What should Christians think about welfare cuts? It’s complicated

Today, the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, will unveil her spring statement. She has said she will not raise taxes or borrow money to fund day-to-day public spending, but borrowing is higher than predicted and economic growth is poorer, partly due to US President, Donald Trump’s trade tariffs. And it feels inevitable that defence spending will further increase with the continued conflct in Ukraine.

Reeves has insisted that we won’t return to the austerity years of George Osborne, but there are concerns at the likely cuts to public services - and for individuals already struggling to make ends meet.

Last week, the government announced that £5bn will be cut from welfare spending, which will affect many on disability benefits, particularly those receiving personal independence payments (PIPs). This will be offset by tackling long term health issues, creating jobs and offering more support to move people into employment. But disabled people are fearful, and many Labour MPs are angry.

Next time you feel tempted to dismiss those on welfare, consider how many people you know who rely on them

The language of morality is being deployed on both sides. Liz Kendall, Labour’s work and pensions secretary, told the commons that millions of people who could work are ‘trapped’ on benefits, being “denied the income, hope, dignity and self-respect that we know that good work brings”.

But Debbie Abrahams, chair of the work and pensions committee said there were “alternative and more compassionate ways to balance the books, rather than on the backs of disabled people”.

The Trussell Trust has already called the cuts “short sighted and shameful”, so how should we engage with this issue as Christians?

Looking after the least

The welfare state uses taxpayer’s money to provide for the poorest and most vulnerable in society, a wholly biblical priority. But in today’s modern, unwieldy state, there are constant tensions between compassionate welfare, personal responsibility and how to stem spiralling costs. Every decision has an impact. People’s lives are complex, and not neatly siloed into areas covered by government departments.

As Paul Johnson, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, points out in his book, Follow the Money: “the benefits system cleans up the mess that we have made elsewhere. It mops up after unemployment, low wages, chronic illness and high rents. It also risks contributing to each of them. Getting it right is a moral as well as an economic necessity.”

So how can we get it right?

Understanding the why

Christians support different political parties, each seeking to tackle this issue in different ways. No human political ideology holds all the answers. The Bible is clear that only Jesus will put all things right when he returns to reign over a new heaven and new earth. But while we are on this earth, God commands us to carry on his work, which includes pursuing justice and equity.

We are not told how to do this, but we are told why.

The Bible declares that all humans are made in God’s image, equally dignified. So, Christians should desire that our government enables people to fulfil their God-given potential. Psalm 113:7 says that God “raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap” and “seats them with princes.”

Our government should also provide a safety net to support the poor and marginalised. Deuteronomy 14 says people should bring the tithes of their produce (essentially their taxes) so that “the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows…may come and eat and be satisfied.”

God commands us to carry on his work, which includes pursuing justice and equity

Next time you feel tempted to dismiss those on welfare as feckless and work-shy, consider how many real people you know who rely on them. Each person’s life will be more complicated than we know. They may be in need of a loving challenge to re-enter the workforce, require help to be physically able to take a job or be in no fit state to work at all.

Praying for change

Ultimately our welfare state, like all our public services, was designed for a different time. There is a limit to what the state can do. Faith and community groups offer vital support and provision in their local areas, but their resources are increasingly strained as the cost-of-living crisis continues to bite.

As Christians seeking to love our neighbour through politics, we may suggest different approaches and explanations. We may vocally disagree with policies, and be sceptical about their outcome, but we must engage and not step away. There are no easy answers, but we can take time to understand the issues. They are always more complex and nuanced than the news headlines suggest.

Let’s ask God to grant wisdom to those in leadership today. And let’s remind ourselves of the awesome nature of God’s grace, compassion and justice as we pray for those in authority and ultimately for his kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven.