You would be forgiven for thinking that the Conservatives and Reform UK now agree on something. If one looks past the different tactics – with the Tories putting forward a better thought-through set of options – both parties recognise that tackling our increasingly unsustainable welfare bill is crucial if this country is to regain any semblance of economic growth and prosperity.

The UK Government spends more on welfare and pensions than anything else – roughly the same as combined spending on health and education. And that amount is only going up. Before the coronavirus pandemic struck in 2020, total welfare spending stood (in real terms) at around £280bn. This year, the government is expected to pay around £352bn, with around £140bn on working-age benefits alone. By 2030-31, independent forecasters predict that total welfare spending is going to exceed £400bn per year – over 11 per cent of our national income. By way of comparison, we currently spend just under £70bn on our entire armed forces to keep our country safe.

There is no possible justification for this alarming trend. Many commentators point to the pandemic itself, which saw the Treasury issue emergency welfare payments to temporarily boost household finances, alongside furlough and other........

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