Benefits administration

This page highlights some of the current parliamentary material available on the administration of Social Security benefits. This includes select committee reports, briefing papers on current legislation and other subjects produced by the parliamentary research services, and the latest Early Day Motions put down by MPs.

Standard Notes

DateDescription
07.02.2013Draft Universal Credit Regulations 2013
Starting in selected 'Pathfinder' areas from April 2013, Universal Credit (UC) will begin to replace a range of means-tested benefits and tax credits for working age families. The Draft Universal Credit Regulations set out the detailed rules for the new benefit.
07.02.2013The housing element of Universal Credit
This note highlights some of the key differences between the current Housing Benefit system and the housing element of Universal Credit.
28.01.2013Draft Social Security (Personal Independence Payment) Regulations 2013
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is to replace Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for people of working age, starting from April 2013. Part 4 of the Welfare Reform Act 2012 provides the framework for PIP, but the detailed rules for the new benefit - including the assessment criteria - are to be set out in regulations.
31.12.2012Social security benefits and expenditure: Social Indicators page
A summary of expenditure on benefits and tax credits.
19.12.20122013 Benefit Uprating
State pension, benefits and tax credits increase in April 2013 - this note sets out how the new rates are calculated

Research Papers

DateDescription
08.06.2011Welfare Reform Bill: Committee Stage Report
This is an account of the House of Commons Committee Stage of the Welfare Reform Bill. It complements Research Papers 11/23 and 11/24, prepared for the Commons Second Reading debate.
04.03.2011Welfare Reform Bill: reform of disability benefits, Housing Benefit, and other measures
This paper has been prepared for the Second Reading debate in the House of Commons. For information on the provision in the Bill relating to the introduction of Universal Credit, please see the complementary Library Research Paper, 11/24. Besides Universal Credit, the Bill proposes a number of other significant welfare reforms, including replacement of the current Disability Living Allowance, restriction of Housing Benefit entitlement to social housing tenants whose accommodation is larger than they need, time-limiting the payment of contributory Employment and Support Allowance to twelve months, and capping the total amount of benefit that can be claimed.

Select Committee Reports

DateDescription
02.03.2011Reducing errors in the benefits system.
Public Accounts Committee report [Commons]
29.03.2010Decision making and appeals in the benefits system.
Government response. Work and Pensions Select Committee; Department for Work and Pensions report [Commons]
08.03.2010Department for Work and Pensions: Management of Benefit Overpayment Debt.
Public Accounts Committee report [Commons]
27.01.2010Decision-making and appeals in the benefits system.
Work and Pensions Select Committee report [Commons]

Early Day Motions

DateDescription
31.03.2011NATIONAL AUTISM SOCIETY AND CHANGES TO DISABILITY LIVING ALLOWANCE
That this House is aware of the Government's decision to reduce by at least 1 billion the annual spend on disability living allowancebenefits;notes the concerns of the National Autism ...
03.03.2011BENEFITS FOR BLIND AND PARTIALLY SIGHTED PEOPLE
That this House supports the historic change made to the Welfare Reform Act in 2009 that means blind people will receive the higher rate mobility component of the Disability Living ...
02.03.2011DISABILITY LIVING ALLOWANCE FOR CHILDREN IN HOSPITAL
That this House expresses its concern at the suspension of disability living allowances (DLA) for children spending more than 84 days in hospital; congratulates the Contact a Family ...
14.09.2010REVENUE AND CUSTOMS (S.I., 2010, No. 1879)
That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, praying that the Taxes and Duties (Interest Rate) Regulations 2010 (S.I., 2010,No. 1879), dated 21 July 2010, a copy of which was ...
26.07.2010HM REVENUE AND CUSTOMS
That this House calls on the Government urgently to halt its programme of job cuts and office closures in Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC); is concerned that the Department ...

POST Papers

DateDescription
11.07.2012Assessing Capacity for Work
This briefing discusses the role of the Work Capability Assessment and its suitability as a gateway to benefit.

Glossary

  • Research Papers (RP) - briefings produced by the House of Commons Library on Bills, topical issues and regular statistics
  • Standard Notes (SN) - shorter, topical briefings from the Commons Library
  • Early Day Motions (EDMs) - formal motions submitted by MPs in the House of Commons
  • POST Notes - short briefing notes produced by the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology
  • Lords Library Notes (LLN) - an occasional series of papers compiled by the House of Lords Library