First Secretary of State Louise Haigh faced sharp Conservative pressure over the government’s £183 billion welfare bill during her debut at deputy Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday, November 4, 2026.
Conservative MPs Challenge £183 Billion Welfare Bill
The weekly Commons session was scheduled to begin at 12:00 GMT as Haigh stepped in for Prime Minister Andy Burnham while he attended the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua and Barbuda, Demokratis reported. Conservative deputy leader Alex Burghart pressed the government on the scale of public spending, pointing out that the welfare bill had reached £183 billion.
Burghart argued that the total was higher than spending during the Covid-19 pandemic and exceeded defence, schools, and policing combined, amounting to nearly £10,000 for every working household in the country. According to The Spectator, Haigh replied to his opening inquiry by noting in the chamber that Burghart recently stated it was now his job to tell the leader of the opposition when she is getting things wrong, which must make him the busiest man in Westminster.
That’s the highest figure ever. It is nearly £10,000 for every working household in this country.
Alex Burghart, Conservative deputy leader
Burghart challenged the government to guarantee that taxpayers would not face tax increases to cover the rising costs, The Spectator noted. He asserted that the administration lacked the resolve to deliver meaningful reductions, delivering a closing payoff via The Spectator asserting that the Labour way is more tax, more welfare and more borrowing, that there is no commitment not to reduce welfare and no promise not to put up tax, and that the government is too scared to cut spending and too weak to do the right thing before asking why Labour does not just get out of the way.
Burghart claims the £183bn welfare bill is higher than during Covid and exceeds defense, schools, and policing combined. Haigh counters that Tory welfare spending rose by £88bn, and she criticizes them for voting against a council tax cut for 20 million households.
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Haigh Blames Conservative Administration for Rising Welfare Costs
Haigh defended the government’s approach, maintaining that officials remained committed to lowering the benefits bill and addressing the economic difficulties left by the previous administration. She told the chamber that the welfare bill had grown by £88 billion over a decade under the Conservatives, The Spectator reported, adding that the Tories had also left one million young people not in employment, education or training.
To address the rising numbers of young people not in employment, education, or training, Haigh pointed to upcoming policy work, referencing the forthcoming Milburn report on getting young individuals off benefits and back into work, alongside the Timms review of personal independence payments. Burghart criticized the timing of those measures, joking according to The Spectator that the Milburn review was so important that it was delayed until after the Budget.
The exchange also followed criticism of the chancellor’s autumn Budget from Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch, who described the fiscal measures as piecemeal and failing to adequately address welfare expenditure, Demokratis reported.
Will the upcoming Milburn report and Timms review succeed in reducing the £183 billion welfare bill?
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Labour's Louise Haigh and Alex Burghart from the Conservatives clash over the welfare bill as they step in for their party leaders at PMQs this week ⬇️ Follow the live blog: https://t.co/mlvVYMXgx3 pic.twitter.com/nRR9xZeYxR
🚨 WATCH: Alex Burghart asks Louise Haigh how much the Government will spend on working age welfare Haigh: "He recently said it was now his job to tell Kemi Badenoch when she was wrong, which must make him the busiest man in Westminster" #PMQs pic.twitter.com/7oCfjqIP7x