Welfare Benefits Up-rating Bill (HL Bill 78 of 2012-13) - Lords Library Note

Published 06 February 2013 | Library notes LLN 2013/004

Authors: Nicola Newson

Topic: Benefits policy, Family benefits, Housing benefits, Incomes and poverty, Sickness, disability and carers' benefits, Working age benefits

The Welfare Benefits Up-rating Bill implements an announcement by the Chancellor in the 2012 Autumn Statement that increases in certain working-age welfare benefits and tax credits would be limited to 1 percent, rather than increasing them in line with inflation. This Library Note is intended to provide background information in advance of the Bill’s second reading in the House of Lords on 11 February 2013. The Note examines the background context to the Bill, including the existing statutory framework for uprating social security benefits and tax credits. It describes the Bill’s provisions, and looks at which benefits are covered by the Bill, and which are not. It also presents analyses of the Bill’s likely impacts, and summarises proceedings on the Bill in the House of Commons.

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