Welfare rights news and case law

8 September, 2017

New statutory guidance issued in relation to the Specialist Employability Support programme

DWP advises that provider contracts have been extended for service that helps unemployed disabled people move closer to the labour market

7 September, 2017

Bill introduced to review effect of increase to and equalisation of pensionable ages for women and to cost a compensation scheme for women adversely affected

Private Member's Bill expected to receive second reading on 27 April 2018

7 September, 2017

'Component parts' being built to provide for continuous online social security tribunal hearings

Changes will also see creation of digital case files that will allow appellants to track and monitor their case

7 September, 2017

Scotland’s carer’s allowance supplement will be paid twice a year rather than weekly

First payments of the supplement are planned from next summer and will be backdated to April 2018

7 September, 2017

Amendment of budgeting loan rules relating to the requirement to have been in receipt of a qualifying benefit for a period of 26 weeks

New social fund amendment direction

6 September, 2017

Loan payments to replace support for mortgage interest from 6 April 2018 in Northern Ireland

New statutory rule

5 September, 2017

Scottish First Minister outlines plans to make Scotland fairer and more equal

New Programme for Government includes next steps for rolling out new social security powers during the next parliamentary year

5 September, 2017

Right of appeal to the First-tier Tribunal after refusal of a late application for mandatory reconsideration

New DWP guidance

5 September, 2017

Disregard of payments from schemes helping those affected by Thalidomide or infected blood when calculating means tested benefits

New statutory instrument

4 September, 2017

Concept of a simple meal must, in material respects, be the same for all claimants without reference to cultural or religious requirements

CPIP/1532/2015

1 September, 2017

UN Committee raises concerns about the impact of austerity measures on disabled people

Recommendations include ensuring people in the work-related activity group for ESA access 'full compensation of disability related costs'

1 September, 2017

Low income families are thousands of pounds a year worse off due to UK welfare cuts, says Scottish Government

New report highlights that biggest impact is caused by the four-year freeze in working-age benefits

1 September, 2017

Replacement of support for mortgage interest with loans in Northern Ireland

New statutory rule also provides for additional work-related requirements for responsible carers and the removal of the limited capability for work element in universal credit

31 August, 2017

Existence of unpaid liabilities, even if payment is due, does not affect calculation of capital for benefit purposes

CE/1912/2016

31 August, 2017

Matters to consider when tribunals assess whether a final decision under appeal has been notified to a claimant

CPC/3137/2016

30 August, 2017

Evidence requirements for sole traders to meet the definition of ‘self-employed’ for working tax credit purposes

CTC/585/2017

29 August, 2017

Tribunals must consider whatever simple tasks may be applicable, given the particular circumstances of the claimant, when assessing the schedule 3 activity ‘learning tasks’

CE/521/2017

24 August, 2017

Social support need not be contemporaneous with engagement but there must be causal link / prompting may constitute social support if it requires an experienced or trained person to provide it

[2017] CSIH 57

24 August, 2017

New DWP figures highlight 76 per cent fall in the caseload of EEA nationals claiming JSA

Change follows introduction of series of measures to restrict access to benefits for EEA migrants