Social Security - Sixth Report
Here you can browse the report together with the Proceedings of the Committee. The published report was ordered by the House of Commons to be printed 19 July 2000.
CONTENTS
Terms of Reference
REPORT
SUMMARY OF CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
HOUSING BENEFIT
BACKGROUND
The development of the current scheme
Housing Benefit expenditure
Structure of the Housing Benefit scheme
Households claiming Housing Benefit
SHORT TERM IMPROVEMENTS TO THE SCHEME
Making Housing Benefit awards for fixed
periods of time
Simplifying the non-dependant deduction scheme
Simplifying the rent limit rules
Rent limits
The operation of rent limit rules
Rent limits and Housing Benefit shortfalls
The impact of rent limits and shortfalls
on landlords and tenants
Reforming the rent limits
Exceptional hardship
Explicit local limits
Difficulties in areas of low demand
Work Incentives
Uprating earnings disregards
Reducing the Housing Benefit taper
Savings
LONG TERM REFORMS
Work Incentives
Home owners
CREATING A BETTER SYSTEM
The Nature of The Problem
The Local Authority Role
What the Department Can Do to Improve Administration
The role of the Department in managing
change
Information Technology
Single Claim Form
Improving Standards of Communication between
the Benefits Agency and Local Authorities
Maximising the benefits of outsourcing
The Department's role in achieving improvements
Action to tackle service failure
Administration Grant
Transferring responsibility for administration
to a central Government agency
TACKLING FRAUD
Understanding the extent of the problem
Fraud, error and the complexity of the Scheme
Recent anti-fraud initiatives and standards
of customer service
Planning for change - the responsibilities
of the Department
Changes to the framework
The verification framework and take-up
The Benefit Fraud Inspectorate
CONCLUSION
ANNEX 1
PRIVATE SECTOR RENT LIMITS
APPENDIX 1
APPENDIX 2
ANNEX 2
HOUSING BENEFIT AND WORK INCENTIVES
PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMITTEE RELATING TO
THE REPORT
LIST OF WITNESSES
LIST OF MEMORANDA PRINTED WITH THE MINUTES
OF EVIDENCE
LIST OF APPENDICES TO THE MINUTES OF EVIDENCE
LIST OF MEMORANDA REPORTED TO THE HOUSE BUT
NOT PUBLISHED
MINUTES OF EVIDENCE - VOLUME II (HC 385-II)
APPENDICES TO THE MINUTES OF EVIDENCE - VOLUME II (HC 385-II)
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