Updates
- Welfare Reform Bill debated at Report Stage
in the House of Lords. Read the Welfare Reform Mental Health
Coalition Grand Committee briefings (here
and
here). Read the debates (Day
1) and (Day
2)
- Welfare Reform Bill - College
briefing mentioned in House of Lords 2nd Reading
debate - April 2009
- Read the College
briefings on tabled amendments for Report Stage. These were
produced together with Mind, Rethink, and the Sainsbury Centre
for Mental Health, working as an informal welfare
reform mental health coalition. [NB: there was not time in
the proceedings to debate these amendments, but the College will be
suggesting similar amendments in the Lords]
- College mentioned in Commons Report Stage
debate on Welfare Reform Bill
- Read the College's briefing for the
2nd Reading debate in the House of Commons - January 2009.
The Welfare Reform Bill
Follow the progress
of the Bill through Parliament.
Read
more and download a copy of the Bill and
explanatory notes.
The Welfare Reform Bill further reforms the
welfare and benefit systems to improve support and incentives for
people to move from benefits into work, to provide greater choice
and control for disabled people. Read
more
In this Bill the Government intend to achieve
their aim of an 80% employment rate for people of working age by
increasing flexibility and personalisation of benefit
conditionality, and abolishing incapacity benefit (IB). All IB
claimants will be moved to jobseeker's allowance (JSA) with
differing degrees of conditionality, or to employment and support
allowance. (ESA)
The College has give cautious welcome to the Bill and will be
lobbying Parliamentarians to ensure that it is effective and fair
for people with mental health problems.
We have argued that there are 5 key principles that must be
upheld to truly ensure that people with mental health problems
get a fair deal in the welfare system.
Five principles for effective welfare
reform:
- There must be a clear evidence base
that welfare programmes work for people with mental health
problems. (see p.2)
- The welfare system must address the
needs and particular circumstances of people with mental health
problems. (see p.4)
- When services are contracted out
there should be no discrimination against those who are difficult
to place. (see p.6)
- Employers need to
fulfill their responsibilities in employing and supporting disabled
people, including those with mental health problems. (see
p.7)
- Everyone must have access to
an appropriately well informed and trained vocational
workforce. (see p.8)
Recent College policy
statements on the Bill