UK Welfare Reform Bill

Iain Duncan Smith


It's been a long time coming but after a stormy passage through the House of Lords, the welfare reform bill cleared its final hurdle last night. The bill puts a cap on how much a family can claim every year – 26,000 pounds – and brings in new plans to reduce a number of long-term benefits. PM David Cameron said "Today marks an historic step in the biggest welfare revolution in over 60 years".


Generations of people in the UK have lived on benefits as an acceptable alternative to work. David Cameron praised Iain Duncan Smith, Pensions Secretary, who resisted bitter opposition from charities and pressure groups to water down the legislation. The situation was way out of control and some people on benefits were earning more than the average family in work. The PM said “We want money to go to people who need it, not subsidising the consequences of our broken society.”



John Packer

There has now been an amendment to the Bill, mainly brought about by Bishop of Ripon and Leeds, John Packer and four other Bishops, who vehemently insisted that child benefits be exempt from the cap.

The Bishops' intervention has raised the question of whether Anglican Bishops should still have a statutory right to seats in the Upper Chamber when less than 2 per cent of the population attend Anglican church on Sunday. There are 26 of its clergy in the Upper House of Parliament.