1. THE WELFARE REVOLUTION

As a result of the huge shake up of the benefits system introduced by the coalition government through the Welfare Reform Act 2012, several welfare benefits are being phased out and replaced by a new benefits system. Means-tested benefits, such as Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Working Tax Credit and Housing Benefit, are being phased out and replaced by one benefit called Universal Credit.

Eventually, everyone on benefits will have to move to the new system and may have to agree to more conditions to get those benefits.

This Chapter provides some key facts about how claimants might be affected by Universal Credit and other recent changes, and changes due to happen in 2014 and beyond.