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HB to be devolved?
From Scotland on Sunday
“On the issue of what new powers could be given to Holyrood if Scots vote against independence in next year’s referendum, a senior government insider told Scotland on Sunday that devolving housing benefit is now a strong possibility.
“I think there is a feeling that as far as non-financial matters are concerned, there is not much more that can be devolved and the balance is about right,” he said.
“That leaves taxation and welfare, and we have to look at where we can feasibly devolve more. There is an argument for devolving income tax further because the principle of devolving is in place with the most recent reforms.
“It is difficult to see how welfare could be devolved, but housing benefit is a possibility given the issues that have been raised about it recently.””
cheers gareth .... here’s the link -
[ Edited: 30 Sep 2013 at 12:50 pm by shawn mach ]I simply can’t see how with UC this would work at all. It would just be a minefield.
The Scots Govt could conceivably take over the running of JCP in Scotland but still apply UK rules but I really cant see how having completely different rules for a benefit that is part of a UK wide scheme would work.
To my mind its either an acknowledgement that UC isn’t going to happen or its just saying something for the sake of it. There are a million and one idea’s floating about re further devoluition in the event of a no vote (which appears likely). Cameron et al appear to want to create the illusion they want to strengthen Devolution.
It would also lead to issues in Wales. I’ve just been struck by a particularly Welsh bedroom tax thought about ‘crog-lofts” (http://pilgrim.ceredigion.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=2808). Effectively it’s sometimes just a hanging bed over a living room (I once had a neighbour, a well known Welsh folk singer, who made one in his flat in Cardiff - he was later catapulted through his front window due to a combination of drink and engineering incompetence).
Would it be a bedroom?
Looks dicey from a size point of view if you ask me…..
Looks dicey from a health and safety perspective to me judging by the above post ;)
Sounds more like a mobile home to me.