The purpose of the Bill is to: further reform the welfare and benefit systems to improve support and incentives for people to move from benefits into work, to provide greater choice and control for disabled people. The Government remains committed to make progress towards the target on child poverty. The bill will be preceded by a green paper and full consultation which will look at options to modernise the benefit system, delivering value for money for the taxpayer while providing support for people at the time they need it most. The changes will also focus on promotion of personal responsibility and independence, making clearer the relationship between the support people can receive and the expectations of them to participate fully in society.

The main elements of the Bill are:

• Measures to better enable people to take advantage of the considerable help on offer to them and where appropriate, to undertake training that is considered essential to finding employment.

• A range of measures which strengthen the benefit contract between the individual and society – the individual’s right to support in exchange for clear personal responsibility for improving their own circumstances.

• A number of measures to strengthen the requirements of non-resident parents to contribute to their children’s upbringing, as part of a package which champions personal responsibility in the welfare system.

• Measures to modernise and simplify the benefit system, ensuring that support provides help at the time and in the manner most needed.

The main benefits of the Bill are:

• Giving disabled people greater choice and control;

• Strengthening parental responsibility;

• Reduce welfare dependency;

• Greater requirements to undertake work, training or other activity in preparation for work.

• Increase personal responsibility within the welfare system;

• Deliver value for money for the taxpayer.