Rename Benefits & Tax Credits sub forum "Universal Benefits"

NPowerUser

Do you think a more apt title for this sub forum should be "Universal Benefits"?

Tax credits are being phased out and surely they are working benefits anyway, so do you consider yourself on benefits if you are claiming Working or Child Tax credits?

welshee

No.
Leave it alone .

NPowerUser

The IFS survey seems to identify tax credits as part of the wider benefits system.

The results of the survey
http://www.ifs.org.uk/bns/bn13.pdf

I never realized that the spend on child tax credits was almost the same as spent on housing benefit, Child Tax Credit £22bn, Housing Benefit £22.7bn.

I do not qualify for any benefits, just wondered what everyone thought of the idea. The vast majority of benefits paid cover the elderly, obviously.

Thomas_Hardy

Why change what is not broken?

I'm not even sure what would be covered by "Universal Benefits". The current name is far more clear.

rogerblack

Universal credit is _NOT_ replacing many current benefits.
The benefits it's replacing (if it all goes to plan) will have claimants migrated gradually from their existing benefits over the best part of a decade in some cases, with people being transferred as their circumstances change, or their number comes up.

The implementation of UC is problematic - with even the cut-down pilot limited to one jobcentre having problems. How long it will take to roll out is an open question.
Similarly, some people trying to claim PIP - the replacement for DLA - are being told to call back later as the computers are down.

To quote a small part of a blog at http://blog.cix.co.uk/gmorgan/

Because the changes to benefits are being introduced gradually, over several years, during the next few years, some people may, in similar circumstances,

• Receive benefits under the current schemes or Universal Credit
• Receive the new Pension Credit Plus (See ‘older people protected ‘below), with its changes to the current scheme, or the even newer Single-Tier pension linked Pension Credit (with savings credit transitionally in place partially for five years)
• There will be mixed-age couples (those older people with younger partners) who may fall into either of the groups and most of the different schemes in the groups
• Some people will be transitionally protected for a very long time under Universal Credit, particularly those with capital moving from tax credits
• Those looking for help from Council Tax Support will face different rules for main schemes for working age and older people, different schemes locally in England and different schemes in Wales and Scotland
• Disabled people will face very different support from DLA or PIP, with the different rules for receipt but also with different consequences, depending on which of them they get, into the benefits in the other multiple schemes
• In addition these schemes may be affected by capping, occupation rules and other variations.

NPowerUser

rogerblack wrote: »

Universal credit is _NOT_ replacing many current benefits

Yes, definitely not replacing all benefits, but definitely replacing

• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Income Support
• Child Tax Credits
• Working Tax Credits
• Housing Benefit

From 2013 according to the DWP website.
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/policy/welfare-reform/universal-credit/


Looks like I am in a minority of one by suggesting a possible change in name. Must try harder.

rogerblack

NPowerUser wrote: »

Yes, definitely not replacing all benefits, but definitely replacing

..
From 2013 according to the DWP website.
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/policy/welfare-reform/universal-credit/


Looks like I am in a minority of one by suggesting a possible change in name. Must try harder.

From 2013 - in some cases.
The 'from april' rollout mentioned is a very limited subset of claimants - basically single people who are not self employed in any way, over the age of 25, entitled to irJSA - and a whole heap of other conditions.

The page is inaccurate - the initial trials have been reduced down to one jobcentre.

Even assuming the timescales don't slip, claims for UC in all cases do not start until 2014, and migration from prior awards may be happening for at least the next decade, especially considering transitional protections.