The Committee has opened this phase in its Universal Credit inquiry in response to reports from charities and support organisations that increasing numbers of people—overwhelmingly women—have been getting involved in “survival sex” as a direct result of welfare policy changes. These include the roll-out of Universal Credit.
The Committee wrote to mortgage lenders, insurers, property agents and property ad sites with questions about how their policies end up treating people who are trying to rent a home and in receipt of a benefit.
The Committee has postponed an oral evidence hearing with landlords, agents and benefit recipients, …
It has been predicted in evidence to the Committee that the benefit freeze will “increase poverty more than any other policy”, with a family of four receiving Universal Credit over £800 a year worse off by 2020, when the freeze is set to end, “even if both parents are working …
Since 2015 the Committee has had a watching brief on the implementation of auto-enrolment. Its last report in the issue, published in May 2016, concluded that automatic enrolment had been a great success story, but major concerns remained about the infrastructure of pensions regulation, and in particular how the welcome …
During the Work and Pensions Committee’s inquiry into pension freedom and choice, we received worrying evidence about the financial advice given to members of the British Steel Defined Benefit Pension Scheme (BSPS). Before the BSPS wrapped up, its members had to decide what to do with their pension pot. For …
On 12th December 2018 the Work and Pensions Committee held a one off evidence session on the potential impact – and effectiveness - of the two-child limit, ahead of the policy’s scope being widened in February 2019.
Under the current two-child limit, families are not able to claim child benefits …
The UK’s welfare system is currently undergoing fundamental reform in the transition to Universal Credit alongside other major and largely untested policies including the benefit cap, benefit sanctions and the two child limit.
The Minister will be questioned on her vision for the direction of the welfare state, and on …
There are 6.5 million unpaid carers in the UK who make a hugely valuable contribution to society. Many carers will be entitled to Carer’s Allowance, but this Committee has previously reported on the “cliff edge” within this benefit; if someone earns just £1 over the earnings threshold, they lose 100% …
Report published. Awaiting Government Response.
The Committee conducted an inquiry into the current state of the UK’s welfare safety net, prompted by the evidence of debt, hunger and homelessness it has heard across several recent inquiries. The inquiry, launched …
In February 2017 the Work and Pensions Committee launched an inquiry into the Benefit cap, which could not continue due to the General Election. The Committee is now re-launching the inquiry. In written evidence to that inquiry before it stalled, the DWP said the benefit cap pursues three aims: …