Reeves Targets Welfare in Defense Spending Plan

In her Spring Budget, UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced significant cuts to welfare, specifically targeting disability benefits, while increasing defense spending by £2.2 billion amid international pressures. The welfare cuts, estimated to save £4.8 billion, include a 50% reduction in the health element of Universal Credit for new claimants and stricter eligibility for Personal Independence Payments. Reeves aims to balance the budget by turning a predicted £4.1 billion deficit into a £9.9 billion surplus by 2029-30, despite revised savings estimates by the Office for Budget Responsibility. In addition to welfare cuts, she plans to freeze incapacity benefits and reduce civil service costs to address a £15 billion financial gap. Critics argue that the focus on austerity measures and tax hikes could stifle economic recovery, while Reeves defends the measures as necessary to maintain fiscal health and boost national security through increased defense funding.