Tom EdgingtonBBC Verify senior journalist
Economists have suggested the government鈥檚 latest concession on its welfare reforms – notably that proposed changes to personal independence payments (Pip) will be delayed – will now result in no 鈥渘et savings鈥 by 2030.
Paul Johnson, director of the Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS), says, external the reforms 鈥渃ould even end up costing a few tens of millions鈥.
How is this possible?
Under the government鈥檚 original plans, the reform package was expected to save around 拢5bn a year by 2030.
This projected figure has been whittled down after a series of concessions to Labour MPs.
The tightening of Pip rules was expected to save 拢2.6bn by 2030, according to the IFS鈥檚 Tom Waters.
But this change is now subject to a government review – which means ministers are left with just a projected 拢1.7bn saving from cutting the health element of universal credit.
However, the government has also promised to raise basic universal credit, at a cost of 拢1.8bn, Waters adds. This potentially leaves the government with a bill of 拢100m in 2029-30.