Welfare rights news and case law

31 January, 2023

Valuation Office Agency sets out local housing allowance rates for 2023/2024

Along with corresponding publications in Scotland and Wales, new figures highlight that rates continue to be frozen at their April 2020 levels

30 January, 2023

Medical tribunal member using a ‘brisk and business-like’ approach was in keeping with Social Entitlement Chamber’s inquisitorial ethos

GJ v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (PIP)
[2022] UKUT 349 (AAC)
UA-2021-001936-PIP

30 January, 2023

DWP has ‘greyed out’ diaries in jobcentres on 1 February 2023 as part of contingency plans to deal with planned day of strike action

However, PCS union warns Department against operating 'ghost diaries', forcing work coaches to deal with additional interviews in the following days to make up for those lost

30 January, 2023

Home Office error could have resulted in more than 140,000 people whose EUSS applications were refused continuing to enjoy Withdrawal Agreement rights to which they were no longer entitled

Citizens Rights Monitoring Authority understands that affected government departments are 'working through the implications', affecting individuals who received a refusal decision between June 2021 and April 2022

30 January, 2023

Processing of Scottish disability payment claims is taking longer where Social Security Scotland needs to gather supporting evidence on behalf of the claimant

However, Executive Agency advises that it is taking steps to speed things up, including the recent introduction of an option for GPs to upload supporting information online

27 January, 2023

DWP confirms that it is conducting small-scale test of online applications for PIP

Minister also tells Parliament that digital version of PIP2 health questionnaire is 'now offered to the majority of claimants'

26 January, 2023

Basic benefit rates are ‘close to destitution levels’ and must be reset

In its annual review of UK poverty, JRF also highlights that elements designed into the benefits system, including the two-child limit, the benefit cap and unaffordable debt deductions, increase hardship

25 January, 2023

Universal credit in-work progression policy is costly and ineffective for employers and risks damaging wellbeing and morale among employees

New research from Manchester Metropolitan University recommends that supporting people into work should be a shared agenda with employers playing a central role

25 January, 2023

Any decision to accelerate the rise in state pension age will ‘condemn millions to a miserable and impoverished run up to retirement’

Age UK analysis finds that any further rise in pension age will extend the financial hardship already experienced by some of the most vulnerable 50 to 64-year-olds among the 3.5 million who are classified as economically inactive

25 January, 2023

Human Rights Committee urges government not to proceed with Bill of Rights Bill

Bill being enacted in current form will result in 'more barriers to enforcing human rights, more cases taken to Strasbourg and more adverse judgments against the UK', says Committee Chair

25 January, 2023

Eligibility and payment conditions for winter heating payment in Scotland

New statutory instrument

24 January, 2023

DWP says that it expects pension credit claim processing times to ‘get back to normal’ from February 2023

Minister also tells Parliament that, while the Department knows there have been delays, 'that is partly because the number of claims doubled in 2022'

23 January, 2023

Government confirms that those who were refused bereavement benefits due to being a surviving cohabitee will be entitled to submit a new claim once Remedial Order comes into force

However, Minister adds that Order still has to be debated and approved by both Houses of Parliament, and it is not yet known when this will happen

23 January, 2023

Scottish Commission on Social Security invites Scottish Government to explore ways to maintain the value of social security payments between annual uprating exercises

Report on draft uprating regulations also calls for government to consider re-examining earnings thresholds in view of impact of inflation on prices for basic necessities such as food and fuel

20 January, 2023

MPs warn that universal credit childcare costs system continues to act as a barrier to work

New Work and Pensions Committee report repeats 2018 call on government to remove requirement for childcare costs to be paid upfront

20 January, 2023

DWP provides information on support offered to claimants in ‘move to universal credit’ discovery phase who failed to make a claim within the application deadline

Written answer from DWP Minister includes confirmation that claimants will have had universal credit backdated to application deadline date if they claimed within one month of legacy benefits being terminated

20 January, 2023

More than a million universal credit claimants were assessed as having LCWRA in November 2022

Written answer from DWP Minister also shows that more than 270,000 claimants were assessed as having LCW in that month

19 January, 2023

Work and Pensions Secretary rejects call for change to stop people missing out on cost of living payments due to having a nil award of universal credit in the qualifying period

Writing to Work and Pensions Committee, Mel Stride says that 'there will always be some people who will not qualify'

19 January, 2023

Miscellaneous amendments to council tax reduction schemes in Wales

New statutory instrument