Reform UK’s Lee Anderson has admitted he used to “game the system” to help people get on benefits and accused Citizens Advice of continuing to do so.
The Ashfield MP told a press conference in central London on Wednesday that he worked at the advice organisation before entering politics.
“Before I came into politics, I worked for the Citizens Advice Bureau,” the Ashfield MP told a press conference.
“We used to fill the form out for clients… I can tell you now, we were gaming system.”
He said it was “a competition” between the adviser and the Department for Work and Pensions.
He said he knew advisers at the organisation who had “a 100% hit rate” on benefits applications and could get “the fittest man in Ashfield” onto personal independence payment (Pip).
Reform says it wants to stop people exploiting the system as part of its welfare cut proposals.
Head of policy Zia Yusuf said “incredibly, the assessment handbook is online” as he compared applying for sickness benefits to “doing your driving theory test and having the answers online for you”.
He said the vast majority of remote interviews, deemed more generous, would be replaced by face-to-face ones under a Reform government.
More regular reassessments would be introduced for those who qualify.
Mr Yusuf told a central London press conference: “The caseload for new claims for under-25s in this country on Pip have tripled in five years.
“So we are betraying our young people. Reassessments are basically not happening anymore. These young people are … being basically tossed onto a scrap heap for the rest of their lives.”
Mr Anderson, the party’s welfare spokesman, said: “The alarm clock generation is now being replaced by an anxiety generation.”
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Instead of going to work, they are “staying at home all day, courtesy of taxpayer-funded employment support, loans and personal independence payments”, he said.
Mr Anderson also hit back at Baron Heseltine over the Tory grandee’s criticism of Nigel Farage’s party.
The Conservative peer, who served as deputy prime minister to John Major, had told The Times Reform UK was a “reincarnation of Oswald Mosley and his fascists in the 30s when it was the Jews (who were the target), and of Enoch Powell with immigrants in the 60s”.
Former Tory Mr Anderson said it was “deeply unpleasant” of Lord Heseltine “to say these things about Reform UK”.
“He just needs to shut up and go away,” he added.
The Labour Government sought to restrict eligibility to Pip earlier this year, but its welfare reforms were watered down after a backbench revolt.
Asked if the Government agreed with Reform UK’s Pip plans, Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said ministers want to “make sure that this absolutely vital benefit goes to the people who most need it”.
Ms Kendall, who was work and pensions secretary before the recent Cabinet reshuffle, added: “That’s why we have Sir Stephen Timms conducting a thorough review of that benefit.”
While some disabled people “want and need that extra support”, others wants the opportunity to work, she added.
Ms Kendall continued: “What my message is, is that this Labour Government is here to support those who need that help the most, to provide opportunities to work, and that I believe is the right approach in dealing with this issue.”
A Labour Party spokesperson said: “Like all of Reform’s policies, their latest plan is already falling apart.
“It’s no surprise Reform don’t seem to know what their own plan is on face-to-face assessments, given their welfare chief Lee Anderson was a cheerleader for the Tories when they slashed the number by over 90%. Labour is increasing them.
“This Labour Government is determined to offer young people hope and real opportunities. Our youth guarantee will ensure that 18 to 21-year-olds have a real chance of either learning or earning.”
A Liberal Democrats source said: “Anyone living under the leadership of a Reform-led council right now, as they prepare to hike up council tax despite promising the opposite, will know firsthand that their sums simply do not add up. Reform do not know what they are doing.”
Citizens Advice has been contacted for comment.
