PM set to announce welfare climbdown in deal with Labour rebels

The government is expected to announce a deal with Labour rebels on its planned benefits changes.

Multiple sources tell the BBC existing claimants of the Personal Independence Payment (Pip) will continue to receive what they currently get, as will recipients of the health element of Universal Credit. Instead, planned cuts will only hit future claimants.

Ministers are expected to fast-track a £1bn support plan originally scheduled for 2029.

The concessions amount to a massive climbdown from the government, which was staring at the prospect of defeat if it failed to accommodate the demands of over 100 of its backbenchers.

It comes after Sir Keir Starmer spent Thursday making calls to shore up support among the 120 Labour MPs who backed an amendment to…