Welfare Reform on the Web (July 2006): Social security - UK - new deal

Delivering benefits in old age: the take up of the Minimum Income Guarantee

P. Dornan

Aldershot: Ashgate, 2006

In 1999 the Government re-packaged Income Support for older people as the Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG). MIG and the later Pension Credit were central to anti-poverty policy; however, both of theses means-tested benefits have suffered from low levels of take-up amongst entitled pensioners. The book analyses socio-economic, demographic and attitudinal trends in order to elucidate their impact on the proportion entitled to MIG and the take-up rate. Current policy is analysed to explore the importance that take-up has had for the Labour government and the prospects of policy for improving it.

A mixed up market

G. Heaton

Working Brief, issue 174, 2006, p.10-11

The UK government’s welfare to work programme has produced a plethora of competing schemes and allowed competition between public and private providers. Following extensive evaluation, the government needs to come to some decisions about which models work in order to give some coherence to the programme.

Review of Action Teams for Jobs

J. Casebourne, S. Davis and R. Page

Department for Work and Pensions, 2006 (Research report; no.328)

Action Teams for Jobs have been targeted on 64 of the most disadvantaged areas in the UK and focus on helping the longer-term unemployed into work. The report shows that Jobcentre Plus was more successful than private sector led teams in getting people into work.