Select committee: Welsh Affairs Committee
Conclusion 25
Fourth Report - The Benefits System in Wales
Published 17 Mar 2022
Paragraph 136
Addressed to Wales Office
Welsh Affairs Committee The Benefits System in Wales All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
39% of Universal Credit claimants are already in work: the issue for them is not finding a job but finding a higher paid one or more hours. We welcome the UK Government’s commitment to providing claimants with in-work support and look forward to hearing further details about how its Progression Champions will work with employers, local authorities and skills providers. As employment support, local government and skills are devolved, for this to be successful in Wales, the UK Government must work closely with the Welsh Government.
From: Welsh Affairs Committee, Fourth Report - The Benefits System in Wales (HC 337), paragraph 136, 17 March 2022
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 6 July 2022 (deadline 17 May 2022).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The UK Government rejects several of the Committee's main recommendations, including reinstating the £20 uplift, changing benefit up-rating and devolving social security, while describing existing action on others.
- On the £20 uplift and up-rating, the Government "rejects" both recommendations, saying the uplift "was always intended to be temporary" and that annual up-rating follows the Consumer Prices Index in the year to September.
- On Statutory Sick Pay, it is "keeping the system under review", says any changes "will be announced to Parliament", and will not provide a further update to the Committee.
- It "rejects" the proposed UK-Welsh government Inter-ministerial Advisory Board on Social Security, citing existing ministerial engagement channels, and has "no intention to devolve social security" to the Welsh Government.
- On Universal Credit consent, it says "to pause to run a formal consultation exercise at this stage" would delay work, while welcoming input through ongoing stakeholder discussions.