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29 November 2011
These are the main changes outlined in the Chancellor's autumn statement.
1.139 Most working age and disability benefits will be uprated in line with the CPI (Consumer Price Index) in 2012-13, an increase of 5.2 per cent.
A.143 Fit note data – The Government will consult on the content of anonymised fit note data to be published from 2012 to drive innovation in the occupational health sector and improve management of sickness absence.
2.21 Housing Benefit: shared accommodation rate exemptions – As announced on 19 July 2011, the Government will exempt former rough sleepers and dangerous ex-offenders from the extension of the Housing Benefit shared accommodation rate to single Housing Benefit claimants aged under 35
A.100 National Minimum Wage (NMW) regulations – The Government will merge the current body of NMW regulations into a single set of consolidated regulation, to complement the work of the Low Pay Commission in considering simplification of the current regime.
1.148 The Government will invest a further £380 million a year by 2014-15 to extend its new offer of 15 hours free education and care a week for disadvantaged two year olds, to cover an extra 130,000 children.
1.53 Raise the State Pension age to 67 between April 2026 and April 2028, expected to save around £60 billion in today’s prices between 2026–27 and 2035–36.
1.142 The Government confirms the basic State Pension will increase by the triple guarantee, as announced in the June 2010 Budget. A full basic State Pension will rise by £5.30 to £107.45 per week in April 2012. The full couple rate for those whose entitlement is based on their spouse’s or civil partner’s pension will rise by £8.50 to £171.85 per week.
1.143 To ensure that pensioners with the lowest incomes benefit from the triple guarantee, the standard minimum income guarantee in Pension Credit will increase by 3.9 per cent in April 2012 to £142.70 per week for single pensioners and £217.90 a week for pensioner couples. To limit the spread of means testing up the income distribution for pensioners, the Government will raise the threshold for Savings Credit in April 2012 to £111.10 for single pensioners and £177.20 for pensioner couples.
1.140 The child element of Child Tax Credit will also be uprated in line with CPI, and will rise by £135 per year in 2012-13. Given this higher than expected increase, and the £180 above inflation increase in this element in 2011-12, the £110 above inflation increase that was planned for 2012-13 will not go ahead.
1.141 Recognising the additional needs of disabled people, the disability elements of tax credits will be uprated by CPI. However, to support fiscal consolidation, the Government will not uprate the couple and lone parent elements of the Working Tax Credit in 2012-13.
A.144 Universal Credit data – The Government will design the Universal Credit ICT system so that aggregate benefits data can be published during the first year of live running of the system.
1.144 To ensure that every young person not already in work, education or training has support to get into the workplace, the Government is introducing the Youth Contract, worth a total of £940 million over the Spending Review period. The Youth Contract will:
1.145 Those young people still unemployed after nine months on JSA will transfer to the Work Programme. In addition the Youth Contract will:
