Debate Pack
Welfare reform and people with disabilities
This page provides background information for the Westminster Hall debate, Welfare reform and people with disabilities, on Tuesday 30 June 2015.
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Research Briefing
Measures to limit migrants’ access to benefits
Following an article by the Prime Minister’s in the Financial Times on 27 November 2013 in which he said he shared concerns about the impact of lifting transitional restrictions on the right of Romanian and Bulgarian right to work in the UK from 1 January 2014, the Government has introduced a raft of measures “to tighten up our EEA migration rules to ensure our welfare system is not taken advantage of.”
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Research Briefing
Introduction of Personal Independence Payment
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is replacing Disability Living Allowance for people of working age. Following its introduction for new claims in April 2013 there were problems with the claims process, with some claimants waiting six months or more for a decision. The previous Government said that, as a result of actions it was taking, by autumn 2014 no PIP claimant would have to wait more than six months for an assessment and by the end of 2014 no one would have to wait more than 16 weeks.
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Research Briefing
Carers’ rights and benefits (England)
An overview of rights and benefits afforded to carers in law, covering local authority assessments, employment rights, benefits and protection from discrimination.
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Research Briefing
Scotland Bill 2015-16
The Commons Library's briefing note on the Scotland Bill 2015-16.
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Research Briefing
Constituency casework: Social security
This is an archived Commons Library briefing on constituency casework: social security, from 2015.
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Research Briefing
Independent Review of the Personal Independence Payment assessment
The Welfare Reform Act 2012 requires the Government to commission an independent review of how the Personal Independence Payment assessment is working. The first report of the Independent Review, led by Paul Gray, was published on 17 December 2014. It makes recommendations aimed at improving the claimant experience, the use of evidence, and the effectiveness of the assessment.
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Research Briefing
Further proposals to restrict migrants’ access to benefits
In his keynote speech on immigration on 28 November 2014, the Prime Minister set out plans to secure agreement on changes to European law on free movement of persons in order to allow the UK to, among other things, deny EEA migrants in-work benefits for four years and prevent Child Benefit being paid for children living abroad. Proposals to further restrict EEA migrants’ access to benefits have also been put forward by Labour and by the Liberal Democrats.
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Research Briefing
Further devolution of powers to Scotland: devolved benefits and additional discretionary payments
Examines the Smith Commission’s proposals to devolve responsibility to the Scottish Parliament for certain key benefits, such as disability and carers' benefits. It also looks at the Draft Scotland Clauses in this area.
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Research Briefing
Benefit Entitlement (Restriction) Bill 2014-15
The Benefit Entitlement (Restriction) Bill is a Private Members’ Bill presented by Christopher Chope. The Bill makes provision “to restrict the entitlement of non-UK Citizens from the European Union and the European Economic Area to taxpayer-funded benefits.” The Bill provides that the restrictions on entitlement are “notwithstanding the provisions of the European Communities Act 1972.”
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Research Briefing
Cold Weather Payments for winter 2014/2015
Cold Weather Payments are made from the Social Fund to certain recipients of Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Universal Credit or Pension Credit during periods of very cold weather. The amount is £25 a week for eligible benefit claimants.
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Research Briefing
Asbestos-related diseases: payments from the Department for Work and Pensions
Exposure to asbestos fibres can lead to a number of serious diseases. People suffering from certain conditions may be able to pursue a civil claim for damages against one or more employers responsible for exposing them to asbestos negligently and/or in breach of a statutory duty. Compensation may also be available under schemes administered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
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Research Briefing
Impact on the UK of Scottish independence: social security and tax credits
In the event Scotland becoming an independent country, the Scottish and Westminster governments would have to address two main issues with regard to welfare provision: how to deliver benefits and tax credits in the initial transitional period following independence; and how the two countries' systems should relate to each other in the longer term.
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Research Briefing
Incapacity benefit reassessments
Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) replaced incapacity benefits for new claims from October 2008. Between 2010 and 2014, around 1.5 million claimants of old-style incapaqcity benefits are being reassessed for ESA. To date, over 1.1 million incapacity benefit claimants have been reassessed, and around a fifth have been found “Fit for Work.”
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Research Briefing
Mesothelioma Bill [HL]: House of Commons stages
The Mesothelioma Bill [HL] establishes a new Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme to make payments to people with diffuse mesothelioma who were exposed to asbestos either negligently or in breach of statutory duty by an employer, and who are unable to bring a claim for damages against the employer or an Employers’ Liability (EL) insurer.
Total results (page 9 of 13)