Welfare rights news and case law

23 August, 2017

Social security reforms introduced since 2010 are affecting disabled people's rights to independent living

Report from the Equality and Human Rights Commission and others recommends an inquiry into the support and sufficiency of benefit allowances for disabled people

23 August, 2017

Appeals for failing to attend a medical assessment must be heard by a judge, medical practitioner and disability member

CPIP/903/2017

21 August, 2017

Return of inflation means the benefits freeze has become 'toxic' for struggling families, says Child Poverty Action Group

New research highlights that, for the first time in decades, support for families is not keeping pace with increases in the cost of raising children

21 August, 2017

DWP’s Fraud and Error Service to carry out initial investigation of possible incorrect declaration of capital for housing benefit purposes

Change should provide some 'resource flexibility' for local authorities to focus on other fraud and error priorities, says DWP

18 August, 2017

Meeting the past presence test through residence in Member States for the purposes of attendance allowance and DLA

New DWP guidance

16 August, 2017

3.4 per cent of universal credit claimants had a sanction deduction applied to their claim in December 2016

New DWP statistics also show that while the number of JSA sanctions has decreased over the last year, ESA sanctions have increased

16 August, 2017

60 per cent of people claiming universal credit have been claiming the benefit for more than six months

New DWP statistics show that the total claimant count is 570,000 as of 13 July 2017

15 August, 2017

Matters to consider when tribunals exercise discretion to set or alter the level of a tax credit penalty

CTC/3617/2016

11 August, 2017

Care leavers are three times more likely to be sanctioned than their peers, says Children’s Society

New report also warns that without change, the Youth Obligation risks replicating the worst aspects of the sanctions regime for care leavers

10 August, 2017

Local authority bound by DWP decision on benefit entitlement and capital and income in passported cases, unless there is evidence of fraud

CH/2950/2016

9 August, 2017

National Audit Office calls for evidence on the impact universal credit is having on both claimants and local stakeholders

Results of the NAO study are scheduled to be published in Spring 2018

9 August, 2017

Functional difficulties must arise from a physical or mental condition and not from other personal conditions such as childcare responsibilities

CPIP/663/2017

8 August, 2017

Scottish Government launches new 10-point plan to make funeral arrangements more affordable

Plan includes introducing a new funeral expense assistance benefit by summer 2019

8 August, 2017

Claimant's refusal to give consent to disclosure of medical records may make it difficult to evidentially make out their case

CE/884/2017

8 August, 2017

Alcohol dependence and factors to consider when assessing a claimant’s ability to perform PIP functions

CPIP/3126/2016

7 August, 2017

Provided a mandatory reconsideration request is made within 13 months of decision, claimant is entitled to pursue an appeal

CE/766/2016

7 August, 2017

MPs urge government to delay roll out of universal credit

Letter to the Guardian highlights the financial hardship that delays in payments and loss of disability premiums are causing

7 August, 2017

Requirement for gender recognition certificate is not discriminatory for purposes of entitlement to retirement pension as a woman by a male-to-female transgender person

CP/2456/2015

4 August, 2017

More children are living in poverty now than at any other time in the past 10 years

The country’s largest grant-giving charity says almost 4 million children across the UK are now living in poverty, with many families having to choose between paying bills and eating