Welfare rights news

17 September, 2020

DWP announces that SDP transitional payments in universal credit will convert to transitional elements on 8 October 2020

Minister says the change will be made by way of a Determination, which will be placed in the House of Commons Library

17 September, 2020 Open access

Without more tailored and personalised support for the post-COVID-19 universal credit claimant cohort, the social security system risks exacerbating existing inequalities and creating new ones

New reserach finds that a higher proportion of post-COVID-19 claimants are young, BAME, from a higher 'social grade', without a disability, or owner-occupiers compared to the existing pre-COVID-19 claimant cohort

17 September, 2020

DWP confirms use of ‘additional support’ markers to identify PIP claimants who may not be able to engage effectively with claims process

Updated guidance also sets out examples of health conditions that may mean claimant could struggle with the PIP journey

17 September, 2020 Open access

DWP confirms that it is working on a digital method of examining ID documents for National Insurance number applications

Employment Minister says this should enable allocation process to restart incrementally from the end of September 2020

16 September, 2020

DWP confirms new administrative exercise will be launched to identify PIP claimants affected by the Supreme Court’s ruling on PIP activity 9 and social support in SSWP v MM

New ADM Memo also says that only administrative exercise decision-makers will be able to arrange full arrears payments beyond any normal effective date of decision under review

16 September, 2020

Guidance on safeguarding claimants with appointees under the Scottish social security system to be placed on statutory footing

Social Security Cabinet Secretary also confirms to MSPs that claimants will have a right to apply to the First-tier Tribunal if dissatisfied with ministerial reviews of appointment decisions

16 September, 2020

Consequential amendments to social security legislation to provide for treatment of certain benefits introduced under Social Security Scotland Act 2018

New statutory instrument

16 September, 2020 Open access

Contingency arrangements in the First-Tier Tribunal and the Upper Tribunal during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic extended to March 2021

Acting Senior President of Tribunals reissues Pilot Practice Directions that include new guidance on ‘hybrid' hearings and the use of former salaried judges

15 September, 2020

DWP provides update on what it is doing to reimburse up to 130,000 married women who may have lost out on state pension entitlement as a result of its falure to apply an automatic uplift

Responding to oral questions in the Commons yesterday, Pensions Minister advises that the Department continues to check and remedy further cases that are identified

15 September, 2020 Open access

PIP new claims and change of circumstances requests show gradual recovery to near-normal levels in quarter ending July 2020

However, new DWP statistics also show that mandatory reconsiderations are at their lowest level since September 2015

15 September, 2020

Calculation and payment of housing benefit subsidy for 2019/2020 and 2020/2021

New statutory instrument

14 September, 2020 Open access

Government’s strategy of ‘mass testing’ for COVID-19 will require ‘structured financial and social support’ to promote self-isolation and mitigate impacts on inequalities

Group established to advise SAGE on the benefits and challenges of mass testing also says provision of financial support to safeguard incomes would be likely to have the single largest effect in achieving equitable testing

14 September, 2020 Open access

Government’s refusal to disregard COVID-19 compensation payments for means-tested benefit purposes is ‘lacking in reason and compassion’, says Shadow Secretary of State

Work and Pensions Secretary says that COVID-19 payments differ from Grenfell or Windrush compensation payments because there has been no failure within government

14 September, 2020 Open access

Now is not the time to bring more claimants into Jobcentres, says Public and Commercial Services Union

In response, DWP says appointments should be done by telephone where possible but sets out priority groups to be offered face-to-face appointments

14 September, 2020

Communities Minister announces extension to Northern Ireland Executive’s Child Poverty Strategy

Term extended to 2022 to allow time for key stakeholders to be consulted on whether the anti-poverty strategy is sufficient or needs development

14 September, 2020

Government’s failure to increase take-up of pension credit is costing health and social care systems around £4 billion per year, says Independent Age

Calling on government to put in place an 'ambitious action plan' to improve uptake, Chief Executive says current take-up rate of 61 per cent is 'indefensible'

14 September, 2020 Open access

Food bank use predicted to increase by as much as one and half times in final quarter of 2020 compared to the same period last year

New report on demand for Trussell Trust's food bank network calls for urgent government action to address the rise in destitution

14 September, 2020

Removal of requirement to submit a mandatory reconsideration prior to appeal for ESA claimants entitled to benefit pending appeal

New DWP guidance follows recent High Court judgment that ruled the process that requires a mandatory reconsideration in all circumstances is unlawful

11 September, 2020 Open access

DWP found to have breached health and safety rules by failing to implement workplace measures necessary to prevent the spread of COVID-19

Health and Safety Executive finds material breaches of the Health & Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 on carrying out inspection at the DWP's Quarry House offices in Leeds

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