the abolition of income support (IS). This will be replaced by a dual system of ESA for sick and disabled people and an expanded jobseeker's allowance (JSA) which will include those who cannot work because of their responsibilities, such as caring for young children or those providing long term care.
carers will only be moved off income support once the Government has "a clear and detailed plan for the long term reform of the benefit system".
the income support rules regarding education and training to be carried forward
into the new system.
publishing a consultation paper, in the New Year, on "radical" Housing Benefit reform, with the aim of creating a system which does not create barriers to work.
alignment of incapacity benefit and employment and support allowance rates over time. From 2009 the age addition for incapacity benefit will be uprated by half of the Rossi
Price Index rather than the Retail Prices Index.
review of the work capability assessment to get around 10% more ESA claimants considered fit for work and therefore eligible for jobseeker's allowance (JSA).
a maximum of 2 years between medical assessments for ESA.
piloting a community allowance for people on ESA, which allows them to receive money for work which benefits the community.
modernisation of the qualifying conditions for ESA so that people will have paid contributions for 26 weeks in the last two tax years before claiming to get contributory ESA or JSA.
adopt in full all of the Freud proposals, including 'invest to save' which enables private and voluntary sector organisations to pay for support to get people back to work from subsequent benefit savings as well as greater use of private and voluntary sector providers.
pilot of a new employment programme from March 2011, which combines Pathways to Work and Flexible New Deal.
from 2012/2013 joint claims for couples with children claiming JSA whose youngest child id age 7 or over.
from 2010, introduction of a work for your benefits scheme for those on JSA. This will require claimants to participate in full time activity after a period of 2 years (or less in some cases) on JSA.
to implement first steps of Gregg's recommendations making people claiming ESA subject to the 'progression to work' conditionality and mandated to take steps to get back to work. Pilots will start from 2010 for new ESA claimants and lone parents with young children (age between 3 and 6) and for existing ESA claimants from 2011.
to pilot conditionality for workless parents of children younger than currently planned.
heroin and crack users whose addiction prevents them looking for work to required to join a support programme in exchange for a treatment allowance, until such time as they can join Pathways to Work or Flexible New Deal.
giving disabled people greater choice and control over the support they use to meet their individual needs, with trailblazers in selected areas from 2010. This "right to control" will give disabled people the right to access a range of funding streams to which they are entitled as an individual budget. For background information on this see the report in our independent living - choice and control for disabled people conference.
Disability Alliance has produced a more detailed briefing, which you can get from the links below.
Note: for pdf files you will need to download
adobe acrobat reader. To convert the pdf to alternative formats or for more information on accessibility go to access adobe.
advisers 
