Part I: INTRODUCING THE BENEFITS SYSTEM; Introduction; The makings of a 'British revolution': A brief history of benefits; What are benefits for?; Part II: MAPPING IT ALL OUT - THE MECHANICS OF THE BENEFITS SYSTEM; Benefit entitlements for people with no other income or savings; Contribution-based benefit entitlements for people with no other income or savings; How support changes on moving into work; Part III: A THOUSAND CUTS; A freeze is as good as a cut; 'Unlimited' welfare; Welfare reform and the 'family test'; Cuts to Employment and Support Allowance and the ‘limited capability for work’ component of Universal Credit; Triple locked? Benefits for pensioners; Welfare that works? The 'old' system; Welfare that works? Universal Credit; Contribution-based benefits: The great insurance scam; Part IV: CHAOS, ERROR AND MISJUDGEMENTS - PAYMENTS AND ADMINISTRATION IN THE BENEFITS SYSTEM; Reasons to be fearful?: Assessing sickness and disability; 'Chaos, error and misjudgement': The administration of Tax Credits and Universal Credit; Sanctions; Local benefits, local choices; Making 'older people' older: Changes in the pension age; Part V: THE 'NEW SETTLEMENT' - BENEFITS IN 2020; Understanding the 'low tax, low welfare' economy; The social impact of moving to a 'low welfare' economy; Part VI: BETTER BENEFITS; Preventing poverty and destitution; A system that responds to household need; Supporting 'socially desirable' behaviours;Simplicity from the claimant's perspective; Conclusion.

The United Kingdom is at a critical juncture in welfare policy, as the current government delivers on the previous regime’s austerity-driven reforms while simultaneously cutting an additional ₤38 billion from benefits spending over the next five years. Broken Benefits is a straightforward guide to the UK welfare system, correcting misunderstandings and exposing some of the less-understood problems. Sam Royston argues that the current government’s twin goals of cutting spending and creating work incentives will ultimately fail to deliver a better system. Drawing on original research and high-profile debates, this much-needed book offers solutions: pragmatic ideas about how the system should be reformed and put into practice, including real-life case studies, models of household budgets, projections of welfare budget spending, and a free online benefits calculator. Accessibly written and offering a blueprint for how welfare should work, Royston presents an alternative vision of a fair, effective, and coherent benefits system for the future.