Welfare rights news and case law

15 June, 2017

HMRC errors led to reductions in tax credit payments of £30 million in 2015/2016

New statistics also highlight more than 400,000 claimant errors, with a value of £170 million, that favoured HMRC

14 June, 2017

79 per cent of reassessed DLA mandatory reconsiderations result in no change to PIP award

New DWP statistics also show that 84 per cent of PIP new claims reconsiderations result in no change to the award

14 June, 2017

34,000 claimants started on universal credit in the month to 11 May 2017

New DWP statistics show this represents the lowest number of monthly starts since June 2016

14 June, 2017

Housing benefit subsidy limits for English and Welsh local authorities

New DWP guidance

13 June, 2017

Means-testing the winter fuel payment would adversely affect poorest pensioners, says Independent Age

Analysis shows that poorest pensioners could lose more than 7 per cent of their income after housing costs

12 June, 2017

15 month absence abroad may be accepted as temporary so that it does not interrupt habitual residence for JSA

CJSA/2755/2015

11 June, 2017

David Gauke appointed as new Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

Appointment of former chief secretary to the Treasury part of post-Election 2017 cabinet reshuffle

8 June, 2017

64 per cent of social security appeals overturned in favour of the claimant in quarter to March 2017

New Ministry of Justice statistics also report that appeal receipts are up by 67 per cent compared to the same quarter in 2016

8 June, 2017

86 per cent of ESA assessment outcomes are not revised following mandatory reconsideration

New DWP statistics also show that just 7 per cent of fit for work disputes are revised in the claimant’s favour following mandatory reconsideration

8 June, 2017

Scottish Government confirms interim extension of Scottish Welfare Fund to mitigate cuts to housing support for 18 to 21 year-olds

Letter to Scottish Social Security Committee advises that guidance on administering support will be tested and refined following feedback from local authorities and the third sector to ensure consistency of practice across Scotland

7 June, 2017

New Burdens payments for Real Time Information data matching initiative in 2017/2018

New DWP guidance

6 June, 2017

Where a claimant satisfies a descriptor because they 'cannot' do something, then the ability to carry it out reliably does not apply

CPIP/3656/2016

5 June, 2017

Tribunals caseworker ‘delegation scheme’ to continue for a further twelve months

Scheme provides for caseworkers to be able to carry out all decisions that a judge may make except ‘substantive final decisions’

5 June, 2017

Introduction of universal credit earnings threshold for free school lunches and provision of early learning and childcare in Scotland

New statutory instrument

5 June, 2017

Scottish Social Security Committee highlights the lack of a proper Equality Impact Assessment of the two child limit in tax credits and universal credit

Letters to Work and Pensions Secretary and Scottish Social Security Minister also criticise the failure to publicise the policy in advance of implementation

5 June, 2017

Welfare rights

HMRC errors led to reductions in tax credit payments of £30 million in 2015/2016

New statistics also highlight more than 400,000 claimant errors, with a value of £170 million, that favoured HMRC

79 per cent of reassessed DLA mandatory reconsiderations result in no change to PIP award

34,000 claimants started on universal credit in the month to 11 May 2017

Housing benefit subsidy limits for English and Welsh local authorities

Means-testing the winter fuel payment would adversely affect poorest pensioners, says Independent Age

15 month absence abroad may be accepted as temporary so that it does not interrupt habitual residence for JSA

David Gauke appointed as new Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

Appointment of former chief secretary to the Treasury part of post-Election 2017 cabinet reshuffle

64 per cent of social security appeals overturned in favour of the claimant in quarter to March 2017

86 per cent of ESA assessment outcomes are not revised following mandatory reconsideration

Scottish Government confirms interim extension of Scottish Welfare Fund to mitigate cuts to housing support for 18 to 21 year-olds

New Burdens payments for Real Time Information data matching initiative in 2017/2018

Where a claimant satisfies a descriptor because they 'cannot' do something, then the ability to carry it out reliably does not apply

Tribunals caseworker ‘delegation scheme’ to continue for a further twelve months

Introduction of universal credit earnings threshold for free school lunches and provision of early learning and childcare in Scotland

Scottish Social Security Committee highlights the lack of a proper Equality Impact Assessment of the two child limit in tax credits and universal credit

Tribunal has discretion to consider evidence submitted after a hearing but prior to issue of written decision notice

Child Poverty (Scotland) Bill unanimously approved at first stage

Factors to be taken into account when establishing whether a room is a bedroom for the purposes of the bedroom tax

DWP awards £2.5 million appointment booking solution contract for universal credit to Booking Bug