Welfare Bill delayed until autumn

Legislation to push through controversial reforms of housing benefit has been delayed until the autumn.

The Department for Work and Pensions confirmed that the Welfare Reform Bill will not now be debated until after Parliament returns from the summer recess.

It was due to receive its second reading in the House of Lords today (Tuesday).

The Bill contains some of the Government’s most high-profile flagship policies and will affect private landlords who accept tenants on housing benefit.

It introduces a universal credit, capped at £26,000 a year, which will replace other welfare payments.

It also caps the total amount of benefit that can be claimed, links Local Housing Allowance payments with the Consumer Price Index, and extends the lower shared-room rate of housing benefit to anyone under the age of 35.

A DWP spokesperson said the change of date is due to ‘other parliamentary business’.

Heralded as the biggest shake-up in the welfare system for over 60 years, the Welfare Reform Bill is not the only piece of flagship legislation to be delayed.

The Energy Bill, due to launch the Green Deal, has also been put back until the autumn.