Wednesday December 10th 2008, One Queen Anne's Gate, 09:45 - 14:00 (half day)

Welfare Reform: A Streamlined Benefits System

“Our proposals are based on a simple deal: more support in return for greater responsibility...This green paper proposes a simpler benefit system that rewards responsibility, gives people the incentive to do the right thing and ends the injustice of people being written off on benefits for life without any hope of getting the support they need to get back to work...We will help people find work, but they will be expected to take a job”

Rt. Hon James Purnell MP, Secretary of State, Department for Work & Pensions, July 21st July 2008

Overview

Incapacity benefits and Income Support are to be abolished as part of far-reaching new proposals. The Government unveiled the new reforms published in its Green Paper called "No One Written Off: Reforming Welfare To Reward Responsibility" (July 21st 2008). In a radical overhaul of the welfare state, the Government announced proposals to scrap incapacity benefits by 2013 and abolish Income Support to create a more streamlined system based on just two working-age benefits – the Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)- for those who have a medical condition which prevents them from working- and Jobseekers’ Allowance (JSA) for everyone who is able to work.

From 27 October 2008, the Employment and Support Allowance will replace Incapacity Benefit and Income Support claimed on the grounds of incapacity for new customers. The new system will consider what an individual is capable of, and what help and support they need to manage their condition and return to work. Under the plans, people on incapacity benefits will be moved on to ESA by 2013.

This will provide temporary support for all but the most severely disabled people. The changes will move the main emphasis away from what people cannot do, to what they can do and how they can be helped to do even more.

Agenda

09:45	Coffee and Registration
10:30	Opening Remarks by Chair Lord Archy Kirkwood, Member of the House of Lords and Former Chairman, Work and Pensions Select Committee
10:45	No One Written Off: Reforming Welfare To Reward Responsibility A simpler benefit system that rewards responsibility Incapacity benefit reform Incentivising and supporting claimants back to work Expanding the Access to Work Fund Speaker tbc, Department for Work Pensions
11:00	Employment Support Allowance The case for change A gateway to work Focusing on capability Ensuring successful implementation of ESA Phil Bartlett, Programme Director, Jobcentre Plus
11:20	Net Gains – The Future of Benefit Delivery What benefits delivery might look like in the future The concept of a Single Working Age benefit How I.T will simplify and assist benefit processing Is the benefit system too complicated? Professor Roy Sainsbury, Research Director, Social Security and Living Standards Team, University of York
11:40	Making Welfare To Work Succeed Support not sanctions Realism about incentives and barriers Tackling anxieties amongst claimants Successful delivery and service design Alan Markey, Head of Welfare Reform, Citizens Advice Bureau
12:00	Questions and Answers Session
13:00	Lunch and Networking
14:00	Close

*programme subject to change without notice

Audience

Delegates will be drawn from local authorities, welfare groups, private sector employment service providers, local, regional and national employment initiatives, Jobcentre Plus, LSPs, central government departments & bodies, regional development agencies, equality and diversity officers, social inclusion officers, youth offending teams, children’s trusts, corporate policy officers, trade unions, businesses and employers, academia and voluntary sectors.

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