Welfare Reform on the Web (July 2008): Social security - UK

500,000 to miss out on pension top-ups as target is scrapped

J. Kirkup

Daily Telegraph, June 2nd 2008, p. 2

Reports that the Work and Pensions Secretary has quietly dropped a commitment to ensure that 3.2 million pensioner households are receiving the pension credits to which they are entitled. The move follows the failure of many high profile advertising campaigns and will be seen as a tacit admission that the system of means-tested pension credits is simply too complicated too be workable.

The impact of migration from the new European Union member states on native workers

S. Lemos and J. Portes

Department for Work and Pensions, 2008

This paper examines the impact of migration from the new EU member states on native workers in the UK. The research finds no statistically significant evidence of any adverse impact of immigration from Eastern and Central Europe on the employment or wages of native workers, including the young and low skilled. On the contrary, Britons are out of work because they lack motivation and 'employability skills'.

Mothers will be forced to name baby's father on certificates

R. Prince

Daily Telegraph, June 3rd 2008, p. 6

Under the forthcoming Welfare Reform Bill, mothers will be forced for the first time to name their child's father on the birth certificate. Once a potential father has been named, he will be contacted and ordered to register or submit to a paternity test. If the test is positive the man's name will be entered on the child's birth records. It is hoped that the system will facilitate the collection of child maintenance payments from non-resident fathers and reduce the burden on the state.

Signing off the sick note

D. Hayes

Community Care, May 8th 2008, p. 32-33

The government is keen to reduce the number of working days lost due to ill-health and the flow of sick people of working age onto Incapacity Benefit. To achieve this it is planning to replace 'sick notes' (medical certificates) issued by GPs with a system of 'well notes'. These would provide practical advice to patients, and potentially their employers, about how a return to work could be achieved. There are concerns that sick people could be inappropriately forced to return to work.

Too many forms, too little benefit

A. Mickel

Community Care, June 5th 2008, p. 14-15

Presents a case study illustrating the difficulties carers face in navigating the benefits system. Many carers are unaware of all the benefits they can claim, and find the complexity of the system bewildering.