Live: Rishi Sunak calls for end to ‘sick note culture' in welfare reform speech

Watch live as prime minister Rishi Sunak delivers a speech in central London critiquing the increase in people on long-term sick leave in a bid to reverse the number of people who have permanently dropped out of the workforce

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[jasonuren]

Typical Tories. Get ready for people dying in hospital beds to receive letters saying their benefits have been stopped because they've been found fit for work. Just like they did in the 2010's

[MegaVuvu]

Translation: Work peasants!!!! Work!!!! Make us more money!!!! We the rich and powerful decree this!
Work until you fall on the floor for out

[komplex]

Maybe government should set limits on how many hours a job can make you work a day

[catpuccino]

I am in full time employment with chronic health conditions & my job sucks but i can't do another one because of my health and my job is one of the few ones that still allow WFH...& i keep pushing myself every day, was off sick 3 days in last 24 months. it's difficult to get a GP appointment, impossible to see a specialist or a dentist. What WFH are they talking about? Jobs that will give people mental health issues that they didn't have before because that's what any customer service role will do. Nobody wants to get screamed at for 9 hours a day, 5 days a week...They're really making u feel horrible for feeling unwell. It's already difficult as it is. These people should not be making decisions for us working class who are already struggling. Then they wonder why millennials don't want to have children. I can't even afford my own self at this stage😂. Bye, Rishi, it's time for u to go.

[leighannclements]

MPs getting £90, 000 don’t help the economy especially those that are non dons hey Mrs sunak 😂 the guy is a joke get this unelected fool out!!

[EddiesMcGraw]

Mp/PM salaries 100k/180k
Mp/PM expenses upto 40k a year.
Refugee or illegals can get up to 100k on costs for right to stay or fighting been deported
A illegal gets up to 4k a month on hotels stay.
A extra 2.5k on clothing mobile phones or tech.
A single criminal in jail gets 75k spent in a 3 year prison sentence/stay and a up to 20k spent on education courses over the same time.
A schools get 1.2k a year for education for a single pupil.
Schools get up to 2.7k for a Disabled children in a public schools.
A specialist school get maximum of 10k per disabled person/student
A rapist gets around 200k on a 18/24 month court battle.
Same with murderers.terrorists
And so.
A foreigner who's pregnant and gives birth in uk and it cost 2k to 15k per birth and stay in hospital.then leaves without paying a penny in taxes/ costs.like lots of people.
A disable person gets maximum of 12k a year on benefits.and yet rishi and his government will try and still punish them even more.if the nhs and other services wasn't so bad people in the uk may be able to get the help/support/treatment. and there not be so many ill/sick people unable to work.

[sevgisirin]

First answer you and wife why you are stealing money from government funds and citizen rights?

[amandafinlayson]

Don't be depressed guys, it's not fair on everyone else!

[chazwyman]

"Gosh!!! Why are therir so many sick people??" 1) Lack of mental health provision, 2) Covid19 and Long Covid, 3) The largest waiting lists in history, 4) People too poor to afford real food, 5) Overworked. 6) Can't get a doctor's appointment.

[plerpplerp]

Tory government is indeed pursuing policies that harken back to the harsh and stigmatizing approach of the Victorian Poor Law system.

Rhetoric from Sunak and ministers framing benefit claimants as "taking taxpayers for a ride" and suggesting a "duty" for disabled people to work, echoing the stigmatizing mindset of the Victorian era.


This is proof that Britain has not come out of the Victorian age. Societal attitudes from that time, that blame the poor for their circumstances is ever present.

There are large numbers of children and families experiencing severe material hardship and going without essentials.

The Tory government is pursuing significant cuts and restrictions to welfare benefits, making it harder for people to access support.


There is a clear ideological framing of benefit claimants as "dependent" and a "burden", echoing the Victorian mindset of discouraging reliance on poor relief.

Proposed reforms include measures like making disability assessments more difficult, reducing automatic cash benefits, and giving the government new powers to penalize claimants.

This represents a shift towards a more punitive and restrictive welfare system, similar to the workhouse model of the 19th century Poor Laws.

[GLENN-zq]

He needs to get his own party in order first. Like to know who these so called professionals will start diagnosing people who are genuine for sick notes. Those who come do pip assessment are waste of space. I had one come who then wrote a pack of lies in their report. Ended having to appeal at court and my medical evidence won. I agree there are some who are are fit and playing the system but I know the job centre officials are not thorough enough.

[Ukejuggler]

@DavidJago should get off his arse and work

[magnetmountain]

I’d be interested to know if people think he really believes what he’s saying??? Mind you relativism nominalism and materialism makes me think that he probably simultaneously believes that he is both bailing himself out while simultaneously believing the speech. He just said or at least being able to fame belief in it for the moment. I wonder if the people who become MPs and Prime Minister instead?

[Greavesy]

We’ll have the benefit reform. It lush and it lovely

[logicman]

What is the definition of "sick"? a large portion of these people are not sick they just don't want to face the daily grind of earning their keep. And for those on benefits who are not sick should be given a bin bag and a scrubbing brush, take a look around your streets, litter and graffiti everywhere its a disgrace. get these people off their arse and doing community work for their handouts.

[deborahknott]

So you are targeting and minimising anxiety and depressive illness. They are responsible for not filling the under 1million vacancies and cause immigration?So disingenuous. Fifteen years and you blame the pandemic for your failure to provide close individual support when someone suffers anxiety/depression or when a person becomes unemployed. What specialised professionals will take over assessments?How much will they cost? If you cared for young people you wouldn’t make them wait for up to five years for diagnosis of ADHD. You’d create safe schools, streets and homes and online experiences.I dare you to enter their realities. Anxiety debilitates and depression can lead to decline and worse..You can’t threaten these illnesses away. You have given certain media and the nasty elements in society a target. In a polarised society this is dangerous. The deserving and undeserving, the haves and have nots, the same old electoral merry go round.

[josephine]

of benefit system has gone on way to long. Disgusting what goes on and the decent tax payer again is the loser. Bring it on

[GLENN-zq]

Something has gone wrong the PM say. He’s right. You have gone wrong PM. Can’t even stop the boats and the plan is working, might be in your mind but we know your plan is a joke. VOTE REFORM. You won’t be PM much longer fella.

[komplex]

Everyone commenting clearly on benefits living the life lol