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1. Welcome! EVOC thinkSpace on #WelfareReform

2. W RNINGPROJECT thinkSpace What are the biggest impacts of welfare reform on families with children?

4. Pregnancy benefits • Health in pregnancy grant £190 • Sure start maternity grant only available for first child £500

5. Child Benefit • Frozen 2011- 2014 • Reduced earners between £50-60k • Removed from earners above £60k

6. Child tax credit • Baby element removed in 1st year £545 • Claim within 1 month • Withdrawn from middle income families

7. Working families • Max childcare costs reduced from 80-70% • Increase in hours requirement for couples 16 -24 hours per week £3870 per year • Max child care costs 85% • No minimum hours for childcare • Claimant commitment

8. Families without work • Benefit cap - £500 per week • Lone parent claim jobseeker allowance when child turns 5 instead of income support • Sanctions • Claimant commitment

9. Families with disabled adult • Transfer from incapacity benefit to employment and support allowance • Disability living allowance replaced by personal independence payments • 3 month waiting period before additional element can be paid • Only one additional element per couple • Disabled carers lose out

10. Families with disabled child • Disabled child element of universal credit paid at 2 rates • Lower rate is £125 less per month than equivalent amount under child tax credit at present

11. Housing costs

12. Universal Credit • Paid monthly • Monthly assessment period • All overpayments are recoverable • Online claims • Lower rate paid to families where parent/s under 25

13. Rates of child poverty Scotland / Edinburgh Morningside Gorgie / Sighthill

14. Despite UK Govt’s obligation to eradicate child poverty by 2020, the future looks bleak (projected child poverty is the red line). This is largely the result of ongoing tax and social security reform • 210 000 (21%) children living in poverty (2010/11after housing costs – 17% or 170 000 before housing costs) • some children at particular risk • families affected by disability • one parent families • families without paid work • affects families across Scotland, but concentration and nature varies • ECP child poverty map of Scotland www.endchildpoverty.org.uk

15. Lower Birth Weight Impact of poverty on child wellbeing Chronic Ill Health as Toddlers Risk of Accidental Injury Lower Educational Attainment

16. What needs to happen? UK: rethink tax, benefit and labour market policies to strike a better balance between poverty eradication and human rights on one side and economic growth on the other.

17. What needs to happen? Scotland: • Ensure Scottish Welfare Fund is available to families who need it • Invest in advice and information • Consider socio-economic implications of all decisions

18. What needs to happen? Locally: • Ensure child poverty and underlying socio-economic determinants are considered by service planners (SHANARRI) • Ensure child care is available, affordable, accessible and flexible • Remove obstacles to education for children from families at risk of poverty

19. Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland94 Duke Street,Glasgow G4 0UW Tel: 0141 611 7090 Mob: 0795 144 0393 hmcculloch@cpagscotland.org.uk

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