The briefing sets out the background to Spring Budget 2017 which will take place on Wednesday 8 March 2017. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) will publish revised forecasts for the economy and public finances on the same day.
MPs will debate ‘Impact of DWP policies on low income households’ on Tuesday 17 January 2017 in the Main Chamber. This is an Opposition Day debate moved by the Scottish National Party. This House of Commons Library briefing provides background to the debate and includes a summary of the issues, statistics and press and parliamentary coverage.
MPs will debate the effect on equality of the Autumn Statement 2016, on Wednesday 14 December 2016. This will be an Opposition Day debate. This House of Commons Library briefing provides a background summary and also press and parliamentary coverage.
This House of Commons Library briefing paper explains how the household benefit cap operates and considers evidence of its impact to date. It also covers the reductions in the benefit cap being phased in from 7 November 2016, and their likely impact.
Universal Credit (UC) is a new benefit which is to replace means-tested social security benefits and tax credits for working-age claimants by 2022. UC work allowances, the maximum a claimant can earn before their award is withdrawn, were reduced from April 2016 onwards. Limits to support for new claimants will also apply from April 2017. This paper provides an introduction to Universal Credit and analyses the impact of these changes.
The House of Commons Library Welfare Expenditure and Savings Tool combines multiple sources of expenditure and savings data into one easy to use, up-to-date analysis tool. Users can track changes in welfare expenditure over time, analyse savings as a proportion of expenditure and identify key policy measures by benefit announced since June 2010. Total spending on UK social security and tax credits will be £218.4 billion in 2016-17, 28.3% of total managed expenditure. Measures announced since 2010 will save around £26 billion in the same year, roughly 10% of what welfare spending might otherwise have been.
MPs will debate the Effect of Universal Credit on children on Tuesday 10 May 2016. This is a Backbench Business debate secured by Stephen Timms MP. This House of Commons Library page provides an overview of Universal Credit and links to relevant briefings and reports.
The Welfare Reform and Work Bill 2015-16 had its Third Reading in the House of Lords on 9 February, and the Commons is due to consider Lords amendments on 23 February.
There will be a debate entitled, Effect of the roll-out of Universal Credit in the North West, in Westminster Hall on Wednesday 13 January 2016 at 9.30am. Marie Rimmer MP will lead the debate. This page provides a background briefing.
This page provides background to the Backbench Business debate, Distributional Effect of Proposed Reforms to Tax Credits, scheduled for Thursday 29 October 2015.