Jeremy Hunt has announced a range of measures concerning benefits in his Budget speech today.
The Chancellor is hoping to charge up the country's flatlining economy and is announcing a raft of measures that he hopes will get more people back into work. Money Saving Expert founder Martin Lewis has been tweeting "explanations and jargon translations" throughout.
In a major reform of the benefits system, the Chancellor said that a new white paper on disability benefits will include abolishing the hugely controversial workplace capability assessment used to decide whether people are fit for work and whether they qualify for benefits or not.
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It is hoped that this move will see benefits claimants seek work without the fear of losing disability benefits. While this move has been welcomed by campaigners, there are concerns about another measure announced by the Chancellor today.
The Universal Credit sanctions scheme is set to be tightened in a new push to get hundreds of thousands of people back into work. The move has prompted concern from campaign groups.
Trades Union leaders have described the move to tighten up sanctions as "worrying." The move will see Job Centre staff given extra training to "ensure they are applying sanctions effectively."
Some two million Universal Credit claimants will be forced to take on "appropriate work" or face more rigorous sanctions from the DWP, which will likely include the loss of payments for some.
Money Saving Expert founder Martin Lewis said the move will make it "tougher for people who don't work and who the government thinks can."
The government will also start paying childcare costs on Universal Credit up front, rather than in arrears. The maximum amount people in receipt of benefits can claim for childcare will also be increased by several hundred pounds.
The Chancellor is also hoping to encourage more older people to get back into work. As part of this he set out plans for new apprenticeships for the over 50s - known as Returnerships - as well as new skills boot camps.
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