The announcement is already worrying some Labour MPs, trade unions and disability campaigners – while delighting those who believe the welfare state has grown too large.
But there remain a large number of unanswered questions which must be resolved before it will be clear whether the Government is on track to meet its goals of cutting the benefits bill and helping more people back into work.
The Government’s estimates of how many individuals will lose out from the changes, and how much money wil be cut per person, will not be made public until next week.
How much money is really being saved?
A headline figure of £5bn of annual savings by 2030 has been trumpeted by the Government, but the details of this are not entirely clear.
Only when the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) publishes its latest forecasts on the economy and public finances next Wednesday will the full context be revealed.
The DWP has confirmed that the changes to personal independence payment (PIP), which make it harder to claim money for certain lower-level disabilities, will be enshrined in new legislation and will therefore require a vote from the House of Commons and House of Lords.
Other parts of the reform package which are out for consultation may or may not require legislation, meaning it is not certain whether MPs will get a formal say on them.
How big will the backlash get?
Ministers have privately said they are pleased that middle-of-the-road backbenchers have so far held off from criticising the planned changes. In any case, the Government’s majority is so large that it is highly unlikely any rebellion would seriously threaten to stop the reforms from taking effect.
If the number of rebels threatens to exceed more than a couple of dozen, ministers may end up being pressured into watering down their plans even without a genuine risk of defeat.
With the UK economy flagging and the public finances balanced on a knife-edge, it is far from impossible that the Government will seek to make more savings from the welfare budget over the coming years.
Will it all work or not?
In addition, some disability charities warn that reducing the amount of money available to individuals will not encourage them into work but the opposite, removing the safety net they use to build a brighter future for themselves.
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