Welcomes adherence to the triple lock introduced by his party but questions whether there are plans for expatriate United Kingdom citizens whose pensions have been frozen.

Welcomes extra money coming to pensioners but raises concerns about HMRC demands on elderly pensioners and suggests a simpler tax system at source rather than online forms.

Critiques the Government for removing winter fuel payment and not assisting WASPI women as promised by the Prime Minister, and asks about equalising pension levels.

Acknowledges action taken by the Government to uprate UC but questions whether it covers basic essentials for many constituents.

I wish to reassure the Minister about something that I said in last week’s debate on the two-child benefit cap. At one end is the working-age welfare bill, which keeps getting heavier; at the other is the eye-watering cost of public sector defined-benefit pensions. In the middle of those two heavy weights is the hard-working taxpayer, straining under the load. The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has already admitted that the long-awaited Timms review will not involve making welfare savings and is not likely to be published before 2027. Over 40,000 people were signed off work every day by GPs over the last year, according to the Centre for Social Justice. Over 5 million people are claiming benefits with no work requirements, which is equivalent to over half of London’s population. Labour is presiding over a youth unemployment crisis and seems unable to offer long-term solutions. One and a half years after taking office, this Government are still failing to tame the runaway benefits bill and rising unemployment rates. Conservatives believe in fairness for the working parents who make difficult choices about whether they can afford another child. Many working families do not have incomes much higher than the threshold for universal credit but are paying for others through their taxes. Speaking of fairness, the issue of passported benefits desperately needs investigating. Any sensible person would think twice about starting a job if they faced a cliff-edge denial of additional benefits worth thousands of pounds once their universal credit tapers away. For every parent who does not go out to work, there is a child who misses seeing a positive example of work modelled to them—the early alarm clock, the daily routine, the reward for an honest day’s work and the ability to save up to buy important things. Under our watch, the number of children in workless households fell consistently. Under Labour, the number has reached a nine-year high, with 1.2 million children now living in homes where no parent has worked for over a year.

I challenge the notion that hard-working people disapprove of increased social security support, pointing out that many recipients are in low-paying jobs due to previous Conservative policies. I also address youth NEET issues by highlighting evidence suggesting childhood poverty is a major driver for not being in education, employment or training. I strongly support the uprating orders and the recent Universal Credit Act 2025, which increases the standard allowance significantly above CPI inflation. This helps mitigate the loss of value caused by inadequate social security support over the past 15 years. Despite recognising government efforts to address poverty, I advocate for a bolder approach with a clear vision for the social contract that integrates welfare systems and economic policies for long-term benefits.

The welfare state is a critical part of British society, initiated by the Liberals in 1908 with the old age pension. Margaret Thatcher's changes to pensions increased pensioner poverty significantly. The Liberal Democrats introduced the triple lock while in government, reducing but not eliminating pensioner poverty. Concerns are raised about potential means-testing of the triple lock and improving healthcare to support older workers. Carers' allowance needs reform; over 87,000 carers have faced financial liabilities due to system issues. The personal independence payment (PIP) should adequately cover basic living costs for disabled individuals. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation highlights that poverty has stagnated since 2005 and calls for welfare reforms.

The social security system is crucial but has developed significant flaws, leading to vulnerable citizens falling through the cracks. The state pension, while benefiting from the triple lock, still leaves 1.9 million older people in poverty, and there are unfair differences between old and new state pensions. Overseas pensioners with frozen pensions face significant hardship due to lack of international agreements. Universal credit has seen a slight increase above inflation but remains insufficient for essential living costs, leaving many families in need. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation estimates that current benefit levels do not meet the cost of basic essentials.

Acknowledged contributions from other MPs such as Rebecca Smith on youth employment challenges, Carla Lockhart on the importance of face-to-face assessments, and Debbie Abrahams on research indicating a fivefold increase in NEET status for children experiencing poverty and adversity. He highlighted his government's actions to reverse the two-child limit policy and address pensioner poverty while uprating benefits and pensions.

Critiqued policies regarding child benefit abolition, youth unemployment figures, passported benefits, face-to-face assessments for PIP and WCA, and the two-child limit policy. Emphasised the need to address NEET challenges and called for improvements in the social security system.

Cited research showing that children who suffer poverty and adversity are five times more likely to be NEET as young adults, stressing the importance of tackling child poverty through strategies like scrapping the two-child limit in universal credit.

Stressed the importance of accuracy and fairness in assessments, calling for assurances that face-to-face assessments would not be limited to a 30% increase but would strive for more comprehensive coverage.

Highlighted challenges related to pensioner poverty, the importance of uprating benefits and pensions according to earnings growth and price increases, and the impact on contracted out occupational pension schemes.