Welfare rights news and case law

24 March, 2023

DWP’s online apply for PIP service currently being offered to 60 people a day

Work and Pensions Minster also provides update on 'private beta trial' for attendance allowance claimants

24 March, 2023

Calls to DWP’s Disability Services enquiry lines take an average of almost 20 minutes to be answered

Response to written question in Parliament also shows that less than three-quarters of calls to the service line were answered

24 March, 2023

With more people regularly running out of money for essentials, the Scottish Welfare Fund is no longer operating as a short-term safety net

Independent review highlights that rising prices and the diminishing value of core UK-wide benefits have led to an increased volume of repeat applications to the Fund

24 March, 2023

‘No need to wait’ to introduce a Minimum Income Guarantee in Scotland

Expert Group outlines actions the Scottish Government should undertake to pave the way and build the foundations necessary to realise the full potential of reform

24 March, 2023

Discovery phase for ‘Move to UC’ in Northern Ireland to begin next month

Three-month exercise will involve around 500 tax credit claimants in the Andersonstown and Enniskillen Jobs & Benefits office areas

23 March, 2023

DWP confirms that administrative exercise to correct state pension payments has identified more than 46,000 underpayments

Progress report on LEAP exercise shows that it has so far resulted in more than £300 million being paid out

23 March, 2023

Less than 10 per cent of calls to the DWP’s Future Pension Centre were answered in the 4 weeks to 26 February 2023

Minister confirms that helpline has experienced 'unprecedented levels of contact' from people considering whether to pay voluntary NI Contributions in order to increase their state pension entitlement

23 March, 2023

Just 45 of the 960 LHA rates for Great Britain were at or above the 30th percentile of local rents in the 12 months to September 2022

Responding to a written question in Parliament, DWP Minister also highlights that there is no Broad Rental Market Area where all five LHA rates meet the latest 30th percentile of local rents

23 March, 2023

Claimant not entitled to assume DWP knew daughter was living with him because she was claiming ESA from same address

MW v Secretary of State and Work and Pensions (ESA)
[2023] UKUT 50 (AAC)
UA-2021-001803-ESA & UA-2021-000859-ESA

23 March, 2023

Drop in poorer households’ income in second year of Covid-19 pandemic is likely to continue once impact of high inflation is taken into account

New Households Below Average Income statistics highlight ‘undoing’ of some of the gains that poorer households made in the first year of the pandemic, and it would not be surprising to see poverty rates rise above their pre-pandemic levels in 2022/2023, IFS says

23 March, 2023

Extension of provisions that enable the use of audio and video live links in courts and tribunals in Northern Ireland

New statutory rule

23 March, 2023

Social security benefits uprating in Northern Ireland for 2023/2024

New statutory rules

22 March, 2023

IPPR calls for suspension of benefit sanctions until inflation is brought under control

In addition, highlighting that those living in the north of England are at a higher risk of sanctions, think tank suggests that local Jobcentre Plus practice may play a significant role

22 March, 2023

Cash-first approaches should be the default response to financial crisis, says APPG on Ending the Need for Food Banks

Parliamentarians from across the political spectrum also call for funding and guidance to make sure strong local support systems are in place so no one has to turn to a food bank

22 March, 2023

UK’s system of income replacement is an ‘inadequate patchwork’ that in most cases falls far behind the support available in other rich countries

Fabian Society says that the next government should introduce a comprehensive new system of ‘British employment insurance’ to stop incomes plummeting during sickness, maternity and unemployment

22 March, 2023

Minister sets out details of new ‘Universal Support’ programme to help disabled people and those with health conditions into work

Under the programme, people will be able to opt-in to receive up to 12 months of 'place and train' support to help them move into suitable work and to sustain that employment for the longer-term

22 March, 2023

Restart scheme will cost more per person and help fewer than planned, Public Account Committee finds

New report also highlights areas for improvement, including better information sharing between work coaches and providers and improved record-keeping about barriers to work faced by claimants

21 March, 2023

DWP confirms that its ‘In Work Progression offer’ is now available across all of Great Britain

Department also highlights that a further 460,000 working claimants in the 'Light Touch' regime will be required to engage with the offer from September 2023

21 March, 2023

Payments to child care provider made to reserve children’s places during Covid-19 lockdown did not amount to ‘relevant child care charges for the purposes of regulation 28 of the Housing Benefit Regulations 2006

Manchester City Council v NG
[2023] UKUT 51 (AAC)
UA-2022-000787-HB