Welfare rights news and case law

15 March, 2022

Government launches consultation on proposals for changes to the civil legal aid means test

Reforms will make a real difference to the way people are able to access legal services, says Justice Minister

15 March, 2022

Number of PIP claimants approaches three million, with more than one in three receiving the highest level of award

New DWP statistics also show that the number of new claim registrations continues to recover after the significant reduction during the Covid-19 pandemic

14 March, 2022

Alignment of Northern Ireland’s rate relief scheme with pension age housing benefit to reflect amendments that removed the savings credit uplift from personal allowances

New statutory rule

11 March, 2022

Scottish Government issues guidance to local authorities on the £150 cost of living council tax rebate announced as part of the 2022/2023 Scottish Budget

Guidance includes government's 'expectation' that the payment will be disregarded as income and capital in most means-tested benefits and under Scotland's council tax reduction schemes

11 March, 2022

Disregarding payments from the energy support scheme in Northern Ireland for social security purposes

New statutory rule

10 March, 2022

CJEU rules that requirement for non-EEA national mother of EEA national child to have comprehensive sickness insurance did not apply once child acquired permanent right to reside and that, in period before that, requirement was met by affiliation to NHS

VI v Commissioners for Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs C-247/20

10 March, 2022

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

New statutory instrument extends the period within which death needs to reasonably be expected from six months to 12 months

10 March, 2022

Doubling of universal credit appeals in the three months to December 2021 is main reason behind the first increase in total social security appeal receipts since late 2020

MoJ suggests that the increase in total appeal receipts has also been driven by an increase in employment rates and decreases in unemployment rates as Covid-19 restrictions have eased

10 March, 2022

Almost a quarter of initial ESA work capability assessments result in a fit for work outcome

However, new DWP statistics also show that more than 60 per cent result in a support group award

10 March, 2022

Disregarding payments from energy rebate scheme as capital for universal credit purposes

New statutory instrument

10 March, 2022

Uprating of mesothelioma and pneumoconiosis lump sum payments from April 2022

New statutory instruments

10 March, 2022

Revaluation of earnings factors used to calculate additional state pension and guaranteed minimum pension in Northern Ireland 2022/2023

New statutory rule

9 March, 2022

DWP identifies 22,500 cases where claimants who were underpaid ESA on transfer from incapacity benefits may have also been underpaid housing benefit

New edition of LA Welfare Direct asks local authorities to consider whether housing benefit arrears are due for period from 2011-2019

9 March, 2022

To restore public trust, a ‘truly independent process’ is needed to investigate cases of death and serious harm linked to the DWP

Care and benefits advice sector also calls for a clear route for professionals and family members to raise concerns with the DWP, and for greater transparency around the investigations that the Department carries out

9 March, 2022

Lords Select Committee seeks further details of DWP’s justification for pre-empting normal parliamentary scrutiny by rushing in regulations that reduce the job seeking ‘permitted period’ to four weeks

After evidence session, Committee Chair requests that DWP Minister provide 'satisfactory answers' in writing to series of unanswered questions

9 March, 2022

Application of housing benefit rules in relation to the bedroom tax and non-dependant deductions where a foster parent is accepting intermittent placements

Waltham Forest LBC v PO (HB)
[2022] UKUT 58 (AAC)
CH/1970/2019

9 March, 2022

Ensuring that uprating of guardian’s allowance does not apply where the claimant is living abroad

New statutory instrument also prevents increases applying where there is unresolved question in relation to uprating

9 March, 2022

Entitlement to industrial injuries disablement benefit in Northern Ireland for those diagnosed with Dupuytren’s contracture

New statutory rule removes eligibility for those who experience minimal contracture

8 March, 2022

‘Relevant threshold’ for purposes of calculating surplus earnings under universal credit to stay at £2,500 until 31 March 2023

DWP makes determination that provides for further extension of temporary increase in threshold that was originally due to end in April 2019