On Monday, we had a lively discussion about a recent report from the Resolution Foundation on benefit caps, especially focusing on the policy that limits benefits to two children. Lalitha Try, the author of the report, was with us, and we really appreciated her input. Our conversation, like many others we’ve had on Mondays, covered a lot of ground, including the goals of this policy and whether it really saves money. Laura mentioned that we can’t help everyone anymore because resources just don’t stretch that far. Hard choices are being made, and the debate questioned on how you might decide on which of those choices get priority over other policy needs.
We heard different opinions, too. Some people argued for a more progressive approach to lifting children out of poverty, while others noted that some local tax reduction schemes depend on Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) calculations for Universal Credit, which includes the two-child limit. We also debated whether it’s financially feasible to get rid of the cap, especially since the Labour party hasn’t promised to do away with it, should they win the general election.
The discussion also brought up the broader issue of tax relief, spurred by the latest National Audit Office report. This report questions whether tax reliefs are really doing their job to boost the economy, reigniting ongoing debates about the effectiveness of policymaking since the austerity era of the last decade. Adding to the discussion where policymakers may be pushing for the politically expedient over what is practical and cost-effective, and more importantly achieves the outcomes that the policy intended.
Additionally, we briefly touched on recent statistics about people being jailed for not paying council tax.
A big thank you to Lalitha for being a part of our discussion this week.
The recording can be accessed from https://bit.ly/VNR240212. While the slide pack, files and reports can be downloaded below.
Please note that the handout contains additional slides covering other items of interest in the news and job adverts, which are provided in partnership with Business Smart (https://www.businesssmartsolutions.co.uk/).
We have launched a new subscription service for our CTR rewrite product. This lets you spread the cost over five years, providing steady service during this period. With the recent changes in welfare benefits and the upcoming election, this could be a helpful option for you. More information is available at https://bit.ly/CTRP23.