Should the government reduce social security spending by tackling problems in jobs, health and housing rather than cutting benefits?

The prime minister wants to lower the social security bill by addressing underlying causes such as poor health, lack of decent jobs and high housing costs rather than making crude cuts to benefits. JRF research shows 59% of the public prefer tackling root causes over restricting eligibility or cutting rates. Every extra 100,000 people in work would reduce Universal Credit spend by around £700 million a year.