Source · Select Committees · Work and Pensions Committee
Recommendation 18
18
Rejected
DWP has scope to commission independent research on benefit levels and living costs.
Conclusion
The Government of the day has a political mandate to make decisions about benefit adequacy, but its decision-making might be assisted by independent advice. There is scope for DWP to commission independent research, either via an independent body, such as the Social Security Advisory Committee, or ad-hoc, to supplement its own review of the extent to which current benefit levels are meeting its objectives for what benefit levels should achieve in relation to living costs. (Paragraph 146) Factors affecting benefit levels
Government Response Summary
The government rejected the recommendation, stating the Department currently has no plans to commission independent research into the effectiveness of benefit levels, as it already tracks poverty measures and conducts internal evaluations.
Government Response
Rejected
HM Government
Rejected
The Department currently has no plans to commission independent research into the extent to which current benefit levels are meeting its objectives for what benefit levels should achieve in relation to living costs. The Department currently tracks and monitors many different aspects of poverty, including its four statutory measures of relative income, absolute income, combined low income and material deprivation and persistent poverty that are published annually. It also assesses poverty’s root causes and long-term impacts. The The Department also carries out internal evaluations and reviews analysis provided by external stakeholders, and will take a view on whether a further evaluation commission is required. Factors affecting benefit levels