MP Welcomes Capped Benefits for Households Who Do Not Work

The Government’s victory in passing the Welfare Reform Bill, ensuring that no family can get more in benefits than the average working family earns, has been welcomed by Christopher Pincher, MP for Tamworth.

Under the reforms, benefit payments to a household on out of work benefits will be capped at £26,000 per year so that work always pays.  Under Labour, some households received up to a staggering £104,000 per year in Housing Benefit alone.

Labour opposed this fair cap on benefits, voting to maintain a “something for nothing” culture in which some families who do not work get thousands of pounds more in welfare handouts than the average working family income through hard work.

The Prime Minister, David Cameron, said, “Today marks an historic step in the biggest welfare revolution in over 60 years.  This government has taken bold action to make work pay, while protecting the vulnerable.

“Past governments have talked about reform, while watching the benefits bill sky rocket and generations languish on the dole and dependency.  This government is delivering it.  Our new law will mark the end of the culture that said a life on benefits was an acceptable alternative to work.”

Tamworth’s local MP Christopher Pincher commented, “In Tamworth, the average person would need to pay tax for 28 years to fund one household to receiving £104,000 in benefits a year, which could happen if Labour had their way.”

“This benefit cap shows that Conservatives are the party of fairness, standing up for hard working taxpayers.  In fact, I have received several messages from constituents saying the cap should be lower.  By voting against it, Labour has once again shown they are the party of something for nothing.”