Welfare Reform Bill Excluded from King's Speech
Sir Keir Starmer has decided not to include a second attempt to reform welfare in the King's Speech scheduled for Wednesday, according to information obtained by the BBC.
The prime minister's initial effort to implement substantial changes to the welfare system, which involved tightening eligibility for certain health-related benefits, led to a significant rebellion among Labour MPs and an embarrassing retreat for the government in June 2025.
Following that, ministers have launched two reviews aimed at generating new ideas, alongside introducing several measures intended to encourage higher workforce participation.
However, it is understood that the government is not yet prepared to present a new parliamentary bill on welfare, and as such, it will not be included in Wednesday's proceedings.
The King's Speech is the occasion when the monarch formally announces the government's agenda for the upcoming year or so.
This means that any new welfare legislation will not be introduced to Parliament until at least mid-2027, despite welfare being one of the government's key priorities.
The decision to delay another welfare bill may be welcomed by some Labour MPs who previously compelled the prime minister to withdraw his proposals, but it may also be viewed by other Labour MPs as indicative of the prime minister's diminishing capacity to advance his agenda within government.
A government source emphasized that reforms are being pursued without new legislation, citing initiatives such as "right to try" rules that allow individuals with health conditions to undertake work without necessarily triggering a reassessment of their benefits, as well as a guarantee of paid work placements for 18 to 21-year-olds who have been out of work or education for over 18 months.
A significant limitation on the government's ability to propose new legislation in this area is the Timms Review, which examines the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) system. This review was committed to as part of the government's retreat on benefit cuts last year.
The review is led by Sir Stephen Timms, a government minister, alongside organizations representing disabled people.
The Timms Review has not yet delivered its final report, but an interim report is expected around July, with the final report anticipated later in the year.
Separately, a report by Alan Milburn, a former health secretary under Sir Tony Blair, addressing the increasing number of young people neither working nor studying, is due to be published in the coming weeks.
Milburn's report, commissioned by Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden, has included remarks that may provoke Labour MPs, such as his assertion that Britain is "writing off" a generation of young people with "normal" mental health conditions.
A government source stated:
"The system we inherited is not fit for purpose, and we are determined to change it and spread opportunity as the best way to tackle welfare dependency. The pieces of work we've commissioned will inform legislation we bring forward."
Even if there is a change in leadership, this King's Speech could set the legislative framework for a new prime minister unless the Labour Party selects a leader specifically to radically alter the government's agenda.
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