Suchergebnisse

Universal Credit will radically change the UK's system of welfare benefits and tax credits for people of working age. Universal Credit will be paid on a monthly, rather than a fortnightly, basis. This article examines the evidence for the widespread concern that moving to a monthly payment system will be detrimental for low income households and reviews the government's proposals for providing claimants with budgeting support. The conclusion is drawn that, for some claimants, monthly payment of Universal Credit is likely to make money management easier, but for low income households whose current preferences and habits are to budget on a weekly or fortnightly basis, monthly payment of Universal Credit risks undermining the money management strategies which they find effective.

This paper examines the evidence on the links between problem debt, consumer credit use and poverty to better understand how tackling problems in relation to debt and credit use can contribute to combating poverty. Based on this evidence we recommend four policy and practice interventions for inclusion in an anti-poverty strategy for the UK that would help to increase disposable income and for those already in poverty, help to prevent their financial circumstances from worsening.

Abstract: The prison discharge grant is intended to meet prisoners' immediate needs on release and assist with living costs prior to their receiving their first benefit payment. It has been widely criticised for providing inadequate financial support, leaving prisoners with a gap in their finances on release. This article discusses the extent to which recent policy developments have been effective in closing this gap. The analysis is based on data from a longitudinal qualitative study of 40 prisoners who were tracked over a six‐month period following their release from prison. This research shows that despite new policy initiatives the prisoner finance gap remains.