I’ve created a very short survey for advisers on their opinion of the effects welfare reforms will have on their clients. This is a first step to getting some stats and tracking changes over the next period. Advisers can complete the survey here.

The government lost three votes in the Lords tonight. They were: Overturning the proposal to abolish the ESA in Youth route for young disabled people who are unable to work and therefore meet the contributions condition Extending the time limit for contributory ESA claimants, from the government’s proposal of 1 year to at least 2 […]

The amendments tabled for the next day of the report stage of the Welfare Reform Bill, so far, were published in the ‘Third Marshalled List of Amendments to be moved on Report as at 9 January 2012’. It’s interesting, in the light of speculation about the government’s willingness to soften the cap, to see what […]

Politics Home has a story that ministers are negotiating on the overall benefits cap in order to avoid a defeat in the Lords, like the one they suffered before Xmas on social tenants bedroom limits. They say; The changes, which are still the subject of intense discussion between ministers, officials and peers, could include changes […]

The government are undertaking an ‘informal’ consultation on the way that Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) works in means-tested benefits. The main issue of concern to older people and people with disabilities is the proposal that amounts of SMI paid will be recovered after the sale of the property or the death of the claimant. […]

I think that I’ve managed to install a way to let you know when new postings are added here (if you want to know). Click on the Subscribe2 link in the lower right of the page and it should all follow from there.

Happy new year.  Blwyddyn Newydd Dda. I’ve now updated my welfare reform paper, which you can download here. It’s up to date (for a very brief while, I’m sure) and includes the details which emerged during the Lords’ Committee and early Report Stages. Amongst other changes it now has: A Council Tax Benefit reduction of […]

Government proposals to introduce a cut in HB for tenants of social landlords, for those with more bedrooms than they are assessed as needing, were defeated during the Report Stage of the Welfare Reform Bill today.

While it will take a little time to amend the FFBM and rerun the examples in the paper, it’s worth making a few points about older people and the announcements. Pension Credit Guarantee basic amounts are tied to earnings by the Pensions Act which is how they escape / avoid the CPI link. At the […]

Speaking in yesterday’s Lords Grand Committee session looking at the benefits cap, Lord Freud, the minister, said that childcare support would be excluded from the cap. In an exchange with Lord Mackenzie he said The noble Lord, Lord McKenzie, asked about childcare-specifically whether those working a small number of hours will be eligible for support […]