In the UK the Work and Pensions Secretary, Iain Duncan Smith, has admitted that the government have given up trying to cut benefits spending. Since coming to power the UK government have sought to cut Britain’s budget deficit, and one of the main parts of this plan was to bring welfare spending under control.
However, Ian Duncan Smith has now said that they have given up trying to do this, instead they will focus on managing benefit increases. Duncan Smith also admitted that, “all those on benefits will still see cash increases in every year of this Parliament”.
A government minister told the press that there will need to be a more radical solution to welfare dependence in the UK.
The government have faced stiff opposition in their attempts to rein in public spending. The Department of Budget Responsibility have projected that the total government spending on benefits will be the equivalent of around £1,000 per family by 2015-16.