Welfare reform concern for Scrutiny Task Group
An independent report that examines the impact of the Government’s reform of the welfare system will be presented to Devon County Council’s Corporate Services Scrutiny Committee tomorrow, Thursday 21 March.
The Committee’s Task Group, which took first-hand evidence from a range of sources, concludes that while the Government’s aim, to encourage people of working age into employment and reduce dependency on benefits, is widely accepted, the changes as they’re implemented will have consequences, not just for those affected, but also on local authorities, voluntary sector organisations and community groups.
One of the group’s concerns is that with the lack of any guidance to local authorities or infrastructure to support them, Councils will be left to deal with the fallout as changes to welfare benefits impact on people's lives.
Also in their report, the group argues that encouraging people to find work is good, so long as there's an economy in which there are jobs to find.
And that reducing financial support for people living in larger social housing, can only work if there are enough smaller, cheaper properties for people to occupy.
This, the Task Group says, is of particular concern to people with disabilities living in social housing, who have needed to make adaptations to their home.
'If they are forced to move, different properties will have to have these adaptations at additional cost. This cost may well fall to the local authority', the report says.
If anything, says Task Group Chairman Cllr Andrew Moulding, the picture in Devon is particularly challenging, because Devon has such low average wages and yet such high housing costs.
The Task Group's Chairman, Cllr Andrew Moulding, says:
"A lot isn't yet known about the impact of the changes, and will only be so with time. However clearly there are consequences, and for some people, their lives will be better off if they move from dependency on benefits into employment.
"However for others, it's uncertain yet whether the new system will bring better outcomes.
"The new system feels less clear than before with regards to previously 'passported benefits' such as free school meals.
"What is clear is that changes will add pressure to local authorities, voluntary sector organisations and community groups, which will have to support people affected by the Government's changes.
"That means extra cost to Councils at a time when public sector finance is already stretched.
"We would like the Government to be aware of this Task Group's findings.
"We'd like Devon County Council to continue to support people who are out of work into employment; and we particularly commend the work that the Council's Library Service is doing in this respect, in providing free access to IT and training for job seekers.
"And we endorse the work of our partners in the Devon Strategic Partnership in developing a local approach to support implementation of welfare reform."
