Proposals to freeze some dis­ability benefits are reportedly being scrapped after concerns from Labour politicians about the scale of planned welfare cuts.

The work and pensions secretary had been under pressure to cut the benefits bill and was expected to cancel an inflation-linked rise to the personal independence payment (PIP).

But it is reported those plans will be ditched by Liz Kendall, despite the Chancellor Rachel Reeves insisting “we do need to get a grip” on the welfare budget, saying the “current system is not working for anyone”.

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Reforms to the welfare system are expected to be announced this week, ahead of the spring statement on 26 March.

Explainer: Where could welfare cuts be made?

Some MPs fear drastic cuts to support for the most vulnerable, but Ms Kendall may have attempted to partly address concerns from cabinet colleagues and Labour backbenchers about the scale of the reforms.

Almost four million working-age adults in England and Wales currently claim incapacity or disability benefits, up from 2.8 million before the pandemic.

It is being widely reported that instead of scrapping a rise in PIP, savings could be achieved by changing the eligibility criteria along with cutting the top rate of incapacity benefit.

Ms Kendall told The Sunday Times it was an “absolute principle” to protect welfare payments for people unable to work. “For those who absolutely cannot work, this is not about that,” she said.

She said the number of people on PIP is set to more than double this decade, partly driven by younger people.

“Increasingly, there is lots of clear evidence that work is good for mental health and physical health too… social security alone for many people will never be the key to a better life. It should be a springboard and not trapping people,” she told the newspaper.

Ms Kendall has revealed plans to give disabled people the right to try employment without the risk of losing their benefits.

The so-called “right to try guarantee” aims to prevent those people who receive health-related benefits from having their entitlements automatically re-assessed if they enter employment.

The Observer said the details are due to be announced as part of a green paper on Tuesday.

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Research published in February by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) showed the number of 16 to 34 year-olds who are long-term sick with a mental health condition has reached 270,000, increasing by 60,000 (26%) in the last year alone.

Some on benefits ‘taking the mickey’

The figure for all working-age people is 790,000, an increase of 140,000 (22%) over the last year.

Responding at the time to those figures, Ms Kendall said some people on benefits were “taking the mickey”.

“I have no doubt, as there always have been, there are people who shouldn’t be on those benefits who are taking the mickey and that is not good enough – we have to end that,” she told ITV News.

The same survey found 200,000 people receiving health-related or disability benefits were ready to work if the right job or support was available.

Welfare cuts are supported by the Conservatives, albeit the party has accused Labour of “dithering, delay and division” on the issue.

Meanwhile, the SNP argues any planned cuts to disability payments should be “abandoned”, and disability charities have expressed a similar view.

Sky News’ Trevor Phillips will be looking at all the political headlines this week from 8.30am this morning. He will be joined by Health Secretary Wes Streeting, shadow education secretary Laura Trott and former national security adviser Lord Ricketts.

There was one clear, united message from today’s virtual meeting of leaders – that they rejected Vladimir Putin’s “yes, but” approach to a ceasefire.

The “coalition of the willing” – the 27 leaders, plus NATO and the EU led by Sir Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron – want the Russian president to mirror Ukraine’s pledge for a 30-day pause in fighting, in order to hammer out a sustainable peace deal.

Sir Keir made that very clear, and suggested the attendees at the meeting were behind this approach.

Ukraine war latest: Putin’s ceasefire conditions ‘not good enough’

The prime minister said: “Volodymyr [Zelenskyy] has committed to a 30-day unconditional ceasefire, but Mr Putin is trying to delay, saying there must be a painstaking study before a ceasefire can take place.

“Well, the world needs action, not a study, not empty words and conditions. So my message is very clear. Sooner or later, Putin will have to come to the table.”

There are two reasons for this challenge – an immediate end to fighting is a goal in itself, but many of those in today’s call, including Sir Keir, do not trust Mr Putin to uphold promises on peace and are trying to convince US President Donald Trump to be more clear-eyed about the Russian approach.

