Basic Income – the modern form of Social Security

Tying in with a theme of our meeting in Glasgow tomorrow, we are reproducing part of a blog by Dr Simon Duffy of the Centre for Welfare Reform. (Reproduced with kind permission of the author.) “Although the idea of Basic Income has been around for at least two and a Read more…

UN condemns UK benefit sanctions regime

Our friend and colleague, Dr David Webster, writes: “I thought you would want to know about this important report from the United Nations, adopted on 24 June, which specifically condemns the current operation of the UK’s benefit sanctions regime. Below I have extracted the section on social security, with the Read more…

NAO sanctions study

Our colleague, Dr David Webster (University of Glasgow) has alerted us to the little known fact that the National Audit Office (NAO) is currently carrying out a study of the DWP’s benefit sanctions regime.  The terms of reference are at https://www.nao.org.uk/work-in-progress/benefit-sanctions/. The study will run until the autumn so there Read more…

Welfare Reform and disability

NAWRA welcomes the recent announcement from the new Secretary of State for Work & Pensions, Stephen Crabb MP, to abandon further cuts to PIP. NAWRA hopes that his promises not to seek “alternative offsetting savings” in this Parliament will also be honoured. Let us not forget however that according to Read more…

SSAC review of decision making and MR

The Social Security Advisory Committee are reviewing decision-making and mandatory reconsideration in the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).  The review is part of the committee’s independent work programme and will focus on mandatory reconsideration before appeal. As part of NAWRA’s aims to challenge, Read more…