Welfare rights news and case law

14 July, 2022

Almost 360,000 households did not receive a child element or amount for at least one child due to two-child limit in April 2022

New DWP statistics also show that almost half of all households with three or more children claiming universal credit or child tax credit are now affected by policy

13 July, 2022

DWP to test alternative version of universal credit ‘migration notice’ in Bolton and Medway before issuing notices in Truro and Falmouth from 25 July 2022

Latest phase of Department's 'managed migration discovery work' to establish how best to ensure a smooth transition to universal credit confirmed in email to stakeholders

13 July, 2022

DWP issues guidance on social security coordination rules under the Withdrawal Agreement following the UK’s exit from the EU

New advice to decision-makers outlines the categories of person covered by the Agreement, and the conditions that may lead to cover ending

12 July, 2022

Ministry of Justice announces £4 million funding for organisations helping people most in need to address their social welfare and family legal issues

Support available to registered charities based in England and Wales that have a track record in delivering legal advice and support services

12 July, 2022

Public Law Project calls for greater transparency about DWP’s use of algorithms to stop universal credit payments when fraud is suspected

Concerns raised that 'without transparency, there can be no evaluation, and without evaluation, it's not possible to tell if a system works reliably, lawfully or fairly'

11 July, 2022

Select Committee launches inquiry into effectiveness of employment support programmes including Kickstart, Restart, Way to Work and the Work and Health Programme

With number of people in work still nearly 300,000 below pre-pandemic levels, and job vacancies at a record high, MPs questions whether the DWP should be doing more to improve employment support policies and delivery

11 July, 2022

Judiciary and the MoJ outline next steps in longstanding shared ambition to create ‘One Judiciary’

Changes include increasing opportunities for cross-deployment by removing barriers that prevent judges with appropriate authorisation from hearing different types of cases

8 July, 2022

Government makes appointments to DWP’s Ministerial team

New line up confirmed following resignations over recent days

8 July, 2022

Parliamentary Committees say the DWP must lay a bereavement benefits Remedial Order for a second time before Parliament goes into summer recess

Joint letter to DWP highlights MPs' concerns at delays to the resolution of situation that continues to discriminate against cohabiting partners and their children in the provision of bereavement benefits

8 July, 2022

DWP Minister says that a ‘fundamental re-design’ of universal credit would be required to adjust assessment period dates to support people claiming the childcare element

Aligning assessment periods with childcare costs periods to help claimants out of cycles of debt would be 'very difficult' and go against an 'intrinsic part of the system design'

8 July, 2022

New regulations issued to enable Department for Communities to begin sending out managed migration notices in Northern Ireland

Amendments also made to universal credit natural and managed migration provisions in line with those made in Great Britain

8 July, 2022

Government’s response to Welsh Affairs Committee report on the benefits system in Wales ‘leaves numerous questions unanswered’

With many of its recommendations having been rejected, Committee say that it will be seeking further clarity on the government’s position on the devolution of the administration of benefits

7 July, 2022

National Audit Office qualifies opinion on DWP accounts for 34th year running due to the level of fraud and error in benefit expenditure

Opinion accompanying annual report and accounts for 2021/2022 also highlights doubts that the DWP will complete its state pension underpayments review exercise as planned by 2024 based on current pace of work

7 July, 2022

Prime Minister resigns after resignation of further Ministers and Cabinet Members and the sacking of the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities

However, Mr Johnson says he intends to stay on as Prime Minister until a new Conservative leader is elected

7 July, 2022

Work and Pensions Secretary responds to news that Prime Minister has agreed to resign, saying that she ‘fully understands the very bad situation we are now in’

Dr Coffey says she had hoped to talk to Mr Johnson today, but that the wheels of government need to keep turning

7 July, 2022

Department for Communities' failure to address the number of disability benefit decisions being overturned on appeal as a result of the provision of further medical evidence is ‘deeply disappointing and most unfair to claimants’

There is still no evidence that they have taken any substantive action, President of Appeal Tribunals in Northern Ireland says in new report on standards of decision making

6 July, 2022

Work and Pensions Minister resigns from the government

Mims Davies says that the 'great work we are doing in my department is utterly overshadowed by what has unfolded from the heart of the government in Downing Street'

6 July, 2022

Government’s Way to Work scheme lacked an evidence-base and questions remain as to whether it was proportionate to the scale of the problem it was designed to address

Social Security Advisory Committee writes to Work and Pensions Secretary to 'place on record a number of concerns'

6 July, 2022

DWP delays in processing PIP applications are leaving hundreds of thousands of people waiting for £300 million of vital support

Citizens Advice calls for the Work and Pensions Secretary to deliver an emergency plan to urgently tackle 'eye-watering' backlog