Welfare rights news and case law

15 March, 2021

Telephone and video added as channels for undertaking medical assessments for ESA, universal credit, PIP and industrial injuries disablement benefit in Northern Ireland

New statutory rule

12 March, 2021 Open access

DWP reissues uprating guidance following Budget 2021 announcement that universal credit uplift will continue until September 2021

Revised housing benefit circular sets out new standard allowances to be introduced from April 2021

12 March, 2021 Open access

DWP confirms that Covid Winter Grant Scheme will be extended to 16 April 2021

Department also confirms that further £59 million is being made available for scheme, bringing total funding to £229 million

12 March, 2021

MoJ says it will review what delivery options outlined in its Legal Support Action Plan remain worth pursuing 'after our recovery from Covid-19'

In its response to Justice Committee's Future of Legal Aid inquiry, government says its 'ambition is to be much more ambitious in this space'

12 March, 2021

National Taskforce in Scotland publishes recommendations for incorporating international human rights treaties into domestic law

New report outlines wide range of bold and ambitious policy objectives and recommendations for new statutory framework setting out for the first time, and in one place, rights belonging to everyone in Scotland

12 March, 2021 Open access

Disregarding one-off payment of £500 to working tax credit claimants for purposes of council tax reduction in Scotland

New statutory instrument

12 March, 2021

Equality Act 2010 provisions relating to the public sector socio-economic duty in Wales

New statutory instruments

12 March, 2021

Uprating of mesothelioma lump sum payments from April 2021 in Northern Ireland

New statutory rule

12 March, 2021

Revaluation of earnings factors used to calculate additional state pension and guaranteed minimum pensions in Northern Ireland

New statutory rule

11 March, 2021

DWP must start ‘engaging with the evidence’ and accept that universal credit is harming the most vulnerable in our society

Chair of Lords Select Committee says that too much emphasis is placed on making the universal credit system work rather than making a system that works for claimants

11 March, 2021

DWP confirms that £500 one-off payment due to be issued to working tax credit claimants will be disregarded if the recipient subsequently claims universal credit

New guidance also confirms that the additional earnings disregard in housing benefit will revert to its former rate from 5 April 2021

11 March, 2021

Fewer than 40,000 ESA work capability assessments were completed in the quarter to September 2020, down from 170,000 a year earlier

However, new DWP statistics highlight that figures are affected both by Covid-19 and the move from income-related ESA to universal credit

11 March, 2021

Person subject to immigration control cannot claim carer’s allowance as a family member of a British national who has not exercised freedom of movement rights

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions v AS (CA)
[2021] UKUT 24 (AAC)
CG/2617/2019

11 March, 2021

Whether a busker who solicits donations from passers-by can establish a right to reside as a self-employed ‘qualified person’ under the Immigration (EEA) Regulations 2006

N v Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (CHB)
[2021] UKUT 28 (AAC)
CF/1789/2016

11 March, 2021

Uprating of mesothelioma and pneumoconiosis lump sum payments from April 2021

New statutory instruments

10 March, 2021 Open access

Uprating of maximum amount of statutory sick pay that can be reclaimed by small and medium-sized employers

New statutory instrument

10 March, 2021

Bill containing measures in relation to remote observation of proceedings in courts and tribunals receives first reading in Commons

Justice Secretary says that measures in new Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill will help to underpin the principle of open justice

10 March, 2021

Revaluation of earnings factors used to calculate additional state pension and guaranteed minimum pensions

New statutory instrument

9 March, 2021 Open access

Scottish Government confirms commitment to fund new Pandemic Support Payment for households receiving council tax reduction

Finance Minister also confirms that the Budget Bill currently making progress through Holyrood will include a new £100 payment for families of children in receipt of free school meals