Download or read book Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit as In work Benefits written by Caroline Turley and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 94 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Benefits simplification written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Work and Pensions Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2007-07-26 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Benefits Simplification : Seventh report of session 2006-07, Vol. 2: Oral and written Evidence
Download or read book Dealing with the Complexity of the Benefits System written by Great Britain: National Audit Office and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2005-11-18 with total page 84 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and its agencies, are responsible for administering around 40 social security benefits to the value of around £100 billion a year. Many of these benefits are linked together; hence some customers are in receipt of more than one benefit. The need for equity and fairness in interpreting legislation, is a cause of complexity. Incentives (e.g. to work) and rewards (e.g. for an individual's savings) have been built into procedures. Problems are caused by the interface between DWP benefits and tax credits (which are administered by HM Revenue and Customs); and by the constant flow of major and minor legislative and administrative changes. Simplified procedures would enable both staff and customers to understand the system better, and to avoid duplication of effort. There would also be less scope for benefits fraud (estimated at £2.6 billion in 2004-05). This NAO report also highlights the need for improved communication with customers and better use of new technology.
Download or read book The Opportunities of a Lifetime written by Evans, Martin and published by Policy Press. This book was released on 2004-11-24 with total page 100 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This report uses a revolutionary new research tool, LOIS (the Lifetime Opportunity and Incentives Simulation programme), to assess the impact of current government social policy on our lives from cradle to grave. The strengths and weaknesses of the British benefit, pension and taxation systems are analysed in terms of how well they meet, or are likely to meet, the needs of individuals throughout their lifetimes. Specific government promises, such as those to end child and pensioner poverty and to reward those who work, are also reassessed in this context. The opportunities of a lifetime is compulsory reading for social policy academics, researchers, analysts, students and policy makers who will find the innovative lifetime analysis invaluable. With brief and clear descriptions of the technical aspects of taxation, pensions and benefits, the report is also accessible to a wider readership.
Download or read book Helping people from workless households into work written by Great Britain: National Audit Office and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2007-07-19 with total page 68 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A workless household is defined as a household that includes at least one person of working-age (men aged 16-64 years and women aged 16-59 years) where no one in the household aged 16 or over is in employment. Currently, there are about three million households, containing 1.7 million children, who still have no-one in work. Evidence suggests that many adults in workless households would like to work, but that they face multiple barriers to work, such as low skills, disability, a lack of affordable and flexible childcare, or caring responsibilities and may have been on benefits for a long time. The NAO report examines the effectiveness of Department for Work and Pensions' employment programmes aimed at workless households in England, focusing on two programmes: the New Deal for Lone Parents and the New Deal for Partners. The report finds that these programmes are making a difference for those who take part, but more needs to be done to reach out to workless households and to increase awareness of the support available and help people to prepare for and find work.
Download or read book Broken Benefits written by Royston, Sam and published by Policy Press. This book was released on 2017-10-25 with total page 400 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Britain is going through the most radical upheaval of the benefits system since its foundations were laid at the end of the 1940s. In Broken Benefits, Sam Royston argues that social security isn’t working, and without a change in direction, it will be even less fair in the future. Drawing on original research and high-profile debates, this much-needed book provides an introductory guide to social security, correcting misunderstandings and exposing poorly understood problems. It reveals how some workers pay to take on additional hours; that those who pay national insurance contributions may get nothing in return; that some families can be paid to split apart; and that many people on the lowest incomes are seeing their retirement age rise the fastest. Broken Benefits includes real-life stories, models of household budgets, projections of benefit spending, and a free online calculator showing the impact of welfare changes on personal finances. The book presents practical ideas of how benefits should be reformed, to create a fairer, simpler and more coherent system for the future.
Download or read book Poverty in Scotland written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Scottish Affairs Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2007-12-20 with total page 396 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Incorporating HC 168-i to x, session 2006-07
Download or read book Understanding Social Exclusion written by Phil Agulnik and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2002 with total page 292 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This text explores the issue of social exclusion, considering its measurement, main determinants, and ways in which it may be reduced. The editors show how a focus on the topic may alter the relevant policy questions by fostering debate in government.
