The Deputy Chief Executive/Director of Finance presented a detailed update report on Welfare Reform and provided an overview of the key impacts of each major area, including changes to Housing Benefit (Local Housing Allowance) and the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) plans to replace the Council Tax Benefit Scheme (CTB) with a localised rebate scheme which would provide support for Council Tax (Council Tax Rebate, ‘CTR’). His report also detailed the introduction of the Single Fraud Investigation Service, replacing separate independent benefit fraud investigation teams that had operated in Local Authorities, HMRC and DWP with one national service, planned to be operative from April 2013. He also provided an update on the Universal Credit (UC) proposals, which were seen as the centrepiece of the welfare reform programme, as well as plans to reform the Social Fund from April 2013 along with an update on the Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) fund.

In response to comments from Members, the Director indicated that the Welfare Reform Act had received Royal Assent. However, the ongoing programme of development in each area and a lack of regulations meant that it had not been possible to put all measures into effect and the quantifiable impact of the reforms remained uncertain. In response to concerns expressed by Members in relation to various changes to be introduced, the Director proposed to present regular updates to future meetings of the Committee.

Resolved –

(1)  That the report be noted.

(2)  That in view of the scale of change and the consequential impact on claimants, as well as the compressed timetable proposed by the Government, regular updates be presented to future meetings of the appropriate Committee.