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Business Plans: Check progress on implementing our policies
Here's where you can check how every government department is performing in delivering on the priorities set out in its business plan.
You can search by department and by month to check performance against each of the departments' priorities.
Department for Work and Pensions
Introduce the Universal Credit and other reforms to simplify the welfare system and to ensure that the system always incentivises work and that work always pays. The overall reform package will help to make the welfare system affordable in the longer term
Start
End
Status
1.1 Introduce the Universal Credit
1.1.i. Develop a consultation document setting out proposals for the Universal Credit
Completed
1.1.ii. Consult on the introduction of the Universal Credit
Completed
1.1.iii. Analyse consultation responses and prepare the Government’s response
Completed
1.1.iv. Publish a White Paper on plans to introduce the Universal Credit
Nov 2010
Completed
1.1.v. Develop further detail on the benefits and costs of implementing the Universal Credit
Dec 2010
Completed
1.1.vi. Refine and update detail on the benefits and costs of implementing the Universal Credit to take into account ongoing developments
May 2011
Oct 2011
Completed
1.1.vii. Develop a detailed plan and evaluation to identify implementation risks in detail, including any revision to the original investment case
Jan 2011
Jan 2012
In progress
1.1.viii. Develop a cost-effective delivery model for Universal Credit
Oct 2013
In progress
1.1.ix. Work jointly with HM Revenue & Customs to develop a Real Time Information capability
Mar 2013
In progress
1.1.x. Deliver the parts of the front end solution, covering only a limited number of customer journeys
Aug 2011
Completed
1.1.xi. Develop and agree the transition and migration plans for Universal Credit for October 2013 onwards
Oct 2011
Completed
1.1.xii. Prepare to launch pathfinders and make any final changes to the implementation plan
Jan 2013
May 2013
Yet to start
1.1.xiii. Launch pathfinder in advance of national rollout
Mar 2013
Oct 2013
Yet to start
1.1.xiv. Begin national implementation of the Universal Credit
Oct 2013
Oct 2013
Yet to start
Start
End
Status
1.2 Take the powers necessary to implement the Universal Credit, along with the other changes announced in the June 2010 Budget and Spending Review
1.2.i. Draft legislation to take the powers necessary to implement the Universal Credit
Dec 2010
Completed
1.2.ii. Introduce the Welfare Reform Bill to implement the Universal Credit
Jan 2011
Jan 2011
Completed
Start
End
Status
1.3 Reassess Incapacity Benefit recipients for their readiness to work and their migration to the Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or other benefits appropriate to their circumstances including introducing the revised Work Capability Assessment
1.3.i. Trials in Burnley and Aberdeen to migrate Incapacity Benefit recipients to ESA
Mar 2011
Completed
1.3.ii. Phased national rollout of migration of Incapacity Benefit recipients to ESA
Apr 2011
May 2014
In progress
1.3.iii. Implement the recommendations of the independent review of the Work Capability Assessment
Sept 2011
In progress
Start
End
Status
1.4 Introduce housing benefit reforms
1.4.i. Draft regulations for housing benefit reforms including extending the shared accommodation rates, working with local authorities, HM Treasury and the Department for Communities and Local Government
Dec 2010
Completed
1.4.ii. Prepare local authorities for implementation of housing benefit policy changes
Apr 2011
Completed
1.4.iii. Introduce the Welfare Reform Bill to implement housing benefit reform
Jan 2011
Jan 2011
Completed
Start
End
Status
1.5 Introduce a fairer approach to calculating Support for Mortgage Interest
1.5.i. Review the approach to providing Support for Mortgage Interest to ensure consistency with the Universal Credit
Mar 2011
Completed
Start
End
Status
1.6 Introduce household cap so that no workless family can receive more in welfare than median after tax earnings for working households
1.6.i. Develop delivery options
Jan 2011
Completed
1.6.ii. Develop implementation plan
Feb 2011
Dec 2011
Completed
Start
End
Status
1.7 Localise Council Tax Benefit
1.7.i. Work with the Department for Communities and Local Government to develop implementation plan for localising Council Tax Benefit
Nov 2010
Apr 2011
Completed
1.7.ii. Develop communications and a stakeholder engagement strategy
Dec 2010
Mar 2011
Completed
Start
End
Status
1.8 Switch to the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) for indexation of benefits and public service pensions
1.8.i Develop implementation plan, working with HM Treasury
Mar 2011
Completed
1.8.ii Introduce changes to benefits and pensions systems to index to the CPI
Apr 2011
Apr 2011
Completed
Start
End
Status
1.9 Further reduce fraud and error in the benefits system to a maximum of 1.7% of expenditure
1.9.i. Conduct a full review of each benefit to ensure that the fraud and error work programme is targeted effectively
Mar 2011
Completed
1.9.ii. Implement a range of new initiatives to tackle fraud and error
Mar 2011
Completed
1.9.iii. Use credit reference agency data to cleanse the stock of fraud and error in the system
Sept 2011
Apr 2012
Completed
1.9.iv. Introduce the Welfare Reform Bill to implement new benefit sanctions regime
Jan 2011
Jan 2011
Completed
1.9.v. Produce a detailed Implementation Plan for the Fraud and Error Strategy
May 2011
Completed
1.9.vi. Introduce the Mobile Regional Taskforce
Oct 2011
Completed
1.9.vii. Implement the benefit fraud sanctions and civil penalty introduced by the Welfare Reform Bill (and associated secondary legislation)
May 2011
Apr 2012
Overdue
1.9.viii. Introduce the new Single Fraud Investigation Service
Apr 2013
In progress
1.9.ix. Introduce the new Integrated Risk and Intelligence Service
Apr 2013
In progress
Start
End
Status
1.10 Permanently increase the level of cold weather payments
1.10.i. Lay regulations before Parliament
Completed
1.10.ii. Implement necessary changes to IT systems
Completed
1.10.iii. Regulations come into force and scheme starts
Nov 2010
Nov 2010
Completed
1.10.iv. Directgov website updated and postcode search facility available
Nov 2010
Apr 2011
Completed
Start
End
Status
1.11 Time limit contributory Employment and Support Allowance
1.11.i. Draft contribution for a White Paper on Universal Credit
Nov 2010
Completed
1.11.ii. Draft legislation to take the powers necessary to implement changes
Dec 2010
Completed
1.11.iii. Introduce the Welfare Reform Bill
Jan 2011
Jan 2011
Completed
1.11.iv. Prepare secondary legislation and lay before Parliament
Sept 2011
Apr 2012
Completed
1.11.v. Introduce time limiting Employment and Support Allowance
Apr 2012
Apr 2012
Completed
Start
End
Status
1.12 Conduct an independent review of how the sickness absence system in Great Britain (GB) can be changed to help more people stay in work and reduce costs
Completed
1.12.i. Analyse current GB and international evidence and consult stakeholders
May 2011
Completed
1.12.ii. Phase 2 of consultation, development of policy options in preparation for publishing report and recommendations
May 2011
Sept 2011
In progress
1.12.iii. Sickness Absence Review published
Sept 2011
Sept 2011
Overdue