In April, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) proposed a range of new rules intended to help...
Benefits
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09/09/2013
‘Softening’ of public attitudes on benefits
Some signs of a softening in public attitudes to benefits and the welfare state have been detected in the latest British Social Attitudes Survey report, which is published each year by the National Centre for Social Research. The annual survey shows a fall in the number of people thinking that benefit levels are too high, and a rise in those thinking that benefit cuts are doing too much harm.
At the same time a report from the Demos think tank, drawing on on the survey data, has examined the longer-term decline in support for the welfare state – particularly among the younger generation.Category: Reports -
28/08/2013
Women hit hardest by benefits changes
Changes to the benefits system made by the UK coalition government since it took office in 2010 have hit women disproportionately hard, according to a new study published by the Scottish Government. The study provides an overview of the impacts of each element of benefits reform on men and women.
Category: Reports -
21/08/2013
Labour says universal credit ‘in serious trouble’
The coalition government’s benefit reforms are plunging into 'chaos', according to Liam Byrne, Labour's shadow work and pensions secretary. In a speech in London he said the so-called 'welfare revolution' promised by the coalition was clearly in 'very, very serious trouble'. He pointed to failed reform of disability benefits, ineffective back-to-work programmes and looming problems over the bedroom tax. He claimed that complaints, delays and additional claimant numbers caused by bungled benefit changes had so far cost the public purse £1.4 billion.
Category: News stories -
15/08/2013
Plan for ‘personalised welfare’ system
Moving to a system of 'personalised welfare' is the answer to the problems facing the benefits system for working-age people, says a new report from the Social Market Foundation think tank. The report highlights what it sees as the 'crisis of legitimacy' confronting the existing system, and the shortcomings of the orthodox approach to social security.
Category: Reports -
12/08/2013
Councils braced for impact of benefit cuts
Fewer than one out of every four people receiving benefits will be in a position to offset cuts in their income by finding work or moving to cheaper accommodation, a new study has concluded.
The report was produced by the Centre for Economic and Social Inclusion on behalf of the Local Government Association. It describes the cumulative impact of all the main benefit changes announced by the coalition government since May 2010, and apportions them to each English local authority area. It then considers what action is available to offset their effects – either by the individuals and families affected or by local council support services.Category: Reports -
31/07/2013
Future of benefits spending in Scotland
Scottish independence – or significant extra devolution of powers – would provide Scotland with a chance to reform the benefits system and reassess some aspects of existing UK-wide policy, says a new briefing from the Institute for Fiscal Studies.
Category: Reports -
30/07/2013
BBC guilty of bias over benefits programme
A BBC television programme about the benefits system, presented by John Humphrys, breached the corporation's own rules on impartiality and accuracy, the BBC Trust has ruled in response to a complaint from the Child Poverty Action Group.
The programme, called 'The Future of the Welfare State', was broadcast on BBC2 in October 2011. Along with an accompanying article by Humphrys in the Daily Mail, the programme heavily emphasised the view that a 'benefits dependency' culture has grown up, with significant numbers of people 'perfectly happy' to remain out of work and living off benefits. As Humphrys put it in his article: 'Beveridge tried to slay the fifth evil giant and, in the process, helped to create a different sort of monster in its place: the age of entitlement'.Category: News stories -
10/07/2013
Income inequality ‘lowest since 1986’
Income inequality in 2011-12 was at its lowest point since 1986, according to the Office for National Statistics. In its latest annual report on the impact of tax and benefits, it calculates that the Gini coefficient for disposable income in 2011-12 was 32.3 per cent, a fall from its 2010-11 value of 33.7 per cent.
Category: Reports -
26/06/2013
New attack by Chancellor on unemployed people
Newly unemployed people will be forced to wait seven days, instead of three days currently, before being able to claim benefits. The announcement was made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer as part of a statement on public spending plans for 2015-16. He said the move was designed to be 'helpful' to unemployed people, who would otherwise be distracted by the need to look for a new job.
Category: Reports -
26/06/2013
Official statistics ‘abused’ to misrepresent claimants
Coalition government ministers have been guilty of consistently abusing official statistics in order to paint a false picture of benefit claimants, according to disability campaigners. Their report details 35 cases in which it says statistical claims made by ministers relating to work and benefits have fallen below acceptable standards.
Category: Reports