Download or read book The best start in life written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Work and Pensions Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2008-03-10 with total page 270 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Government has set itself the challenging target of halving the number of children living in poverty by 2010-11 and eradicating child poverty by 2020. With 2010 fast approaching, Ministers are still committed to the targets, and the Committee wanted to ascertain whether DWP has the right measures in place to meet its objectives. Significant progress has been made, but the target remains challenging: there are still 2.8 million children living in poverty and the most recent data shows a slight increase in this number. The Committee is convinced of the damaging effect of poverty on a child's self-esteem and expectations, and also its effects in contributing to social exclusion. Children growing up in poverty are also more likely to have poorer health and poorer educational outcomes. There are groups of children who have a much higher risk of growing up in poverty, for example if they or a parent are disabled, and there are higher poverty rates amongst Pakistani, Bangladeshi and black children. Getting parents into sustainable work should be the focus of the strategy to lift them and their children out of poverty, but there are concerns that the Jobseekers' Allowance regime is not sufficiently flexible to reflect the complexity of lone parents' lives. To eradicate child poverty by 2020, the Government needs a long-term strategy on benefit income for those who are unable to work. If benefits are uprated in line with inflation, the gap between the incomes of those in work and those on benefits will only get wider, as benefits will not keep pace with earnings. As poverty is measured as a percentage of median earnings, the implications for the 2020 target, in particular, are serious.
Download or read book Legal Concepts of Childhood written by Julia Fionda and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2001-12-04 with total page 282 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Concepts of who and what children are and what childhood consists of have changed over time. Our historical and contemporary notions of childhood also change according to the context of the interaction between the child and the state. This book is concerned with various ideas of what childhood consists of where the child is involved with the legal system. An identification of legal concepts of childhood can offer many insights into our treatment of children,the capacities which we expect them (possibly unfairly) to possess and the extent of any protection which they deserve or can expect from those charged with the responsibility for their welfare. Each essay in this collection focuses on a particular legal discipline which centrally involves children whether as litigants, victims or perpetrators of crimes, owners of property, recipients of welfare services etc. The object of the analysis is to assess how children are regarded by lawyers in each discipline; for example, as objects of concern, requiring protection; as autonomous possessors of rights; as lacking in moral consciousness or full mental capacity; or as fully aware of and accountable for their actions. In order to make comparisons with notions of childhood in other contexts, the substantive part of the book will also include essays on the perspectives on childhood at the core of other disciplines including sociology, psychology, philosophy and literature.
Download or read book Carers and Caring The One Stop Guide written by June Andrews and published by Souvenir Press. This book was released on 2022-05-26 with total page 289 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'The vital guide to old-age care NO family can afford to ignore' Mail on Sunday 'Designed to lead carers through the emotional minefield of attempting to look after family and loved ones, primarily at home but also in care homes' The Sunday Times Scotland Whether due to old age, illness or disability, more and more of us are becoming carers to loved ones. Carers and Caring is a complete handbook for anyone in a caring role, guiding you through the everyday administrative and emotional challenges of supporting a loved one. Dementia specialist Professor June Andrews offers accessible advice on: - Managing your time, finances and family dynamics - Accessing resources from the NHS and social care services - Daily care such as physical assistance and meal preparation - Considering the transition from at-home to nursing home care. Practical, comprehensive and compassionate, Carers and Caring will be both a resource and a comfort as you navigate your role as a carer, supporting you as you support your loved one.
Download or read book Decision making and appeals in the benefits system written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Work and Pensions Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2010-02-09 with total page 262 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this report the Work and Pensions Committee reiterates its call for the establishment of a Welfare Commission to create a fairer and simpler benefits system that claimants can understand and the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) can administer more accurately. The report concludes that the vast majority of decisions DWP makes are accepted by claimants and lead to the right benefits being paid on time to those who are eligible. But the level of official error in the benefits system has increased substantially since 2000-01. The level of overpayments due to official error has risen from £0.4 billion (0.4 per cent of benefits paid) to £0.8 billion (0.6 per cent of benefits paid) in 2008-09. Although the Department has made great strides in reducing fraud, this increase in error should be a cause for concern. The report also highlights a worrying lack of response to scrutiny of the decision making and appeals (DMA) system by DWP. A former President of the Appeal Tribunals, Judge Robert Martin, felt his reports were effectively ignored, and there is evidence that the Decision Making Standards Committee lacks influence. There should be a much more constructive response to scrutiny. Another area that seems not to be working as effectively or as quickly as it should is the reconsideration process - the review of decisions - and the Department should examine this urgently.
