How will Labour pay for welfare U-turn?

A dramatic concession to Labour rebels has left the government facing more fiscal dilemmas

Rachel Reeves and Keir Starmer
The government has faced a difficult week trying to get support for its welfare reforms among its own party
(Image credit: Jacob King - WPA Pool / Getty Images)

After the government was forced into a further, last-minute climb-down on its welfare reform bill, questions are now being asked about how the Treasury will balance the books.

The extra expense is expected to be in the range of £2.5 billion and could mean "tax rises in this autumn's budget are inevitable", said Chris Mason at the BBC, while the Chancellor Rachel Reeves is "being questioned by Labour figures at all levels" about where the money will come from.

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Richard Windsor is a freelance writer for The Week Digital. He began his journalism career writing about politics and sport while studying at the University of Southampton. He then worked across various football publications before specialising in cycling for almost nine years, covering major races including the Tour de France and interviewing some of the sport’s top riders. He led Cycling Weekly’s digital platforms as editor for seven of those years, helping to transform the publication into the UK’s largest cycling website. He now works as a freelance writer, editor and consultant.