With the current session of the Scottish Parliament due to end at midnight on Tuesday 22nd March are any aspiring candidates paying any attention to the Welfare Reform Bill going through the Westminster parliament?
This bill purports to be about the most radical change of the benefits system in a generation. It will:
“simplify and streamline the main welfare benefits into one single system;
ensure that work always pays by removing barriers and disincentives to moving off benefits and into employment;
ensure that changes in circumstances are reflected in benefit levels in real time, ending the current system of overpayments and rebates;
and alleviate poverty by boosting take-up and encouraging job market participation.”
But it contains many reforms one of which should be of particular interest to all aspiring MSPs – that of “localisation” of Council Tax Benefits. These benefits are a “reserved” power in the context of devolution and parliamentary responsibilities. The proposal is to reduce these benefits by 105 and “localise” them by 2013/14. This would give local authorities greater say in getting people back to work, discretion in targeting benefits to suit local priorities. So the Bill will create enabling powers to abolish Council Tax Benefits with new legislation to establish a new system from 2013/14. Housing Benefits are also due for reform.
To implement this in Scotland would require a commitment from a new Scottish Parliament to pass on the appropriate funds directly to local authorities and for these local authorities to be granted new powers.
