A range of new measures regarding benefits were announced by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt during Wednesday's budget speech. To help kickstart the country's economy a range of measures have been announced to get more people back into work as well as a large reform on the benefits system.
During the speech, Money Saving Expert founder Martin Lewis was tweeting "explanations and jargon translations." The changes include a new white paper on disability benefits, which will remove the controversial workplace capability assessment used to decide whether someone is fit for work and whether they qualify for benefits, reports the Liverpool Echo.
This move should see benefits claimants seek work without the fear of losing disability benefits, but while this move has been welcomed by campaigners, there are concerns about another measure announced by the Chancellor. The Universal Credit sanctions scheme will be tightened in a new push to get hundreds of thousands of people back into work. The move has prompted concern from campaign groups.
The move to tighten up sanctions has been described as "worrying" by trade union leaders, as it will see Job Centre staff given extra training to "ensure they are applying sanctions effectively". These changes mean around two million Universal Credit claimants will be forced to take on "appropriate work" or face more sanctions from the DWP, which could 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". Other changes include the government 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, and as part of this he set out plans for new apprenticeships for those over 50 known as Returnerships and new skills boot camps.
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