The Department for Work & Pensions want to ensure that they have a welfare system that is fit for the future, a system that supports work for people who can, provides a safety net for people who need it, and that is fair to the taxpayer. This consultation seeks views on whether they should make fundamental changes to how they support disabled people and people with health conditions, and whether their system delivers the right support to people most in need.
The consultation will focus on the primary extra costs benefit that provides support to adults of working age with the additional costs of having a disability or long-term health condition: Personal Independence Payment (PIP). The views shared during this consultation period will be used to help shape the future of the health and disability benefits system.
The paper can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/modernising-support-for-independent-living-the-health-and-disability-green-paper/modernising-support-for-independent-living-the-health-and-disability-green-paper#how-to-respond.
A call for evidence to inform a programme of work announced at the Autumn Statement in 2023. It is part of a wider suite of activity to reform the fit note and will act as a prelude to a full consultation on specific policy proposals which will be launched later this year.
The call for evidence can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/fit-note-reform-call-for-evidence?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications-topic&utm_source=95e98dfc-e490-4c45-ac95-3e5f354b9025&utm_content=daily.
This call for evidence will be open until 8 July 2024.
Support with Council Tax payments through the Welsh Government’s Council Tax Reduction Scheme (‘the scheme’) is an important part of welfare support for households on low incomes. The scheme, which is administered locally by councils, has historically had low take-up from potentially eligible residents and the number of households receiving a Council Tax reduction continues to fall.
This technical consultation proposes a number of changes to the scheme to make it easier to access and simpler to administer. Nothing in this consultation places new restrictions on existing eligibility for the scheme.
The consultation can be found at https://www.gov.wales/proposed-changes-council-tax-reduction-scheme.
Closing date for responses was 6 June 2024.
The Institute’s response can be found at https://www.irrv.net/documents/72/council_papers/2024/July/IRRV-response-council-tax-reduction-scheme-Wales-May-2024.docx.
Rebecca Evans MS, Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Constitution and Cabinet Office, published a Council Tax Update Statement on 15 May 2024. The Statement provides an update on council tax reform in Wales, the results of their recent Phase 2 consultation, and their continued plans for making the system fairer and more up-to-date.
The statement, which includes the Welsh Government’s plan to introduce the structural reforms to the council tax system from 2028, can be found at https://www.gov.wales/written-statement-update-council-tax-reform.
The Social Housing White Paper included a commitment to introduce an access to information scheme for the social housing tenants of private registered providers (PRPs). The Social Tenant Access to Information Requirements (STAIRs) will allow social housing tenants and their designated representatives to request access to information related to the management of their housing.
The Secretary of State has the power to direct the Regulator on certain aspects of its regulatory standards. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities propose to use this power to direct the Regulator to introduce requirements for PRPs to comply with the requirements in the STAIRs policy statement. This consultation seeks views on the content of the policy statement, which outlines the requirements providers will need to meet under STAIRs.
The consultation also seeks views on a proposed direction from the Secretary of State to the Regulator of Social Housing (‘the Regulator’), using powers under section 197 of the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 as amended.
The consultation can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/social-tenant-access-to-information-requirements-consultation?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications-topic&utm_source=32e11652-215e-4519-8c9d-edf48ffef9c3&utm_content=daily.
Closing date for responses is 15 July 2024.
Local authorities have the legal responsibility to provide social care and support to their respective assessed citizens, either within their own home, or in a residential care setting, and have the discretion to charge for those services.
Noting the increasing extreme financial pressures on local authorities, this consultation document sought views on amending the regulations and code of practice governing local authority charging for social care and support services under the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014. The consultation specifically sought views on a proposed increase to the non-residential maximum weekly charge, currently set at £100.
The proposed change would ensure only individuals who have the financial means to pay an increased maximum weekly charge would do so. This would be determined by the usual process, as part of the financial means test carried out by an individual’s local authority. Therefore, not everyone currently paying the maximum weekly amount of £100 would be required to pay an increased amount.
The consultation could be found at https://www.gov.wales/raising-weekly-maximum-charge-adult-non-residential-care-and-support.
Closing date for responses was 13 May 2024.
A library containing Institute responses to Consultations, Inquiries, Surveys etc. can be found at https://www.irrv.net/homenew/item.php?wid=20&iid=27496.
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