Welfare rights news and case law

3 November, 2020

Welsh Government sets out new Income Maximisation Action Plan to help tackle child poverty

Objectives include promoting take-up of benefits and extending temporary flexibilities in the Discretionary Assistance Fund to March 2021

3 November, 2020

Disregarding of Scottish Child Payment for the purposes of means-tested benefits

New DWP guidance

2 November, 2020 Open access

Courts and tribunals in England will continue to operate during the lockdown being introduced from 5 November 2020

Message from Lord Chief Justice and Senior President of Tribunals also advises judges they must continue to make full use of remote attendance so that cases can be dealt with 'as soon and as efficiently as possible'

2 November, 2020 Open access

Start of COVID-19 pandemic saw the highest number of people claiming council tax support in England since records began in 2015

Local Government Association reports that 2.5 million working age people claimed the benefit between April and June this year

2 November, 2020 Open access

Almost a third of children in Wales are living in poverty, with the majority in families receiving income-related benefits

New report from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation warns that, without continued support from furlough schemes and temporary benefit increases, it is clear that poverty will increase

30 October, 2020

‘Misadvice and misdirection’ from DWP staff has led to people making claims for universal credit to their detriment, says Independent Case Examiner

New annual report also highlights cases where universal credit claimants find themselves in debt 'through no fault of their own' due to recovery of official error overpayents

30 October, 2020 Open access

Faith leaders urge Prime Minister to ‘take the politics out of child poverty’ and establish a cross-party commission to ‘eliminate the scandal of child poverty for good’

Letter to Prime Minister also includes calls for temporary universal credit uplift to be made permanent and for free school meal vouchers to be extended

30 October, 2020 Open access

Social care workers in Wales to have SSP topped up to level of normal wages if they have coronavirus or are required to self-isolate

Welsh Government announces new SSP enhancement scheme to run from 1 November 2020 to 31 March 2021

30 October, 2020 Open access

DWP confirms that 4,500 new work coaches are now ‘lined up’ to join jobcentres across the UK

New recruits will be 'trained up' to help jobseekers get the support they need, says Department

30 October, 2020

Ensuring that restrictions on awards of PIP mobility component apply to claimants in Scotland whose award is superseded after state pension age on medical evidence grounds

New statutory instrument

30 October, 2020

Apparent bias of First-tier Tribunal that used knowledge of claimant gained from previous hearings / whether use of tribunal clerk to communicate with claimant prior to hearing was appropriate

BF v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (ESA)
[2019] UKUT 420 (AAC)
CE/1285/2018

29 October, 2020

Public more likely to think unemployment benefits are too low rather than too high even before COVID-19 pandemic struck

2019 British Social Attitudes Survey also shows that only 15 per cent of people now think those on social security are 'undeserving'

29 October, 2020

Correct approach to assessing medical evidence if PIP assessment report has been carried out by publicly discredited assessor appointed by the Secretary of State

CM v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (PIP)
[2020] UKUT 259 (AAC)
CPIP/400/2017

29 October, 2020

Capital from a former home can be disregarded if it is ‘more probable than not’ that it will be used for a new home

EAM v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (UC)
[2020] UKUT 247 (AAC)
CUC/1773/2018

28 October, 2020 Open access

With labour market crisis likely to accelerate over winter, government must protect the incomes of those most affected, says Resolution Foundation

Key recommendations in new 'Jobs, jobs, jobs' report include maintaining £1,000 boost to universal credit and working tax credit, extending grace period for benefit cap, and continuing suspension of MIF

28 October, 2020 Open access

Further social security measures needed as part of Scottish Government’s actions to repair household finances ahead of COVID winter

Institute for Public Policy Research recommendations include bringing forward start date for Scottish Child Payments and introducing automatic payment of local administered benefits in time for 2021/2022

28 October, 2020 Open access

Work and Pensions Committee seeks urgent update on DWP’s plans for the suspended minimum income floor in universal credit

Letter to Secretary of State asks whether suspension will be extended beyond its 12 November 2020 expiry date

28 October, 2020

Secretary of State issues Directions to authorise electronic claims for bereavement support payment

Social Security (Electronic Communications) (Amendment) (No.3) Directions 2020 in force from 20 October 2020

28 October, 2020

Notification of requirement to attend interview may be given orally / methods of communication set out in regulation 23 of Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations 1996 are illustrative and not exhaustive

DC v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (JSA)
[2020] UKUT 257 (AAC)
CJSA/197/2020