Welfare rights news and case law

7 February, 2023

DWP launches three-month pilot to test electronic exchange of care home admissions data with local authorities

Pilot will focus on the exchange of information about attendance allowance claimants who have moved permanently into care where a funding decision has also been made

7 February, 2023

Social Security Scotland to begin a pilot for its carer support payment by the end of this year, with a national launch to follow in spring 2024

Minister also confirms that the new winter heating payment will be paid automatically to more than 400,000 people over the next two months

7 February, 2023

Senedd Finance Committee calls on Welsh Government to fast-track introduction of Welsh Benefits Charter

New report on Welsh Government's Draft Budget 2023/2024 also calls for review of eligibility thresholds for current financial support schemes to ensure they do not exclude vulnerable people on the margins of support

6 February, 2023

Person who is 16 years old but still of compulsory school age cannot claim carer’s allowance even if they are home educated and not receiving full-time education

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions v BC (CA)
[2023] UKUT 10 (AAC)
UA-2021-000272-CA

3 February, 2023

Severely disabled claimants call on the DWP to compensate tens of thousands of people following ‘conclusive and robust’ Court of Appeal ruling

With up to 50,000 people affected over several years, total compensation could reach £150 million

3 February, 2023

Continuing to freeze LHA rates makes little sense and only serves to widen geographic disparities for low-income renters

New IFS analysis highlights how big gaps have already opened up in the space of just three years, and will only widen as time goes on

3 February, 2023

DWP was 'premature' in introducing recent regulations to increase universal credit administrative earnings threshold, says Lords Committee

If there is 'robust evidence' that the change will support the lowest earning claimants to boost their earnings, why is it not being used in support of the policy change, Peers ask

2 February, 2023

Policy that introduced work search conditionality for lone parents has produced ‘fiscal savings indistinguishable from zero’

New IFS analysis also highlights that increase in employment rates was entirely among part-time and low-earning jobs that were unlikely to be a 'stepping stone' to better paid work

2 February, 2023

Work and Pensions Committee Chair calls for DWP to publish the evidence and reports being used to inform the second state pension age review ahead of government’s final decision

Stephen Timms says he sees no possible benefit in keeping the information hidden, and that there ought to be a public debate before the government make its decision on pension age changes, not afterwards

2 February, 2023

DWP confirms that the standard interest rate charged on loans for mortgage interest has increased to 3.03 per cent

Increase reflects OBR's forecast of gilt rates in its November 2022 fiscal outlook

2 February, 2023

Civil Procedure Rules amended to reflect curtailment of ‘Cart’ judicial review of Upper Tribunal decisions that refuse leave to appeal

New statutory instrument

2 February, 2023

Changes to the Administrative Earnings Threshold in universal credit from 30 January 2023

New DWP guidance

1 February, 2023

Excluding surviving partner of cohabiting couple without children from bereavement payment and bereavement allowance is not discriminatory

HM v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (BB); MK v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (BB)
[2023] UKUT 15 (AAC)
UA-2019-000638-BB & UA-2020-001686-BB

1 February, 2023

Tribunal hearing appeal against HMRC decision to end tax credits following universal credit claim is limited to determining whether SSWP is in fact satisfied that claimant meets basic conditions of entitlement to universal credit

His Majesty's Revenue and Customs v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and GS (TC)
[2023] UKUT 9 (AAC)
UA-2021-001437-TC and UA-2021-001302-TC

1 February, 2023

Around 100 requests have been made to waive DWP official error overpayments in each of the last two years

However, DWP Minister confirms that only 25 requests have been granted in the year to date

1 February, 2023

Repeated waves of benefit reform since the 1990s have pushed people into almost entirely part-time and low-earning work

IFS evidence review highlights consequences of a benefits system that is 'largely there to patch up problems that policymakers have not found better ways of addressing'

31 January, 2023

Government estimates that latest increase in the Administrative Earnings Threshold will bring a further 120,000 universal credit claimants into the Intensive Work Search regime

Minister says that the change will 'support' claimants with very low incomes to access 'opportunities to increase their earnings'

31 January, 2023

Scottish Government launches consultation on the mobility component of adult disability payment

Social Security Minister says that findings will inform the independent review of ADP planned for later this year

31 January, 2023

Government to commission an economic analysis to inform its long-term strategy for civil legal aid

External analysis expected to provide evidence to assess the value for money of future policy options, and take into account the wider budgetary restraints on the Ministry of Justice