[WiLT] Welfare reform: whatever next? CPAG Conference 2007

[WiL Admin]

Welfare reform: whatever next? CPAG Conference 2007
* Thursday 6 September 2007, 10.00am-4.30pm
* The London Voluntary Sector Resource Centre, 356 Holloway Road,
London N7 6PA

With the passing of the Welfare Reform Act 2007, and a number of other
on-going initiatives in welfare reform, major changes are afoot which
will have far-reaching effects for many people. This conference aims
to update you on the changes and give you an opportunity to explore
some of the many issues arising.

Keynote speaker
* Dr Roy Sainsbury Social Policy Research Unit, University of York

Workshop sessions

There will be the opportunity for you to attend two workshops at the
conference. On the booking form, please indicate your preferred first
choices, with a back-up selection, in case your first choices are
full.

Employment and support allowance
* Workshop Leader: Judith Paterson, Welfare Rights Worker CPAG
Scotland

A new benefit, employment and support allowance (ESA), is due to
replace incapacity benefits for new claimants in 2008. This seminar
looks at:
* the structure of ESA;
* conditionality - work-focused conditions and consequences for
claimants;
* the support group - which claimants are not affected by
conditionality.

Change for the better? - the transformed personal capability
assessment
* Workshop Leader: Simon Osborne, Welfare Rights Worker CPAG

The Government are working on plans to 'transform' the Personal
Capability Assessment. This seminar will look at what is known about
the planned new assessment, including,
* exemptions;
* the new activities and descriptors;
* changes to the scoring system.

The local housing allowance
* Workshop Leaders: Sarah Clarke, Welfare Rights Worker CPAG
* Liz Phelps, Policy Officer, Citizen's Advice

The local housing allowance (LHA) has been piloted in 18 local
authorities. The Welfare Reform Bill will bring the LHA in nationally.
It introduces important changes to the way housing benefit is
calculated, mainly for private tenants, by bringing in a flat rate
allowance in place of the previous complex rent restrictions. It also
changes how benefit is paid, with payment being made direct to the
tenant in most cases.

In this workshop Liz Phelps, policy officer from Citizens' Advice will
look at the policy implications of the LHA. Sarah Clarke, solicitor at
CPAG will look at how the new rules will work in practice.

Welfare reform and lone parents
* Workshop Leaders: Eddy Graham, Welfare Rights Worker CPAG
* Kate Bell, Head of Policy and Research, One Parent Families

The workshop will look at the Governments progress towards its aim of
a 70% employment rate for lone parents. It will include consideration
of the changes proposed in the Welfare Reform Green Paper and the
Freud Report, and discuss what further polices might be implemented to
help the Government meet its target. Areas covered include:
* the extension of Work Focused Interviews;
* impact of the ESA on lone parents;
* incentives for Lone parents, such as work related activity premium;
* possibility of requiring some lone parents to claim JSA;
* the New Deal, childcare and employment opportunities.

Welfare reform - an overview
* Workshop Leaders: CPAG policy & welfare rights workers. To be
confirmed

This workshop will discuss the drivers behind the Government's welfare
reform agenda and look at some of the potential future developments,
such as those following the Freud review, a single working-age
benefit, and benefit simplification.

Confirmed panel members
* Danny Alexander MP
* Kate Green: CEO, Child Poverty Action Group
* Paul Treloar: Director of Policy and Services, Disability Alliance

Fees - Inclusive of lunch
* Lawyers/Statutory Organisations £100
* Voluntary Organisations £85

Booking
* Download a booking form for the CPAG conference 2007 (107 KB PDF
file) http://www.cpag.org.uk/training/CPAG_conf_2007_booking_form.pdf
* Download a booking form for the CPAG conference 2007 (85 KB Word
doc) http://www.cpag.org.uk/training/CPAG_conf_2007_booking_form.doc

Workshops
* Download the Workshops booking form (33 KB Word doc)
http://www.cpag.org.uk/training/CPAG_Conf_2007_Workshop_Bking_Form.doc

For further information contact
* Training Department, CPAG, 94 White Lion Street, London N1 9PF
* Fax: 020 7837 6414
* Phone: 020 7812 5228/5217
* Email: jallen at cpag.org.co.uk

http://www.cpag.org.uk/training/conf_2007.htm

Posted on WiLT blog at
http://www.freecharity.org.uk/~womeninlondon/?p=358