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Tuesday, 24 January 2006, 17:00 GMT

Welfare reforms at-a-glance

The government's Welfare Reform Green Paper at-a-glance:

Overall aims

Reduce incapacity benefit claimants by one million within a decade

Get 300,000 lone parents back into work

Increase by one million the number of older people (aged over 50) in employment

Incapacity benefit

Employment and Support Allowance to replace IB by 2008

New claimants - except the most severely disabled or those in the poorest health - will have to have "work-focused interviews", produce action plans and engage in "work-related activity"

If they refuse to do this, their payment levels will be cut

Financial support to continue once a claimant is back in work

Those with severest disabilities or health problems will get the new benefit at a higher rate, without conditions

But the category of people "exempt" from having to undergo assessments will change. Specific conditions - such as blindness - will no longer automatically mean benefits are paid. Instead, the "severity" of the condition or the ability to work will be assessed.

The mental health component of the assessment for benefits will be reviewed, in line with conditions "prevalent today".

GPs to take "active steps to support" patients who want to return to work

Employment advisers will be piloted in GP surgeries from next month

A unit will be set up to make "periodic checks" of those claiming benefits, seeking updated medical advice if necessary

Lone parents

Every three months interviews will be held with lone parents on benefits whose youngest child is at least 11 years old

Those on benefits for at least a year will be seen every six months

Pilot schemes will be introduced to give "more support" to lone parents in the first year of their claim, as people are still "adapting" at this stage

A "premium" will be trialled so that lone parents are better off if they take "serious steps" towards work

Older people

People aged 50 to 59 will be required to take up additional job seeking support available through the New Deal

Back-to-work support for Jobseeker's Allowance claimants over age of 50 will be improved

There will also be face-to-face guidance sessions

Housing benefit

The system will be simplified to give better work incentives

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