Welfare reform

Only 5% of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) benefit recipients move back into work although the threat of sanctions is working, according to a government report.

Benefit claimants face reduced payments if they fail to perform certain work-related activities, according to new regulations which come into force today.

The National Employment Savings Trust (NEST) will not provide a gateway to the selling of protection products, according to think tank Reform.

The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) think tank has applauded the government's first year of welfare reform calling it "an impressive start".

MPs have condemned some of the coalition's most controversial plans for welfare reform and called for them to be scrapped in two early day motions (EDMs).

The government has vowed to press ahead with reform of the welfare state as its latest statistics show less than a quarter of those applying for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) are successful.

MPs have launched an enquiry into the migration from Incapacity Benefits to Employment Support Allowance (ESA), including the Work Capability Assessment (WCA).

The government is aware a considerable expansion in the group income protection market (GIP) is one option for its review of the welfare and sickness absence system.

LifeSearch has called on the ABI and Treasury to halt the European Court of Justice's (ECJ) "ignorant" ruling to ban gender-based underwriting.

LifeSearch has revealed it arranged £4bn worth of cover and saw a 10% increase in the number of under 35-year-olds who took out protection products last year.