Welfare rights news and case law

20 September, 2021

Scottish Government launches consultation on the transfer of functions of the Council Tax Reduction Review Panel and Valuation Appeal Committee to the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland

Transferring council tax responsibilities of the two bodies will mean all council tax appeals in Scotland will be heard within the First-tier Tribunal in the new Local Taxation Chamber from 1 January 2023

17 September, 2021

Changes to the ministerial team at the DWP following Cabinet reshuffle

While the Work and Pensions Secretary is reappointed, Will Quince and Justin Tomlinson leave the Department

17 September, 2021

Housing benefit claimants eligible for sanctuary scheme bedroom tax exemption to be required to self-identify and provide evidence from ‘official source’

However, new DWP guidance to local authorities also advises that it has written to local authority domestic abuse leads and organisations who support victims of domestic abuse about the change

17 September, 2021

Scottish Commission on Social Security recommends further improvements to child disability payment regulations

Scrutiny report on draft amendment regulations includes recommendations to extend short-term assistance to child claimants moving to adult disability payment, and for clarification of rules on upper age limits for establishing eligibility

17 September, 2021

Scottish Parliament consents to UK Parliament legislating on its behalf to determine uprating of industrial death benefit in 2022/2023

Approval of recommendation from legislative consent memorandum enables competence for uprating the devolved benefit to pass from Scottish Ministers to the UK Parliament

16 September, 2021

Without a detailed impact assessment showing otherwise, it is ‘prima facie doubtful’ that removal of £20 uplift conforms to international human rights law

UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights asks government to demonstrate how planned cut is compatible with rights to social security and adequate standard of living

16 September, 2021

Low income families in Scotland to receive two additional bridging payments per eligible child before Christmas

Scottish Government highlights that extra payments bring support for older children in line with that provided through Scottish child payment

15 September, 2021 Open access

Commons votes in favour of Opposition Day Debate motion calling on government to cancel planned £20 per week reduction to universal credit and working tax credit

With the government choosing to abstain, House votes in favour of non-binding motion by 253 votes to zero

15 September, 2021

Consultation period for Health and Disability Green Paper will not be extended

Minister for Disabled People says there has been 'ample opportunity to feed in', and it is time to 'crack on' so that the White Paper can be brought forward in early 2022

15 September, 2021

Eligibility date to receive the next carer’s allowance supplement in Scotland will be 11 October 2021

Scottish government confirms that supplement will be paid automatically in December and that, subject to parliamentary approval, there will be an additional payment to provide extra support during the pandemic

15 September, 2021

Exemption from requirement to satisfy habitual residence test or past presence test for benefits in Scotland for specified persons who have come to the UK from Afghanistan

New statutory instrument

14 September, 2021

Exemption from requirement to satisfy habitual residence test or past presence test for specified persons who have come to the UK from Afghanistan

New statutory instrument

14 September, 2021

Exemption from prior residence requirement for child benefit for specified persons who have come to the UK from Afghanistan

New statutory instrument

14 September, 2021

Proportion of new PIP claims that are disallowed rises after withdrawal of temporary increase in time allowed to return PIP2 form

DWP statistics show that seven out of ten normal rules claims were refused in July 2021, up from around five in ten in April 2021

14 September, 2021

Many work coaches feel that they are being micromanaged and that they have no control of their diaries

DWP decision to bring as many claimants into offices as possible is resulting in 'intolerable pressure' on jobcentres, says PCS union

14 September, 2021

Amendments to local authority housing benefit subsidy arrangements, and to the system of DWP grants to cover DHP expenditure

New statutory instrument

13 September, 2021

DWP provides update on progress in delivering an explicit consent process within universal credit

Writing to Work and Pensions Committee, Minister says planned explicit consent process should 'enable local authorities and DWP to share information' but he refrains from clarifying plans in relation to sharing data with other 'trusted partners'

13 September, 2021 Open access

Secretary of State fails to take into account universal credit taper rate in suggesting that claimants can make up for the loss of the £20 uplift by working two extra hours a week

Uplift was always intended to be temporary, but we will be seeing what we can do to help people 'perhaps secure extra hours', says Dr Coffey

13 September, 2021

Claimants will be informed by debt management staff that they can request a waiver of universal credit overpayments ‘if they express concern about repayment’, Minister says

Written answer to Parliament also confirms that around 90,000 ‘official error’ universal credit overpayments of more than £1,000 have been recorded in the 12 months to July 2021