House of Lords Defeats Employment Support Allowance Cuts

Ministers had proposed reducing the Employment Support Allowance payments to those judged unfit to work but well enough to attend interviews aimed at getting them back into the jobs market by £30 a week.

Labour, Lib Dem and independent peers defeated the cuts by 283 votes to 198.

It was argued that the cuts would incentivise claimants to go back to work Crossbench peer Lord Low said: “There are things that can encourage disabled people into work but cutting their benefits is not one of them.”

The £30 cut would have come into force in 2017, and affected new claimants placed in the Work Related Activity Group of the Employment and Support Allowance.

This group are classed as being unfit for work but able to undertake activities to help them move towards work.

Baron Low of Dalston, CBE (born 23 September 1942) is a British politician, law scholar and member of the House of Lords.