Committees

Benefit levels in the UK

Inquiry

In our July 2022 report, The cost of living, we heard evidence which suggested that a root cause of the financial challenges households faced “lay in the fundamental inadequacy of social security support”. We therefore recommended that the Government should “review the adequacy of benefit levels and publish its findings”. The Government responded that it did not intend to review the adequacy of benefit levels, because “there was no objective way of deciding what an adequate level of benefits should be”.

Given the high costs facing households across the UK, we are launching an inquiry into the adequacy of benefit levels in the UK, to help inform current and future Government thinking. We will also look at the relationship between social security and the labour market.

- Watch the British Sign Language version of the report

- Listen to the audio summary of the report

- EasyRead version of the report

- Large print report

This inquiry focussed specifically on working-age benefits; however, other types of benefits might arise.

Read the call for evidence to learn more about the inquiry..

 

We understand that the issues raised in this work may be sensitive or upsetting and the following organisations may be able to offer support or further information:

Samaritans – General support for everyone. Call 116 123 - 24 hours a day, every day, or email jo@samaritans.org

Mind – for information, advice, and support for anyone experiencing a mental health problem. Call 0300 123 3393.

Citizens Advice - For independent, free advice provided by a network of charities online, over the phone and in person on a wide variety of issues including benefits, work, debt, housing, family and immigration. Their Adviceline is available 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, by calling 0800 144 8848 (England) or 0800 702 2020 (Wales)

This inquiry is no longer accepting evidence

The deadline for submissions was 11:59pm on 3 May 2023.

Upcoming events

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Past events

Wednesday 6 December 2023
9:15am Private
9:25am Public
Benefit levels in the UK - Oral evidence 6 December 2023
9:25am
  • Rt Hon Mel Stride (Secretary of State at Department for Work and Pensions)
  • Katie Farrington (Director General for Disability, Health and Pensions at Department for Work and Pensions)
  • Katherine Green (Director General for Labour Market Policy and Implementation at Department for Work and Pensions)
Room 6, Palace of Westminster
Wednesday 13 September 2023
9:25am Public
Benefit levels in the UK - Oral evidence 13 September 2023
9:25am
  • Katherine Hill
  • Emily Holzhausen OBE (Director of Policy and Public Affairs at Carers UK)
  • Brian Dow (Deputy Chief Executive at Rethink Mental Illness)
  • Tom Pollard (Head of Social Policy at New Economics Foundation)
10:25am
  • Adam Butler (Public Policy Manager at StepChange)
  • Duncan Shrubsole (Director of Policy, Communications and Research at Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales)
  • Jane Tully (Deputy Chief Executive (Acting) at Money Advice Trust)
Room 16, Palace of Westminster
Wednesday 19 July 2023
9:25am Public
Benefit levels in the UK - Oral evidence 19 July 2023
9:25am
  • Andrew Harrop (General Secretary at Fabian Society)
  • Mike Brewer (Deputy Chief Executive at Resolution Foundation)
  • Rebecca Deegan (Head of Protection and Health Policy at Association of British Insurers)
  • Iain Mansfield (Director of Research at Policy Exchange)
10:25am
  • Kristoffer Lundberg (Deputy Director at Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, Sweden)
  • Emily Farchy (Economist at Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD))
  • Céline Jaeggy (Director of Legal and Institutional Affairs at UNEDIC)
Room 6, Palace of Westminster
Wednesday 28 June 2023
9:25am Public
Benefit levels in the UK - Oral evidence 28 June 2023
9:25am
  • Ben Twomey (Director at Generation Rent)
  • Balbir Chatrik (Director of Policy and Communications at Centrepoint)
  • Francesca Albanese (Interim Director for Policy and External Affairs at Crisis)
  • Dr Carin Tunåker (Lecturer in Law and Homelessness Researcher at University of Kent)
10:25am
  • Ben Beadle (Chief Executive at National Residential Landlords' Association)
  • Timothy Douglas (Head of Policy and Campaigns at Propertymark)
  • Prof Peter Kemp (Professor of Public Policy at Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford)
  • Sheila Haig (Customer Manager, Transactions – Assessment and Finance, Corporate Services at City of Edinburgh Council)
Room 16, Palace of Westminster

Contact us

We receive a significant number of emails each day. All requests and invitations are considered but we do not respond directly to everyone. Please be aware, the committee does not look at individual cases or specific complaints.