Briefing for the Ministry of Justice implementation team’s exploration into Universal Credit and the Discharge Grant

This Clinks briefing for the Ministry of Justice sets out the impacts of the current discharge grant policy on the wellbeing of people leaving prison and on rates of reoffending. Based on information gathered from our State of the sector research and a short call for evidence to voluntary organisations, the briefing finds that the value of the discharge grant is too low for people’s basic needs to be met. In addition to this, as a direct impact of welfare reform, people leaving prison are facing significant barriers in accessing benefits and are being pushed into poverty.