Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Taking the PIP: who can reform welfare?
#WelfareReform
#UKEconomy
#SocialSecurityDebate
#publicspending
These are the introductory speeches, filmed by WORLDwrite volunteers at the Battle of Ideas Festival 2025.
This discussion explores the political and economic challenges of reforming the UK’s welfare system, following controversy over attempts to scale back Personal Independence Payments (PIP) and growing concern about the scale of welfare spending, including the £14 billion Motability fleet and the government’s forecast of £316.1 billion in social security costs by 2025–26
What is to be done? Are politicians prepared to have the difficult conversations, from reducing working-age entitlements to increasing the retirement age? Is the debate unnecessarily gloomy about the UK’s ability to afford welfare in the future? Or will we face an abrupt financial reckoning if nothing is done?
The speakers on the panel are:
Dave Clements, writer and policy advisor; contributing co-editor The Future of Community
Lisa McKenzie, working-class academic; author, Lockdown Diaries of the Working Class
Jean-André Prager, senior fellow, Policy Exchange
Gawain Towler, former head of press, Reform UK
The chair is:
Rob Lyons, science and technology director, Academy of Ideas; convenor, AoI Economy Forum; author, Panic on a Plate
WORLDwrite is a volunteer-run citizen TV channel that stands up for free speech – no ifs or buts. We film hard-hitting political debates, including panels from the Battle of Ideas festival, tackling taboo topics and defending ordinary people against contempt and censorship.
We train hundreds of young adults every year to shoot the arguments that matter, producing fearless films on politics, democracy, freedom, and global equality.
This is Citizen TV that punches above its weight.
Subscribe for unapologetic documentaries, debate and dissent.
To edit, sound clean and prepare these videos for the Academy & WORLDwrite channels, takes at least 2 days each. With no paid staff the charity needs your help to keep its edit suites switched on. Please chip in if you can by visiting the charity's JustGiving page at justgiving.com/charity/worldwrite Or hit the Donate button below the video. Thank You.
Taking the PIP: who can reform welfare?
#WelfareReform
#UKEconomy
#SocialSecurityDebate
#publicspending
These are the introductory speeches, filmed by WORLDwrite volunteers at the Battle of Ideas Festival 2025.
This discussion explores the political and economic challenges of reforming the UK’s welfare system, following controversy over attempts to scale back Personal Independence Payments (PIP) and growing concern about the scale of welfare spending, including the £14 billion Motability fleet and the government’s forecast of £316.1 billion in social security costs by 2025–26
What is to be done? Are politicians prepared to have the difficult conversations, from reducing working-age entitlements to increasing the retirement age? Is the debate unnecessarily gloomy about the UK’s ability to afford welfare in the future? Or will we face an abrupt financial reckoning if nothing is done?
The speakers on the panel are:
Dave Clements, writer and policy advisor; contributing co-editor The Future of Community
Lisa McKenzie, working-class academic; author, Lockdown Diaries of the Working Class
Jean-André Prager, senior fellow, Policy Exchange
Gawain Towler, former head of press, Reform UK
The chair is:
Rob Lyons, science and technology director, Academy of Ideas; convenor, AoI Economy Forum; author, Panic on a Plate
WORLDwrite is a volunteer-run citizen TV channel that stands up for free speech – no ifs or buts. We film hard-hitting political debates, including panels from the Battle of Ideas festival, tackling taboo topics and defending ordinary people against contempt and censorship.
We train hundreds of young adults every year to shoot the arguments that matter, producing fearless films on politics, democracy, freedom, and global equality.
This is Citizen TV that punches above its weight.
Subscribe for unapologetic documentaries, debate and dissent.
To edit, sound clean and prepare these videos for the Academy & WORLDwrite channels, takes at least 2 days each. With no paid staff the charity needs your help to keep its edit suites switched on. Please chip in if you can by visiting the charity's JustGiving page at justgiving.com/charity/worldwrite Or hit the Donate button below the video. Thank You.
