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.
A summary of responses to the consultation on A Fairer Council Tax: phase 2, which ran from 14 November 2023 to 6 February 2024, was published on 15 May 2024 and can be found at https://www.gov.wales/fairer-council-tax-phase-2.
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.
RICS members and external stakeholders such as industry bodies, government, pub tenants and owners requested an update to the 2010 guidance note Valuation of licensed leisure property, including public houses, bars, nightclubs and restaurants, 1st edition.
In a specialist market such as licensed leisure, the provision and consideration of professional advice can be complex. Parts of the licensed leisure market are highly regulated, and the RICS wanted the views of market stakeholders on how the valuation process interacts with this, to make sure their coverage of the valuation process is clear, concise and balanced.
This consultation was an opportunity to shape the updated professional standard related to the economically and culturally significant licensed leisure market sector, which has evolved substantially in recent years. It allowed people to give their views on what needs updating and how.
The consultation could be found at https://www.rics.org/profession-standards/consultations/valuation-of-licenced-leisure-property-2nd-edition
The deadline for response was 14 June 2024.
The Institute's response can be found at https://www.irrv.net/documents/weblinks/2024/6/IRRV_Response_Consultation_on_Valuation_of_Licenced_Leisure_Property_2nd_Edition.pdf.
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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