Welfare

In a White Paper published today, the Work and Pensions Secretary, Iain Duncan Smith, sets out his plans to cut Britain’s £192 billion benefits bill and unveil the new universal credit.

More than half of the British public support the Coalition’s planned changes to the benefit system, an exclusive YouGov/Channel 4 News survey shows.

Unemployed claimants will face a strict ‘three strike’ policy which will see their benefits stripped for up to three years if they refuse the opportunity to work.

Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith tells the long-term unemployed to “play ball” or face losing benefits under proposals contained in the welfare reform white paper.

MPs have outlined “grave concerns” about whether Whitehall departments can deliver efficiency savings without cutting frontline services – based on past experience.

MPs have outlined “grave concerns” about whether Whitehall departments can deliver efficiency savings without cutting frontline services – based on past experience.

Councils spend millions on sick days, redundancy payouts, and incentives to get staff to come to work including fruit baskets and M&S vouchers, a Channel 4 News investigation discovers.

Exclusive: As Channel 4 News reveals the true scale of local authority spending, Siobhan Kennedy asks whether instead of cutting councils loose, the government should be reining them in.

Higher rate taxpayers could face non-compliance fines if they do not declare their partners claim child benefits, the Treasury has confirmed.

London Mayor Boris Johnson faces calls to apologise for “appalling” comments about the housing benefit row, after vowing not to accept “Kosovo-style social cleansing” in the capital.

The Treasury answers your questions on plans to scrap child benefit for higher rate taxpayers – telling Channel 4 News the more complicated points will be worked out during the legislation process.

New welfare reforms for single parents come into force today. One charity has told Channel 4 News the changes are setting single parents up to fail.

The Government is considering a radical overhaul of the state pension system that would see all pensioners receive a flat payment in retirement of £140 a week, as Siobhan Kennedy discovers.

Chancellor George Osborne is defending his £81bn round of spending cuts amid claims he’s making a “reckless gamble” which will hit the poor hardest.

Chancellor George Osborne reveals the details of the coalition government’s comprehensive spending review. Follow it as it happens and have your say on our live blog.