News

The welfare reform bill has now received royal assent, meaning that it has now passed into law, although many of the measures it contains will not come into force for some time.

In spite of attempts in the Lords to water down some of the harshest aspects of the bill, it has been passed almost unchanged.

One of the first measures to be introduced will be the time-limiting of contribution-based employment and support allowance for claimants in the work-related activity group to one year. This change is due to come into effect in April and the DWP has begun sending out letters to those likely to be affected.

Royal assent also means that disability living allowance will now also definitely be replaced by personal independence payment for working age claimants, with the first transfers taking place in 2013.

Universal credit will also begin to be introduced in 2013 as will a cap on benefits of 26,000.

More details from the DWP website.