WIREDGOV

The government's comprehensive spending review represents another attack on the welfare state and will have a devastating impact on Britain's most vulnerable communities, says PCS.

 The comprehensive spending review heralded a further £7 billion in welfare cuts, on top of the £11 billion announced in the June budget. These £18 billion cuts are a fundamental attack on the welfare state, targeting families with children, the sick and disabled, those on low incomes, and pensioners.

This renewed attack is further proof that the coalition government's policies are deeply regressive, making the poorest pay the most for an economic crisis caused by the collapse of the finance sector.

Yesterday's announcement also implies a massive raft of privatisation in welfare, with the delivery of the government's new Work Programme entirely outsourced to the private sector. At the same time the department will suffer 26% budget cuts.

Mark Serwotka, PCS general secretary, said:

"This government's claims to be protecting the poorest are completely hollow as their vicious welfare policies show. At the same time that they are kicking people out of work and forcing the disabled off of incapacity benefits they are reducing welfare. Osborne talks about a 45% increase in welfare spending over 10 years, but there has been a 42% increase in unemployment in that time.

"This government has no strategy for creating jobs, and is instead demonising those without them - these are the cruel actions of an immoral government with no mandate and no strategy.

"Despite all the evidence that Jobcentre Plus staff are more efficient and effective at supporting people back to work, the government is intent on privatising yet more welfare delivery - putting ideology and profit above what people and the economy needs."

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