The implementation of welfare reform by local authorities - enquiry by Select Committee

The Communities and Local Government Committee are inviting submissions from interested parties covering the progress made to date on the implementation of welfare reform by local authorities, closing date for submissions is 14 December.

If you’re making a submission, you may wish to consider the following issues, though the list is not exhaustive and respondents can select which issues they wish to cover.

* How effectively are the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Communities and Local Government working together to implement Welfare Reform?
* Is the guidance available to local authorities from central government on implementing welfare reform adequate? Are there areas where more or better guidance is required?
* Is the Government’s timetable for implementing Welfare Reform achievable?
* Are local authorities being allocated sufficient resources to deliver services such as localised Council Tax Support and advice to claimants on Universal Credit?
* Are there financial risks to local authorities from Welfare Reform changes? Are such risks being adequately addressed?
* What impact have Welfare to Work schemes had, or are likely to have, on the numbers of benefit claimants?
* What evidence is there that local authorities are able to use effectively existing services or contracts for the delivery of new local Social Fund schemes?
* How will the separation of the administration of Council Tax Benefit and Housing Benefit affect claimants?
* How significant an issue is housing benefit fraud under the proposed new system and what measures are being taken to address it?
* Are there sufficient safeguards to protect social landlords from financial harm resulting from the payment of housing benefit direct to claimants?

Submissions of no more than 3,000 words are invited until 14 December 2012 at 11am.

Each submission should be labelled with the subject ‘Welfare Reform’, sent to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), attached in Word format and be accompanied by a covering email containing the name and contact details of the individual submitting evidence.

For more information, see Communities and Local Government Committee to hold inquiry on the on the implementation of welfare reform by local authorities

ORAL EVIDENCE SESSION

Implementation of welfare reform by local authorities

Wednesday 19 December 2012 4.45 pm Committee Room 8, Palace of Westminster

• Sue Ramsden, Policy Leader, National Housing Federation
• Gavin Smart, Director, Policy and Practice, Chartered Institute of Housing
• Cllr Sharon Taylor, Leader, Stevenage Borough Council, Local Government Association

The session will take evidence on the progress made so far in the implementation of welfare reform, following from the Welfare Reform Act 2012, including issues raised for local authorities. The inquiry follows from the Committee’s report, published in October 2011, on Localisation Issues in Welfare Reform (HC 1406). The session will focus, in particular, on the changes being introduced to housing benefit and council tax benefit.

The session will be open to the public on a first come, first served basis. For meetings in Portcullis House, the entrance is located on Victoria Embankment. For meetings in the Palace of Westminster please enter via the visitor entrance, located next to the main St Stephen’s entrance.  There is no system for the prior reservation of seats in Committee Rooms.  It is advisable to allow about 30 minutes to pass through security checks.  Committee rooms and the timing of meetings are subject to change. Those interested in attending the session should check the venue by contacting the House of Commons Public Information Office on 020 7219 4272 on the day before the hearing.

Another oral evidence session announced on Wednesday 19 December 2012 4.45 pm

• Sue Ramsden, Policy Leader, National Housing Federation
• Gavin Smart, Director, Policy and Practice, Chartered Institute of Housing
• Cllr Sharon Taylor, Deputy Chair, Local Government Association
• Paul Raynes, Head of Finance and Localism Programmes, Local Government Association

Another oral evidence session announced on Monday 28 January 2013

4.10 pm

• Kevin Dodd, Chief Executive, Wakefield District Housing
• Gillian Guy, Chief Executive, Citizens Advice Bureau
• Kate Webb, Senior Policy Officer, Shelter

5.00 pm

• Mark Prisk MP, Minister for Housing, Department for Communities and Local Government
• Lord Freud, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions