The Welfare Reform Bill was introduced on 14 January 2009 in the Commons and went through its Second Reading on 27 January 2009.
The Bill proposes to reform the welfare and benefit system to improve support and incentives for people to move from benefits into work.
It contains measures to increase personal responsibility within the welfare system. It also proposes to encourage parental responsibility by introducing a requirement for joint birth registration and by amending the law relating to child support.
The Bill also makes provision for:
* giving disabled people the right to control provision of services to them, in some cases through having the money to procure services themselves
* allowing for external provider involvement in services they think they can improve to help more people back into work, including delivery of Social Fund to help promote financial inclusion
* requiring drugs tests and compliance with a rehabilitation plan for problem users on Jobseeker’s Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance
* extending loss of benefit provision for benefit fraud, for failure to attend interviews, and for violence against staff
streamlining the benefit system
* further strengthening enforcement powers of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission through administrative withdrawal of passports and driving licences
* promoting parental responsibility through joint birth registration (England & Wales)
* introducing Work for your Benefit.