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Proceeding contribution from Lord McKenzie of Luton (Labour) in the House of Lords on Monday, 24 October 2011. It occurred during Debate on bill and Committee proceeding on Welfare Reform Bill.


Welfare Reform Bill

Will the Minister follow up on two points? First, in a situation where the Secretary of State cannot impose the work-related requirement on a claimant because the claimant has limited capability for work and work-related activity, there is nothing in forcing people away from pension credit and into universal credit because the working-age partner is not going to be subject to conditionality in any event. What is the rationale then for preventing people being in pension credit? It seems to me that it falls away completely. There is a separate question about the impact of capital. My noble friend Lady Drake made the point that currently there is a big difference between the capital rules in pension credit and the capital rules that will operate in universal credit, but there is a provision in the Bill that looks as though a capital limit will be introduced for state pension credit. I do not know whether it is intended that that capital limit will mirror the £6,000 and £16,000 limits that are going to operate generally. If it is, I am not sure that I had cottoned on to that fact before. Or is it simply to deal with the housing component that is obviously going to be brought in and will work alongside pension credit?


Secondary information

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
731 c180GC 
Session
2010-12
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords Grand Committee
Subjects
Databases Age Costs Department for Work and Pensions Employment Jobseeker's allowance Health ICT Health professions Medical examinations Mental illness Pension credit Low incomes Social security benefits School meals Wheelchairs Revenue and Customs Employment and support allowance Universal credit
Legislation
Welfare Reform Bill 2010-12
Link
View this Proceeding contribution on www.publications.parliament.uk