3 May 2007 - Welfare Reform Bill receives Royal Assent
The Welfare Reform Bill today received Royal Assent.
The Welfare Reform Act will see the introduction of the Employment Support Allowance (ESA) which will replace Incapacity Benefit and Income Support based on incapacity or disability from next year.
A new Personal Capability Assessment will be introduced alongside the ESA to assess an individual’s entitlement and the possible support that would be needed to get back into the workplace.
The Act will also require people who are able to work to attend Work-Focused Interviews and develop with their advisers a plan of action to help them.
The Welfare Reform Act also contains changes to the administration of housing benefit with a national roll out of Local Housing Allowance to the private rented sector, meaning eligible individuals will have their entitlement paid directly to them. There will also be a housing benefit sanction for people who refuse support following eviction for anti-social behaviour.
The Act also contains powers to improve the sharing of information between DWP and Local Authorities for the purposes of increasing the take up of social security benefits, plus other miscellaneous amendments to social security and vaccine damage payments legislation.
Full details of the Act will be available be on the Office of Public Sector Information website www.opsi.gov.uk/acts.htm.
Notes for Editors
- The Welfare Reform Bill was originally published on 4th July 2006 and can be found here: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/pabills/200607/welfare_reform.htm
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