Five big challenges facing Burnham - and how he might tackle them
Incoming UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham faces significant policy challenges, most notably the rising cost of disability benefits. The government is under pressure to reform the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) system as costs are projected to reach £78bn by 2030.
Why it matters
The management of welfare spending is a critical fiscal issue that directly impacts the UK's budget and social stability.
By Ben Chu Policy and Analysis correspondent, BBC Verify Published 15 minutes ago When Andy Burnham enters No 10 Downing Street, he will inherit some formidable and complex problems that successive prime ministers and governments have attempted to address - mostly without success.
BBC Verify has looked at five big policy challenges Burnham will face and the approaches he might take to address them.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption,
The cost of sickness and disability benefits for people of working age has grown rapidly since the Covid pandemic and now stands at around £58bn a year , external .
And it's projected to rise to £78bn a year by 2030 , external .
The biggest driver of the increase is the number of people claiming Personal Independence Payments (Pip) - a working age benefit designed to support people with disabilities that increase their living costs.
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