Download or read book Tackling pensioner poverty written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Work and Pensions Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2009-07-30 with total page 136 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The level of pensioner poverty has declined markedly since 1997. However, there are still 2 million pensioners in poverty and 1.1 million who live on below 50% of median income. The Committee considers this to be unacceptable, and in this report looks at what more the Government could do to lift pensioners out of poverty. Pension Credit has lifted large numbers of pensioners out of poverty. Take-up of Pension Credit improved rapidly after its introduction, but has since levelled off with many eligible pensioners still not claiming. Despite the best efforts of the Pension Disability and Carers Service (PDCS) it is seeing diminishing returns for its efforts. Take-up of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit amongst pensioners has also declined since 1997. Improving take-up of all three benefits would markedly improve pensioner poverty. Local Authorities need to work much more closely with PDCS, to ensure that information on people who may be eligible for Pension Credit, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit are (with permission) exchanged in both directions. This is not done at present and should therefore be trialled and depending on its success applied nationally. The Department has put a lot of effort into encouraging pensioners to claim Pension Credit, then directing them towards other benefits. The Committee concludes that there should be a single phone line for all three benefits.The lack of data PDCS collects on Pension Credit take-up, especially amongst vulnerable groups is a disappointment for the Committee and makes it very difficult for them to suggest ways to effectively target these groups.The automaticity pilots introduced in the Welfare Reform Bill is welcomed as is the Department taking a long term approach and seeking to find innovative ways to improve take-up. Among other benefits the Personal Expenses Allowance (PEA) is looked at, and also the differences between Disability Living Allowance (DLA) payable to those who become disabled under 65, and Attendance Allowance (AA), payable to those who become disabled after the age of 65. The Committee were impressed by the model used by Service Canada, which provides advice on all federal benefits, and provides signposting to other services. While no pensioner should be expected to work after 65, many would like to. Working longer can allow them to maintain social contacts, and to defer claiming a pension, something that can have a positive effect on their future income. The Committee calls for the Default Retirement Age to be abolished and for protection from discrimination for older workers to be strengthened, to ensure that every pensioner who wishes to can continue working. Past recessions have led to disproportionate numbers of older workers over 50 losing their jobs and never working again. The Department must not allow this to happen again.
Download or read book Progress on Tackling Pensioner Poverty written by Great Britain: National Audit Office and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2006-07-21 with total page 44 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The 2002 report Tackling pensioner poverty: encouraging take-up of entitlements (ISBN 0102919577) examined efforts by the Department for Work and Pensions to increase the take-up of benefits by pensioners. It was followed by a report from the Committee of Public Accounts (ISBN 0215009347) that made a number of recommendations. This report looks at the changes the Department have made against those recommendations and the challenges that remain. The overall conclusion is that the Pension Service has made substantial progress in helping pensioners secure their entitlements, using new and thought through approaches. However there is more to be done. This report is accompanied by a technical report that describes the methodology and findings in greater detail.
Download or read book Means testing written by Great Britain: National Audit Office and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2011-09-14 with total page 44 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It is clear that means testing will be used extensively for the foreseeable future as it helps target state support at the people that need it most, but it can have many other important consequences. For example, there can be disincentives for recipients of means-tested benefits to return to work. Means testing also makes the administration of benefits more complex and is associated with higher costs as well as increased rates of fraud and error. In light of proposed and ongoing reforms to benefits and related programmes, the NAO notes the importance of departments sharing good practice and learning from past experiences in the design of means tests. For example, HM Revenue and Customs has struggled in the past with unexpectedly large overpayments of tax credits (£9 billion between 2003-04 and 2009-10) because of the way that payments are determined under the legislation. Departments need to consider all of the impacts of means testing: for example, the burden on claimants, such as difficulty with completing forms and the cost of requesting advice. Issues associated with means testing, such as incorrect declarations of earnings and errors by officials in calculating entitlements, accounted for over half of all fraud and error in benefits and tax credits. There is a lack of coordination of, and overall accountability for, means testing across government. For example, no one body has responsibility for looking at how the impact of university fees will be influenced by wider means testing.
Download or read book Tax By Design written by Stuart Adam and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2011-09 with total page 552 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Based on the findings of a commission chaired by James Mirrlees, this volume presents a coherent picture of tax reform whose aim is to identify the characteristics of a good tax system for any open developed economy, assess the extent to which the UK tax system conforms to these ideals, and recommend how it might be reformed in that direction.
Download or read book Department for Work and Pensions written by Great Britain. National Audit Office and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2009 with total page 44 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Department for Work and Pensions has made progress in reducing the number of leaflets that it produces for its customers and in making application forms simpler and shorter. The Department has significantly changed the way in which it provides information in recent years with a growth in telephone enquiries and in online provision. The Department has reduced the quantity of leaflets that it produces for customers, from 208 different leaflets in 2005 at a cost of �10.3 million to 53 leaflets in 2008 costing �1.7 million. It has also reduced the length of most of its forms, though some are unnecessarily long and guidance notes are complicated and the Department's computer generated letters are overly long and confusing for customers. The Department has put telephone calls at the centre of its application process. It is also increasingly using the internet to communicate with customers. In response to the rise in applications for the Jobseeker's Allowance, up by 81 per cent in the six months to January 2009, the Department plans to implement systems giving customers the option of full online applications for contributory Jobseeker's Allowance from summer 2009, rather than February 2010 as originally planned. Cost efficiencies from online provision have still to be realised fully. Though forms can be downloaded from the internet it is not yet possible to apply for most benefits online, meaning that staff and customer time is taken up handling claims over the telephone or face to face.
