9th February 2012

MPs reject welfare reform amendments

The government has overturned seven key amendments to its welfare bill, proposed by the House of Lords last week.

A majority of MPs backed the government’s plans to cap total household benefits to £26,000 a year, and to stop young Deaf and disabled people who have never worked from claiming Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).

Ministers insisted Deaf and disabled people will be exempt from the £26,000-a-year benefits cap.

In other news, the government have promised to involve people who are affected by benefit changes, by working with Deaf and disabled organisations to minimise the impact.

British Deaf Association chief executive David Buxton welcomed the government's promise to involve British Sign Language (BSL) users.

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(Image: Carlesmari via Wikimedia under Creative Commons licence)