Welfare Reform on the Web (October 2004): Social Security - UK

COMMERCIAL BREAK

A. Young

Community Care, Sept. 16th-22nd 2004, p.40-41

The article discusses how Housing Benefit can be refused in cases where parents are accommodating vulnerable adult children on the grounds that tenancies are "non-commercial". Where the landlord is a charity or a housing association, the local authority can decide to pay less than the full rent if the accommodation is deemed to be too large or expensive.

CURB SICKNESS BENEFIT CHEATS, BLAIR IS URGED

A. Frean and L. Smith

Times, Sept.14th 2004, p.2

Louise Casey, Head of the Government's Anti-Social Behaviour Unit, has called on Tony Blair to crack down on a hard core of Incapacity benefit claimants who spend their money on drink and drugs.

(See also daily Telegraph, Sept.14th 2004, p.2)

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE OF DIRECT PAYMENT

L. Adams, K. Bunt and D. Bright

Department for Work and Pensions, 2004 (In-house report; 150)

The report presents findings from a survey of customers' experiences of, and satisfaction with, direct payments of benefits into bank/building society accounts. Results show satisfaction among those who have recently started receiving their benefit by direct payment to be very high. The main benefits of Direct Payment were seen to be that it was more convenient, meant that there was no need to visit the post office, and that it was not necessary to withdraw all the benefit payment at once.

LABOUR TO PLEDGE NEW RIGHTS FOR EMPLOYEES

J. Eaglesham and J. Blitz

Financial Times, Sept. 20th 2004, p.1-2

The government intends to include significant new employment rights in its third-term manifesto, the Trade and Industry Minister has said. These would include:

• pay for statutory two weeks paternity leave to be increased from a maximum of £102.00 per week to 90% of earnings;
• paid maternity leave to be increased from a minimum of six months to up to twelve months;
• women to have the right to transfer some of their paid maternity leave to their partners;
• the right to have a request for flexible working to be taken seriously by the employer to be extended to staff caring for an elderly or disabled relative.

(For comment see the Times, Sept. 21st 2004, p.4)

WORKING WITH MEN

T. Lloyd and others

Local Economy, Vol.19, 2004, p.276-297

Men have lost their role as family breadwinners due to the decline in manufacturing industry. Some have become a drain on the local economy due to their involvement in crime, unhealthy lifestyles and reluctance to participate in education and training. A series of articles highlights programmes and initiatives aimed at tackling this problem.