Claim 78d8cc5bChecked 21 Jul 2026
TrueOn the truth scale
The government is introducing the right to try.
Keir StarmerLabourThe Prime Minister·Engagements·03 Jun 2026Factual · historical current chronological
Reasoning & Evidence21 Jul 2026
The claim that "the government is introducing the right to try" is accurate. The UK government introduced the "Right to Try" regulations under the Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment and Employment and Support Allowance (Amendment) Regulations 2026, which came into force on 30 April 2026 — approximately one month before this speech on 3 June 2026. Official GOV.UK guidance confirms that Right to Try "strengthens existing regulations so that undertaking work or volunteering will not, on its own, lead to a reassessment of a benefit award" for people claiming PIP, Universal Credit (with LCW/LCWRA), and New Style ESA. The policy was first announced as part of the government's wider welfare reform package on 18 March 2025 by Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall, and the regulations were subsequently laid and took effect before the date of this speech. The word "introducing" is appropriate here as the policy was recently implemented and is part of the government's ongoing welfare reform agenda. The core assertion — that the government has introduced a "right to try" guarantee for disabled and health-condition benefit claimants — is factually correct. Sources: GOV.UK, "Right to Try: summary" (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/right-to-try/right-to-try-summary); GOV.UK, "Biggest shake up to welfare system in a generation to get Britain working" (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/biggest-shake-up-to-welfare-system-in-a-generation-to-get-britain-working); GOV.UK ADM Memo 06-26, "The 'Right to Try' Regulations" (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/69e8df2f606c20d412163278/adm-memo-06-26.pdf); BBC News, "Badenoch accuses Starmer of 'giving up' on welfare reform" (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgep3r9yg34o); The Standard, "Disabled to get 'right to try' work without risk of losing benefits" (https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/government-labour-liz-kendall-keir-starmer-rachel-reeves-b1216932.html)
From speech
Welfare reform is balancing universal credit so that it no longer pushes people away from work. That is what we are doing; the Opposition voted against it. Welfare reform is introducing a right to try, to incentivise people to take up opportunities. That is what we are doing; they voted against it. Welfare reform is providing record funding on apprenticeships. That is what we are doing; apprenticeship starts fell by 40% on their watch. The right hon. Lady talks about the welfare bill. It soared by £88 billion on their watch. Nearly 3 million people were written off. Face-to-face assessments collapsed because of the contracts they agreed. And who signed off those contracts? The shadow Chancellor.
Sources opened
[1]gov.uk
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/right-to-try/right-to-try-summary
[2]gov.uk
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/right-to-try
[3]gov.uk
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/barriers-to-work-removed-for-disabled-benefit-claimants-as-landmark-legislation-introduced
[4]gov.uk
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/biggest-shake-up-to-welfare-system-in-a-generation-to-get-britain-working
[5]assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/69e8df2f606c20d412163278/adm-memo-06-26.pdf
[6]bbc.com
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgep3r9yg34o
[7]bbc.co.uk
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce8vp560n7vo
[8]standard.co.uk
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/government-labour-liz-kendall-keir-starmer-rachel-reeves-b1216932.html
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