Welfare rights news and case law

25 October, 2018

DWP must recognise additional support that people living in supported housing need to access universal credit

Housing providers recommend giving support workers access to the claimant journal to allow a two-way information flow

25 October, 2018

Changes to social security since 2010 will have a disproportionately negative impact on several protected groups, says EHRC

Commission reports that for households with at least one disabled adult and a disabled child, average annual cash losses are just over £6,500

25 October, 2018

Regulation of appointments to the Scottish Commission on Social Security and Poverty and Inequality Commission

New statutory instrument

24 October, 2018

Lack of sufficient universal credit case managers is driving problem behaviours on part of claimants, says PCS

Union warns that massive pressure is being put on staff 'who know that vulnerable people are being poorly served by DWP'

24 October, 2018

Social Security Scotland confirms membership of new Executive Advisory Body

Role of new non-executive members includes offering advice and support to the Chief Executive on Agency strategy and governance

24 October, 2018

Where there are competing claims for child tax credit, a decision must be made about who has main responsibility

CTC/3547/2016

23 October, 2018

Cost of medical assessments carried out for DWP by private contractors has quadrupled over the last eight years

Minister for Disabled People confirms that the Department spent around £450 million in 2017/2018

23 October, 2018

National Fraud Initiative in Wales detected £0.64 million in housing benefit fraud and error overpayments between 2016 and 2018

Amount detected down by £0.5 million compared to the period from 2014 to 2015

22 October, 2018

Government needs to ‘urgently rethink’ its policy of single household payments in universal credit

Select Committee recommends making split payments standard for all couples in line with the approach in Scotland

19 October, 2018

Prepopulating universal credit claims with data from legacy benefit awards could recreate problems with transfer from incapacity benefits to ESA

However, Universal Credit Director General also tells Work and Pensions Committee that DWP is exploring use of prepopulation in 'bespoke' areas such as proof of identity and where claimants have a DS1500

19 October, 2018

Work and Pensions Secretary rules out enabling claimants to defer repayment of universal credit advances until the end of their award

Response to Work and Pensions Committee questions on DWP's debt collection practices also says that DWP Debt Management always aim to agree repayment levels that are 'affordable and sustainable'

19 October, 2018

Tribunal not under duty to give reasons for reduction in award on transfer from DLA to PIP where DLA award not material to whether PIP conditions are met

CSPIP/171/2018

18 October, 2018

Responsibility for compensating for loss of passported benefits due to ESA underpayments is down to 'Government Department concerned'

Minister says it would be 'impractical' for the DWP to find out whether people accessed particular schemes

18 October, 2018

Commons votes against motion calling for the release of recent analyses of the impact of universal credit on claimants' finances

Opposition Day debate is lost by 279 votes to 299

18 October, 2018

Citizens Advice Scotland calls for single, non-refundable payment to be made to new universal credit claimants at start of their claim

New report highlights that in last eighteen months CAB clients’ rent arrears issues have predominantly been caused by them moving onto universal credit

18 October, 2018

Tribunal not always required to give reasons in DLA to PIP transfer cases if PIP decision appears to be inconsistent with DLA decision

CSPIP/193/2018

Welfare rights

DWP must recognise additional support that people living in supported housing need to access universal credit

Housing providers recommend giving support workers access to the claimant journal to allow a two-way information flow

Changes to social security since 2010 will have a disproportionately negative impact on several protected groups, says EHRC

Regulation of appointments to the Scottish Commission on Social Security and Poverty and Inequality Commission

Lack of sufficient universal credit case managers is driving problem behaviours on part of claimants, says PCS

Social Security Scotland confirms membership of new Executive Advisory Body

Where there are competing claims for child tax credit, a decision must be made about who has main responsibility

Cost of medical assessments carried out for DWP by private contractors has quadrupled over the last eight years

Minister for Disabled People confirms that the Department spent around £450 million in 2017/2018

National Fraud Initiative in Wales detected £0.64 million in housing benefit fraud and error overpayments between 2016 and 2018

Government needs to ‘urgently rethink’ its policy of single household payments in universal credit

Prepopulating universal credit claims with data from legacy benefit awards could recreate problems with transfer from incapacity benefits to ESA

Work and Pensions Secretary rules out enabling claimants to defer repayment of universal credit advances until the end of their award

Tribunal not under duty to give reasons for reduction in award on transfer from DLA to PIP where DLA award not material to whether PIP conditions are met

Responsibility for compensating for loss of passported benefits due to ESA underpayments is down to 'Government Department concerned'

Commons votes against motion calling for the release of recent analyses of the impact of universal credit on claimants' finances

Citizens Advice Scotland calls for single, non-refundable payment to be made to new universal credit claimants at start of their claim

55 per cent of universal credit claimants are having deductions taken from their award in respect of debts to the DWP

Evidence of an immediate threat to home ownership is not necessary to establish a ‘practical compulsion’ to sell

DWP expects to pay £970 million in ESA underpayments to around 180,000 claimants

Tribunal not always required to give reasons in DLA to PIP transfer cases if PIP decision appears to be inconsistent with DLA decision