Is this a fundemental change is policy towards under 25's ? I am reading this correctly aren't I ...........well, I must be, because it seems clear enough that under 25's are to be treated equally ..

HB/CTB circular G3/2008 paragraph 14 states:


14 In ESA the personal allowances will be based on age during the assessment phase. Therefore, single people aged less than 25 will receive a lower basic amount than someone aged at least 25. Once the main phase starts and a component is awarded, all ESA recipients will receive the amount for those aged at least 25, irrespective of their age. The HB/CTB will reflect that policy.

By George...I think you're right!

Some upstart in the DWP appears to have decided that there is no objective justification for treating under-25s less favourably.

Whatever next?

That's how I see it, they also "attract" the same non-dependant deductions

Yes, you are right, well spotted

apparently it's in the explanation notes of the bill

I got this from CPAG web-site

The Explanatory Notes to the Bill say that in the assessment phase the basic allowance is expected to be age-related 'on the same lines as contribution-based JSA now', but will be set at a universal rate once the assessment phase is complete. This means that young disabled people may be on very low levels of benefit for at least the first three months of their claim

I also got this from:http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmbills/208/06208.13-18.html

4 THE EMPLOYMENT AND SUPPORT ALLOWANCE

*****************************************************************

140. The new ESA will not contain age additions or adult dependency payments. Those currently receiving Income Support plus the Enhanced Disability Premium or the Severe Disability Premium will continue to get the additional support currently provided through these premiums

however it has just been pointed out to me that this isn't entirely a good news story.

Point no' 1. There is no age reduction attached to Incapacity Benefit anyway, so these young people will now suffer a benefit reduction for 13 weeks where previously there was none.

Point 2. The single room H.B. rent restrictions for umnder 25's will still apply to many young people (though there are obviously exceptions within this group). I haven't looked up the rules for LHA yet, perhaps they are different.

On the other hand some young people will benefit, either because they would have got I.S. instead of Incapacity Benefit, or because they would have got Incapacity Benefit and their H.B was assessed using the under 25 rate.

I'm struggling to understand the good news bit. I agree with your points 1 & 2 above Chris but can you/someone explain what parity is being bought about by ESA and its treatment of under 25-year-olds in relation to HB/CTB? Sorry if i'm being dense but i can't see it myself.

It going to be a strange system whereby under 25yrs olds on ESA will have a different applicable amount for HB/CTB entitlement purposes than under 25yrs olds still on IB or working.

Well, I could very easily be wrong about this but I think you can come up with examples of gainers, as well as losers.

What about a young Housing Association tenant who would have received Income Support under the current rules?

The single room rent restriction wouldn't apply, but the Personal Allowance under current H.B rules is lower than that for over 25's.

Under E.S.A they would only be restricted for the first 13 weeks.

I see what you mean, i'm trying to get my head around the interactions like this, which is proving somewhat difficult. I have to say, until we actually see the rates, we're presuming that there won't be age-differential rates to the means-tested ESA - that's certainly my understanding so I hope that it is correct.

I think you are all missing the point. When the under 25 year old is exposed to the full blast of 'Conditionality' at Main Phase (assuming they are not in the 5% or so bound for the Support Group), they will only be on ESA for about 6 minutes. Rapid exposure to 'condition management' and 'life stabilisation' programmmes will soon convert that 'E' in ESA into a much more satisfactory 'J'.

1,000,000 less sick people will presumably be mean huge savings for the NHS!

The more I think about it, the more wonderful it becomes...

Steve