Challenging the Russian leader to follow the US request for a ceasefire and watching him refuse is designed to send a message to the White House as well as the Kremlin.

There were, however, bigger unknowns left hanging.

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One of which was the clear signal from Sir Keir that he is still relying on a US security guarantee in order to bring on board a “coalition of the willing” who might be able to provide troops to Ukraine.

There are, however, many that don’t think that that US security guarantee is coming in any substantial way, based on the noises coming out of the US.

That is a big problem for the PM, as government sources tell me that the scope and the remit of any potential peacekeeping force is determined by what protection the US might be able to provide.

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The second issue that is being sidestepped by Sir Keir is what any peace keeping might be able to do in practice.

UK troops, like those of any NATO country, cannot engage directly with Russia in combat for fear of triggering a much bigger conflagration.

So if not that, then what is their purpose – a question repeatedly asked by experts like the former national security adviser Lord Ricketts.

I put exactly this to the PM, but did not get an answer. He suggested that we were a long way away from getting an an answer, even though military chiefs also appear to be meeting to “operationalise” plans on Thursday.

How can they operationalise a plan that does not, and currently cannot, have a remit?

Today Sir Keir heralded the participation of Canada, Australia and New Zealand on the call, as part of the effort.

But if the remit of the coalition of the willing isn’t clear, how can it truly be effective?

Sir Keir Starmer will host a virtual meeting of world leaders today to discuss peacekeeping in Ukraine, and he will use the call to say that now is the time for “concrete commitments”, Downing Street has said.

Around 25 leaders are expected to join the call this morning, in which they will discuss in more detail the peacekeeping mission the prime minister has called the ‘coalition of the willing’.

Sir Keir will ask allies to continue to ramp up military support to Ukraine.

He will also say countries need to increase economic pressure on Russia in the short term, and be prepared to support an eventual peace deal over the long term, should an agreement be reached.

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Attendees will also receive an update on the discussions of defence ministers and military chiefs in Paris this week, and they will all set out details of their own efforts to unlock further military support for Ukraine.

Downing Street has confirmed that some European countries, the EU Commission, NATO, Canada, Ukraine, Australia and New Zealand are expected to join the virtual meeting.

Starmer: The world needs to see action

In a statement ahead of the call, the prime minister said: “We can’t allow President Putin to play games with President Trump’s deal.

“The Kremlin’s complete disregard for President Trump’s ceasefire proposal only serves to demonstrate that Putin is not serious about peace.

“If Russia finally comes to the table, then we must be ready to monitor a ceasefire to ensure it is a serious and enduring peace, if they don’t, then we need to strain every sinew to ramp up economic pressure on Russia to secure an end to this war.”

He went on to accuse the Russian president of “trying to delay” by “saying there must be a painstaking study before a ceasefire can take place”.

“The world needs to see action, not a study or empty words and pointless conditions,” he continued.

“My message to the Kremlin could not be clearer: stop the barbaric attacks on Ukraine, once and for all, and agree to a ceasefire now. Until then, we will keep working around the clock to deliver peace.”

Sir Keir has said Britain could send peacekeepers to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire deal, but has called on Washington to offer a security ‘backstop’ to those forces.

Russia casts doubt on potential ceasefire

The meeting comes after Ukraine backed the US’s proposal for a 30-day ceasefire.

But the Russian president has said “lots of questions” remain over that proposal, and that a ceasefire must lead to “long-term peace” which “would remove the initial reasons for the crisis”.

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Moscow has reportedly also presented a “list of demands” to the US to end the war, which would include international recognition of Russia’s claim to Crimea and four Ukrainian provinces and an agreement that foreign troops not be deployed in Ukraine.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Mr Putin’s remarks were “very predictable” and “very manipulative”, adding that the Russian president was preparing to reject the ceasefire proposal he agreed with the US.