Welfare reforms clear Parliament

After the Government’s welfare reforms cleared Parliament. David Cameron declared

“an historic step in the biggest welfare revolution in over 60 years”

Peers ended their stand-off with the House of Commons, paving the way for the Welfare Reform Bill to reach the statute book.

The legislation brings in a £26,000-a-year household benefits cap and sets up the universal credit.

We’ve stood up against the abuse that left taxpayers footing the bills for people on £30,000 or even £50,000 a year in benefits. It’s a fair principle: a family out of work on benefits shouldn’t be paid more than the average family in work.”

Shadow work and pensions secretary Liam Byrne, responding to Mr Cameron’s comments, said:

“Everyone in Britain believes in sensible welfare reform – and there are ideas in this Bill, like Universal Credit, that build on Labour’s tax credits which, for the first time, helped make sure work paid. But, sadly, this new law will hurt millions of families trying to do the right thing and work and save and it crosses a line of basic British decency.”