Welfare rights news and case law

1 April, 2022

Senior President of Tribunals issues practice statement on records of proceedings in social security and child support cases

Guidance sets out requirements on tribunals to keep appeal hearing records for a minimum of 18 months and supply them to parties to the appeal on written request

1 April, 2022

Bill to increase national insurance contribution thresholds for employees and the self-employed receives Royal Assent

National Insurance Contributions (Increase of Thresholds) Act 2022 introduces changes announced in the Spring Statement

1 April, 2022

Consequential amendments to universal credit, new-style ESA and new-style JSA in relation to the introduction of adult disability payment in Scotland

New DWP guidance

1 April, 2022

Restart Scheme added to the list of employment schemes that are prescribed as schemes in which claimants are required to participate

New DWP guidance

1 April, 2022

Changes to industrial injuries disablement benefit rules for those diagnosed with Dupuytren’s contracture

New DWP guidance

1 April, 2022

Uprating of social security benefits in Scotland 2022/2023

New statutory instruments

31 March, 2022

Government’s current plan to move people from legacy benefits to universal credit creates a ‘significant risk’ for those who are reliant on benefits and for the DWP in delivering it

SSAC to take draft regulations on formal reference to allow for consideration of need to establish appropriate independent oversight and scrutiny as the programme moves forward

31 March, 2022

Rise in incomes of poorer households during the first year of the pandemic was almost certainly driven by temporary increases in the generosity of universal credit and other benefits

While new 'Households below average income' statistics highlight reductions in poverty rates for those on lower incomes, their prospects are now 'much bleaker', says IFS

31 March, 2022

Bill to extend terminal illness provisions in social security benefits in Northern Ireland receives Royal Assent

Communities Minister says that she anticipates that the reforms will be brought into operation in early April 2022

31 March, 2022

Work and Pensions Secretary confirms extension of Household Support Fund for six month period to 30 September 2022

Written statement to Parliament today advises that at least a third of the extension funding must be spent on pensioners on low incomes and at least another third on families with children

31 March, 2022

Evidence needed to decide whether a person has failed to accept a claimant commitment

FO v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (UC)
[2022] UKUT 56 (AAC)
CUC/1792/2020

31 March, 2022

Removal of the restrictions on claims for universal credit from frontier workers

New DWP guidance

31 March, 2022

Amendment of the definition of terminal illness for the purposes of universal credit and employment and support allowance in Great Britain

New DWP guidance

31 March, 2022

Allocation of council tax support administration subsidy grant for 2022/2023

DLUHC letter to English local authorities sets out the provisional allocation of the grant and invites comments by 12 April 2022

31 March, 2022

Scottish child payment could lift 50,000 children out of poverty by 2023/2024

New analysis from Scottish Government says that changes being introduced later this year could help reduce the relative child poverty rate after housing costs by an estimated 5 percentage points

30 March, 2022

Upper Tribunal modifies forfeiture rule to provide for claimant to receive three-quarters of the underpaid retirement pension due to her for the period after she had unlawfully killed her husband

In the estate of ES (deceased)
[2022] UKUT 48 (AAC)
UA-2019-001376-FRP formerly CF/1198/2019

30 March, 2022

Welfare rights

Senior President of Tribunals issues practice statement on records of proceedings in social security and child support cases

Guidance sets out requirements on tribunals to keep appeal hearing records for a minimum of 18 months and supply them to parties to the appeal on written request

Bill to increase national insurance contribution thresholds for employees and the self-employed receives Royal Assent

Consequential amendments to universal credit, new-style ESA and new-style JSA in relation to the introduction of adult disability payment in Scotland

Restart Scheme added to the list of employment schemes that are prescribed as schemes in which claimants are required to participate

Changes to industrial injuries disablement benefit rules for those diagnosed with Dupuytren’s contracture

Uprating of social security benefits in Scotland 2022/2023

Government’s current plan to move people from legacy benefits to universal credit creates a ‘significant risk’ for those who are reliant on benefits and for the DWP in delivering it

SSAC to take draft regulations on formal reference to allow for consideration of need to establish appropriate independent oversight and scrutiny as the programme moves forward

Rise in incomes of poorer households during the first year of the pandemic was almost certainly driven by temporary increases in the generosity of universal credit and other benefits

Bill to extend terminal illness provisions in social security benefits in Northern Ireland receives Royal Assent

Work and Pensions Secretary confirms extension of Household Support Fund for six month period to 30 September 2022

Evidence needed to decide whether a person has failed to accept a claimant commitment

Removal of the restrictions on claims for universal credit from frontier workers

Amendment of the definition of terminal illness for the purposes of universal credit and employment and support allowance in Great Britain

Allocation of council tax support administration subsidy grant for 2022/2023

Scottish child payment could lift 50,000 children out of poverty by 2023/2024

Upper Tribunal modifies forfeiture rule to provide for claimant to receive three-quarters of the underpaid retirement pension due to her for the period after she had unlawfully killed her husband

Commencement of Scotland’s devolved maternity, funeral and heating expenses payments provisions

Introduction of a Child Funeral Fund for Northern Ireland

Chancellor says he is ‘comfortable’ with choices he made to focus support on working people in his Spring Statement