Welfare State: Reform
8th February 2012
Dr Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions he has had with (a) the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and (b) other on the implications of the provisions of the Welfare Reform Bill for (i) payment of housing benefit and (ii) other matters in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Paterson: I have regular discussions with DWP Ministers and Northern Ireland Ministers on the implications of the Government's reforms to the welfare system. These reforms will tackle the twin problems of poverty and welfare dependency and also end the something for nothing culture encouraged by the policies of the previous administration.
The Government's reforms will ensure that work pays and will always be seen to pay. Under our plans, for every hour a person works they will he better off. Universal credit will lift 900,000 individuals including more than 350,000 children and 550,000 working-age adults across the UK, including Northern Ireland, out of poverty.
The personal independence payment will ensure that support is targeted to help those who face the greatest barriers to leading full, active and independent lives.
It is not fair that households on out-of-work benefits should receive a greater income from benefits than the average earnings of working households. To deal with this unfairness our reforms will also cap the amount of benefits in line with average weekly earnings. Our housing benefit reforms will also encourage people to make realistic choices about how they will meet the rent on a property that is larger than they need.
We will also simplify the welfare system which under the previous Administration had become hugely complex and bureaucratic. Our reforms will tackle the unsustainable rise in spending on benefits and tax credits as part of the Government's continuing efforts to reduce the record deficit that we inherited from the previous Administration.
