Policy Statements and Initiatives

DWP: April heralds a number of changes to the benefits system as part of the Government’s welfare reforms. These changes will make work pay, improve support for disabled people, and help ensure the benefit system is financially sustainable in the future, whilst still supporting those who need it.
 
The changes are:
April 1 - Removal of the Spare Room Subsidy
April 1 - Crisis loans and community grants replaced by local provision
April 8 - Personal Independence Payment introduced
April 8 - Benefit Uprating
April 15 - Benefit cap
End of April – Universal Credit rolls out in pathfinder areas
Press release & links
 
ScotGov: Around 560,000 people will receive support to ensure they are not affected by the UK Government’s 10% cut in funding for Council Tax Benefit successor arrangements. The Scottish Government and local authorities in Scotland are working in partnership to invest £40m in 2013/14 to ‘bridge the funding gap and mitigate the impact of the UK Government’s benefit cuts’.
Press release & links ~ Scrap bedroom tax or give Scotland its fair share ~ WAG: Minister Warns of Fallout from ‘Bedroom Tax’ ~ Welfare reforms will damage communities across Wales warns Minister ~ CBI comments on new housing, tax and financial services reforms
 
ScotGov: People across Scotland are being urged to seek assistance to improve the energy efficiency of their homes, helping to reduce household energy bills. Housing & Welfare Minister Margaret Burgess has outlined that households can apply for financial assistance from the Scottish Government of up to £1,200 to pay for energy improvement measures such as cavity & loft insulation, double glazing, a new boiler or draft proofing.
Press release & links
 
WAG: From 1 April 2013 council tax reduction schemes will operate in Wales to assist households in paying their council tax bills. The new schemes replace council tax benefit which has been abolished by the UK Government as part of its welfare reform agenda.
 
For 2013/14 the Welsh Government is also providing an extra £22m to support local authorities in providing all eligible claimants with their full entitlement to support, despite the shortfall in funding transferred from the UK Government.
Press release & links
 
CLG: Following success last year, English seaside towns now have a second chance to apply to the Coastal Communities Fund. Applications for this year’s pot of over £27m are now open.  The funds available have been increased by over £4.1m so more communities can win awards to boost their economic development.
 
Details of how to bid are available on the Big Lottery Fund website and the closing date for projects in England is 13 May 2013.
Press release & links
 
DECC: The new Climate Change Agreements (CCA) scheme has started, providing an extension to the Climate Change Levy rebate for energy intensive industries until 2023.  UK Energy Intensive Industries have agreed to commit to stretching energy efficiency improvement targets to 2020 as part of the voluntary CCA scheme.  This will deliver an overall 11.0% energy efficiency improvement across all industry sectors by 2020 against agreed baselines.
Press release & links
 
DH: The quality of patient care will be put at the heart of the NHS in an overhaul of the health & care system in response to the Francis Inquiry. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt announced recently how a culture of compassion will be a key marker of success, ‘spelling an end to the distorting impact of targets and box ticking which led to the failings at Stafford Hospital’.
 
Hospitals & care homes will be encouraged to strive to be the best, the basic values of dignity & respect will be central to care training and, if things go wrong, patients & their families will be told about it. New measures will be introduced to achieve this including:
* Ofsted-style ratings for hospitals & care homes
* a statutory duty of candour for organisations which provide care & are registered with the CQC
* a pilot programme which will see nurses working for up to a year as a healthcare assistant as a prerequisite for receiving funding for their degree
Press release & links ~ TKF: Public satisfaction with the NHS stabilises after record fall
 
DFID: The Afghan Province of Herat will be completely free of landmines in the next 5 years,  International Development Secretary Justine Greening pledged recently, as she announced new British support for mine clearance charity The HALO Trust, on International Mine Awareness Day
Press release & links
 
BIS: Recently Matthew Hancock the Skills Minister set out £214m investment in 47 colleges across the country, alongside plans for a more rigorous & responsive skills system. The government’s new skills strategy, Rigour and Responsiveness in Skills, includes stronger action to support the majority of good & outstanding colleges, and new plans to intervene where colleges are failing learners.
Press release & links ~ IfL response to government’s skills strategy
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