An update to the current position with regards to the benefit cuts to come from the present Government.
Pensioners, who take up the vast majority of the benefits bill, are to be fully protected, so it looks like working age claimants will have to bear the cuts of 12 billion pounds that they intend to make from the welfare budget.
The Tories are refusing to say where they will make the cuts until after the election, so, from what we know so far of their plans it is likely that:
- 300 million could be saved from restricting Child Benefit to the first three children.
- 50 million by ceasing Housing Benefit for the under 25's.
- 2 billion by freezing the uprating of most working age benefits (including ESA for the sick and disabled).
That leaves a shortfall of nearly 10 billion pounds to be made from the 5 million working age claimants.
Ideas being floated are;
- Abolishing the Work Related Activity Group (WRAG) of ESA.
- Making the disability benefits DLA and PIP taxable.
- Abolishing the lower rate care and mobility components of DLA.
- A reduction in the benefits cap.
- Reducing the % of rent that Housing Benefit covers.
- Make the benefit that is gradually replacing DLA (PIP) much harder to get.
Ideas that have been mooted in the past:
- Introduce a liable relative rule. This means that before being allowed to claim benefits, the most appropriate relative must show that they are not able to help the person requiring assistance.
- Clawing back help with housing costs for those with mortgages from any proceeds from the sale of the house or death (whichever happens first).
- If the WRAG is retained as part of ESA, reduce the amount to JSA plus 50p.
And finally, they could further reduce Tax Credits. The problem with this is that Tax Credits aren't part of the welfare budget- so the Chancellor leaves himself open to charges of misleading the public if he goes down this route.
Re: The growing number of suicides by those on benefits.
The influential house of commons work and pensions committee has called for "a body modelled on the Independent Police Complaints Commission" to look into the rising number of deaths to working age claimants.
They also noted concern about whether benefit sanctions were being applied "appropriately, fairly and proportionally".
http://www.parliament.uk/business/co...ctions-report/