Labour councillors voted unanimously to cut welfare and disability payments following Chancellor Rachel Reeves' Spring Statement.
   
• One hundred and eight 18-21-year-olds in Merton will miss out on £4,680 per year due to their age
   
• Government impact assessment says 50,000 more children in the UK will grow up in relative poverty

Labour councillors in Merton have voted unanimously to back the Government's welfare and benefits reforms at the Council meeting on 2 April. This comes despite the Liberal Democrats raising the alarm over severe consequences for local residents.

The Government's own impact analysis estimated that 50,000 more children in the UK will be pushed into relative poverty by 2029/30 because of the cuts to benefits support.

In Merton, 1 in 4 children already grow up in relative poverty. This figure rises to 4 in 10 children within the Mitcham & Morden parliamentary constituency - which has remained broadly the case for the last decade.

Further analysis by the Liberal Democrats has revealed that 108 Merton residents aged 18-21 will no longer be eligible to claim the health top-up to universal credit, worth £4,680 per year.

The health top-up is provided to people with such severe health problems that they are unable to undertake work or work-related activities.

In the Spring Statement, Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed that 18-21-year-olds would no longer be eligible for the health top-up to universal credit.

At Wednesday's Council meeting the Liberal Democrats asked:

• the Labour Leader of the Council to write to the Government and local MPs, urging them "to reconsider these changes and to create a fairer, more compassionate solution that provides security and dignity for all who rely on it"; and
   
• Developing a 'Benefits Boost Strategy' to make sure people locally claim the benefits they are entitled to, 

But these proposals were rejected by the Labour councillors.

Shockingly Labour finance lead Cllr Christie claimed benefit cuts were needed because benefits trapped people in poverty.

Commenting after last night's debate, Cllr Anthony Fairclough, Leader of the Merton Liberal Democrats, said:

"By backing these devastating welfare cuts, Merton Labour have shown yet again that they are not on the side of Merton residents. Young adults with severe disabilities will see their support ripped away simply because of their age, while more children will be forced to grow up in poverty.

"The Labour Party has lost its moral compass. Instead of savagely cutting welfare support, Liberal Democrats would force the big tech, banking, and gambling companies to pay their fair share.

“Locally there's much more we could do to help reduce poverty - for example, many benefits go unclaimed. Labour Council bosses won't even do that.”

Notes to editors:

Merton Liberal Democrats' motion presented to Full Council can be found here.

The full Council meeting can be watched here. The relevant debate starts at 1:17:54. The Liberal Democrat speakers are Cllr Simon McGrath (proposing the motion), Cllr Hina Bokhari OBE (seconding the motion, Cllr Bokhari is also a London Assembly Member), and Cllr Samantha McArthur.

The Government's Spring Statement Impact Report can be found here.

Quarterly statistics for the number of People on Universal Credit with a health condition or disability restricting their ability to work in Great Britain are published on Stat-Xplore. The latest release provides figures up to December 2024 which can be broken down by 'Age (in bands and single year)', Westminster Parliamentary Constituency and Local Authority.

The Local Child Poverty Statistics 2024 are available from End Child Poverty, based on DWP and HMRC data.