The Big Lie is a propaganda technique. The expression was coined by Adolf Hitler, about the use of a lie so “colossal” that no one would believe that someone “could have the impudence to distort the truth so infamously.” – Wikipedia Lie Number 1 – there will be a ‘New Simple Benefits System’ “Universal Credit […]

Rather late I’m afraid but I’ve just uploaded the latest update to Benefits After The Act. This now includes examples generated using the latest version of the Future Benefits Model (FFBM) which includes the real Universal Credit rates that will be in force from April as well as catching up with a lot of other […]

At the time of writing there is a great deal of concern about the impact of bedroom limits on social tenants. In April an under-occupancy penalty, the ‘bedroom tax’, will be imposed on about a third of all working age social tenants. This will reduce the amount of eligible rent used as the basis for […]

… for the delay in updating Benefits After The Act. I’ve finished the modelling but every time it seems about ready the government change something. I’m embedded in more detail on Council Tax interaction with Universal Credit and then I need to do a bit on the single-tier pensions. But it is underway.

Another quick advert to let people know that we’ll be criss-crossing Britain during February and March offering a number of courses courses on Welfare Reform. WELFARE REFORM AND MEANS TESTED BENEFITS This course looks at the core means-tested benefits system which will exist when the changes produced by the Welfare Reform Bill, and other announcements, […]

I pointed out in May, here, that the real value of benefits in 2011 would be reduced by 10% by 2020, 25% by 2033 and halved by 2062. This was the effect of the move to uprating benefits by CPI instead of RPI, assuming that RPI, used before 2012, reflected the real change in the […]

While I’m sweating away at updating the Future Benefits Model it’s probably worth saying three things: 1) Don’t bother downloading the current version of Benefits After The Act, except for historical interest. The next version will be quite different in impact. 2) It’s already clear that the 1% indexation will have a substantial impact, not […]

A quick advert to let people know that I’ll be traipsing around Britain during October and November offering courses on Welfare Reform and Means Tested Benefits and Welfare Reform and Older People. Courses will be held in Newcastle, Glasgow, Cardiff, Chester, Leeds, London, Birmingham, Peterborough and Exeter. If you’d like to know more click here.

One of my colleagues, David Palmer, thought further after my musings on perverse pension contribution incentives and wrote a note about the treatment of pension contributions in Universal Credit for the news update service of ucForward, our new benefits advice system that includes probable future benefit entitlements. Well worth reproducing here. “One of the unexpected […]

Long delayed by other work, scheme changes and thinking. My apologies. I’ve just uploaded my new paper Benefits After The Act; it brings the modelling of impacts up to date in-line with the draft regulations and other announcements and now starts from the 2012 benefit rules and rates. I’ve brought the older people material into […]