Steven Kennedy Archives

Research Briefing

Cold Weather Payments for winter 2015/16

Monday, 11 January, 2016

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. To “trigger” the payments, the average temperature at a specified weather station must be recorded as, or forecast to be, 0°C or below for seven consecutive days. The scheme runs from 1 November to 31 March each year.
Debate Pack

Benefit sanctions

Monday, 14 December, 2015

Benefit sanctions will be debated in Westminster Hall on Wednesday 16 December at 2.30 pm. Dr Eilidh Whiteford will lead the debate. This Library briefing provides an overview of how benefit sanctions work and further background information.
Debate Pack

Benefit sanctions

Tuesday, 01 December, 2015

Benefit sanctions will be debated in Westminster Hall on Wednesday 2 December at 4.30-5.30 pm. Neil Gray MP will lead the debate. This Library briefing provides an overview of how benefit sanctions work and further background information.
Research Briefing

Background to the 2015 Spending Review and Autumn Statement

Friday, 20 November, 2015

Background to the joint 2015 Spending Review and Autumn Statement, which will be presented to Parliament on 25 November 2015.
Research Briefing

A Fresh Start: the Stormont Agreement and Implementation Plan and the Northern Ireland (Welfare Reform) Bill 2015-16 [Bill 99]

Friday, 20 November, 2015

The Northern Ireland (Welfare Reform) Bill is part of a process to stabilise the political institutions in Northern Ireland. It stems from a package agreed between the UK and Irish Governments and the largest Northern Ireland parties: the Fresh Start agreement. This paper gives a guide to the Bill, and to the agreement.
Insight

Tax Credit & Universal Credit: a 75% taper?

Wednesday, 18 November, 2015
- Insight
- Benefits
Insight

Tax Credit & Universal Credit: impact of announced changes

Wednesday, 18 November, 2015
- Insight
- Devolution
Research Briefing

Scotland Bill 2015-16: Committee stage report

Wednesday, 04 November, 2015

This Briefing Paper gives an update on the Scotland Bill 2015-16 after Committee stage. No opposition amendments were made at Committee stage. The Government has produced substantive amendments of its own for Report.
Research Briefing

Tax Credit changes from April 2016

Thursday, 29 October, 2015

This note (published 15 October 2015) outlines what tax credits are, the changes announced in the Summer Budget 2015 and how these changes will be implemented. It also estimates what impact these changes will have for families in combination with other measures announced in the Summer Budget 2015, such as introduction of the National Living Wage, the increase to the Personal Allowance and freeze in Child Benefit. This page was updated on 29 October 2015 to included additional analysis of the impact on affected families (see attached spreadsheet).
Debate Pack

Distributional Effect of Proposed Reforms to Tax Credits

Tuesday, 27 October, 2015

This page provides background to the Backbench Business debate, Distributional Effect of Proposed Reforms to Tax Credits, scheduled for Thursday 29 October 2015.
Research Briefing

Welfare Reform and Work Bill 2015-16 Committee Stage Report

Monday, 26 October, 2015

This Commons Library Briefing Paper summarises debate and amendments to the Bill during its committee stage in the House of Commons.
Research Briefing

Briefing for the 2015 UK Youth Parliament Westminster sitting

Monday, 12 October, 2015

This briefing provides background information on the ten topics that may be considered by Members of Youth Parliament (MYPs) at the November's Westminster sitting.
- Research Briefing
Debate Pack

Effect of changes to welfare benefits

Friday, 09 October, 2015

This page contains Library briefings and external reports and provides background information for the Westminster Hall debate, Effect of changes to welfare benefits, scheduled for Wednesday October 14 at 2.30pm.
Debate Pack

Funeral poverty

Thursday, 08 October, 2015

This page contains Library briefings and external reports and provides background information for the Westminster Hall debate, Funeral poverty, scheduled for Tuesday October 13 at 4.30pm.
Research Briefing

Welfare Reform and Work Bill [Bill 51 of 2015-16]

Thursday, 16 July, 2015

This House of Commons Briefing Paper provides background to the Welfare Reform and Work Bill’s provisions; summarises the key measures; and includes relevant comment. The Bill is scheduled to receive its Second Reading on 20 July 2015.

Total results (page 12 of 19)