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Government announces concessions on benefit cap…
Chris Grayling has announced the following concessions on the benefit cap during this afternoon’s Commons debate -
- access to Jobcentre Plus support and the Work Programme from April 2012 for families who will be affected by cap a year later;
- an exemption from the cap for people in the ESA support group;
- a grace period of nine months for people who have been in work for at least 12 months and then lose job ‘through no fault of their own’; and
- transitional support through discretionary housing payments, with a fund of £80m for 2013/2014 and £50m for 2014/2015, for ‘short term, temporary relief’ where, for example a family is not able to move because of children’s education.
[ Edited: 1 Feb 2012 at 04:51 pm by Ros ].... and then Commons votes against Lords amendment to exclude child benefit from the cap ...
And what does ‘through no fault of their own’ mean I wonder?
And what does ‘through no fault of their own’ mean I wonder?
Presumably means that they haven’t been sanctioned for leaving voluntarily etc?
Not to mention the transitional protection offered through discretionary housing payments. Hang on though - didnt i read somewhere that over a million quid of DHPs were left unspent by LAs last year…...?
Interesting ‘Thoughts on a benefits cap’ from Institute of Fiscal Studies -
Apologies if I have missed something, but is it still the case that the cap will only run against available HB from April 2013, prior to the introduction of UC? If yes, I assume that means the owner occupiers will be uncapped until October. Is that the correct position?
Secondly, the government seems to be implying that the DHP budget will be ringfenced for certain worthy cases where there are no statutory exemptions (eg in respect of foster households in relation to HB restrictions relating to underoccupation in social housing). Does anyone know anything about this?
Steve
On your second point: the announcement that extra money is to be made available for foster carers between placements, and certain people with disabilities living in adapted accomodation, was made by Freud in the Lords in December. This should be the link to the debate if it works (I’m moving out of my comfort zone!): http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201011/ldhansrd/text/111214-0001.htm#11121475000789
The announcement is in Column 1302. It looks to me as if the ring fencing he is refering to is the DHP budget as a whole and not specifically for foster carers etc. However, he does refer to new draft guidance which I haven’t seen, which will presumably encourage LAs to spend the money in this way. However, given all that’s changing and the inevitable pressure on DHP budgets I wouldn’t be too satisfied with this.
Tony
Many thanks.