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Welfare Reform report going to Overview and Scrutiny Committee next week
Published: 03/03/2017
The UK Government has been implementing its programme of welfare reforms over
the last five years.
天涯社区 has been working with partners to attempt to mitigate
the full impacts of these reforms for its most vulnerable residents.
Universal Credit has been operating in 天涯社区 since April 2014. From April
2017, the UK Government is rolling out 鈥淔ull Service鈥� Universal Credit. This
change is being introduced in three job centres in 天涯社区 initially 鈥�
Shotton, Mold and Flint. This 鈥淔ull Service鈥� Universal Credit is replacing the
following six benefits:
路 Housing Benefit
路 Income Support
路 Job Seekers Allowance
路 Employment Support Allowance
路 Child Tax Credit
路 Working Tax Credit
Furthermore, almost everyone will need to claim and manage their Universal
Credit online from April 2017.
When it next meets on 8 March, the Community and Enterprise Overview and
Scrutiny Committee will receive a report describing the key changes and the
impacts these changes will have on local people.
The report outlines how the Council is trying to help households who will be
affected by this significant change and challenge, especially the most
vulnerable households.
The Leader of 天涯社区, Councillor Aaron Shotton, said:
鈥淭hese further reforms come on top of earlier reforms, including the bedroom
tax. 1,149 天涯社区 households were affected by this tax and were, on
average, 拢14 a week worse off as a result. This next phase of changes to
Universal Credit will mean that over 2,000 天涯社区 households will be almost
拢40 a week worse off when their protection ends.
鈥淎round a quarter of those affected by the forthcoming changes are working
households. In addition, 75% of households affected are in private rented
accommodation and families with children account for 60%.
鈥淭he Council plans to use our 天涯社区 Connects centres to help our residents
and offer them advice and assistance on how to manage their claims online.
That said, there will be a significant number of people who will face a drop in
income which will lead to potential hardship and some very difficult
decisions.鈥