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A Department for Work and Pensions benefits system warning has been issued over l ong-term sickness claims rising by 5,000 a day. Incapacity benefits are up 43 per cent on last year and double the pre Covid level, with spending on sickness benefits set to reach £100 billion this decade.

Sir Keir Starmer has said there is a “moral case” to cut DWP payments and Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, also told Labour conference that “we can’t go on like this”.

The Times reports more than 100,000 people were signed off on to universal credit health benefits or employment and support allowance because they were deemed too ill for work.

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This works out at just under 5,000 for each working day of the month. “5

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