Andy Burnham has stated his intention to cut the welfare bill "as soon as we possibly can," though he could not guarantee this would be achieved before the next general election. His comments come as welfare spending is forecast to rise significantly over the next decade.

Concerns have been raised by opponents regarding the lack of specific details on welfare reform within the recent Budget. The projected increase in welfare expenditure is from £353 billion this year to £431 billion by 2031/32. When questioned about reducing the bill before the next election, Burnham indicated a strong desire to achieve this goal rapidly, stating "we're working flat out to that end."

Burnham cautioned against implementing "crude cuts," emphasizing instead a focus on helping individuals find sustainable employment. This approach aims to avoid pushing people into crisis, which could ultimately lead to higher public spending elsewhere. He highlighted that the "big next priority" is the publication of the Milburn report.

The government's ambition to curb welfare spending has been a point of discussion. The Prime Minister's official spokesman declined to specify whether the goal involves reducing spending below current levels or merely slowing the rate of projected future increases. Further clarity is anticipated following the release of two significant reports in November.

These upcoming reports include a review of disability benefits, co-chaired by Labour minister Sir Stephen Timms, and a study on young people not in education, employment, or training (Neet), led by former minister Alan Milburn. These reviews were initiated after a previous attempt by the former Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, to implement substantial welfare system changes, including restrictions on health-related benefits, faced significant opposition from Labour MPs and resulted in a policy reversal in June 2025.

Burnham expressed a clear eagerness to "get stuck into supporting people to help people off benefits and into work," stressing that "there's no delay there." He reiterated the commitment to this objective, stating, "We want that to happen as quickly as possible."

Former Bank of England chief economist Andy Haldane remarked that a clear plan demonstrating greater restraint on the benefits bill would be "spectacularly well" received by financial markets. Haldane, who has previously advised Burnham, noted on a BBC podcast that such a plan could have a significant positive impact.

The Conservatives have criticized Labour's stance, accusing the party of being "addicted to welfare." Meanwhile, the Treasury has disputed interpretations of Chancellor John Healey's comments suggesting a cut in the benefits bill before the next election, which must occur by August 2029. Treasury sources indicated that Healey's statement about a "reduction in the benefits bill" and doing so "in a Labour way" was not intended as a firm promise for a pre-election timeline.