There is no painless way to fix Britain's welfare system. Anyone pretending there is, isn't being serious about the scale of the problem.
Welfare should be a safety net for those in genuine need. It is not meant to be a comfortable option for people who can work, but choose not to.
And we must always remind ourselves that this safety net does not come free. It’s paid for by the hard-working people of this country.
And even still it’s not enough. Labour are having to borrow more to pay for welfare, growing our national debt even further.
That is why the Conservatives are going to do things differently and encourage people on welfare back to work.
Under our changes, jobless claimants who haven't paid enough into the system will have their benefits cut by 30 per cent.
Their benefits will be loaded on to a 'Back To Work' card that bans them from buying alcohol and cigarettes, making cash withdrawals or betting.
Anyone fit to work will get six months on full benefits to find a job. After that, the full rate will be kept only by those who have earned it through years of work and contribution.
The Conservative Party is the only party willing to make the changes needed to bring welfare spending under control.
Click here to read more about our plan on welfare in Kemi’s article in the daily mail.
