AQO 833/16-21

Mr Andy Allen MBE
Ulster Unionist Party
East Belfast

Tabled Date: 24/11/2016
Answered On Date: 06/12/2016
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Communities for an update on the implementation of Welfare Reform.

Answer:

Substantial and very real progress has been made over the last year on the implementation of Welfare Reform. As the Member may be aware, the Welfare Reform and Work (Northern Ireland) Order 2016 received Royal Assent on 12 October 2016. This means that all the Primary legislation needed to implement Welfare Reform in Northern Ireland is now in place.

A number of the bigger Welfare Reforms, including Personal Independence Payments and the Benefit Cap have already been successfully introduced.

The new Finance Support Service went live last week. Its telephone application process allows customers to access the service at a time and place that suits them. Providing an immediate response to urgent financial need. The time limiting of contributory Employment Support Allowance also came into effect last week.

Detailed timetables are in place to ensure that the outstanding welfare reforms will commence over the next ten month period, culminating in the introduction of Universal Credit from September 2017

Equally significant progress has been made in ensuring that the mitigation schemes recommended by the Evason Working Group following the Fresh Start Agreement are in place. These payments are designed to provide additional financial support for vulnerable families (both in and out of work) who will be impacted by the introduction of welfare changes. An estimated 15,000 claimants will be receiving Welfare Supplementary Payments by March 2017.