Welfare rights news and case law

28 January, 2021 Open access

Northern Ireland Executive’s commitment to introduce new welfare reform mitigations to be ‘stopped or significantly curtailed’ in 2021/2022

Department for Communities says that commitments, including improvement of terminal illness benefit rules, mitigation of two-child limit and continued investment in welfare rights advice, will not be delivered due to 'constrained financial position'

28 January, 2021

Scottish Budget secures almost £3.6bn of social security and welfare payments in 2021/2022

Funding plans include £68m for first full year of Scottish Child Payment but also confirm that Scottish Welfare Fund budget will be frozen

28 January, 2021

DWP issues revised uprating guidance in place of earlier version that ‘contained a number of errors’

Updated housing benefit circular relates to new rates in force from April 2021

27 January, 2021

Local housing allowance rates in Northern Ireland frozen in 2021/2022

New statutory rule maintains LHA rates at the levels set for 2020/2021

26 January, 2021

Removal of SDP Gateway and eligibility for transitional SDP element in universal credit for new claimants on or after 27 January 2021

New DWP guidance

26 January, 2021 Open access

Expenditure on crisis grants in Scotland up by more than 20 per cent compared to same period last year

New statistics also report an increase in awards made to people coming from less deprived areas, possibly indicating a change in the demographic profile of applicants as a result of Covid-19

25 January, 2021 Open access

Self-employed tax credit claimants who are unable to report their final income for 2019/2020 by 31 January 2021 should do so ‘as soon as possible’

HMRC advises that, where delay is due to impact of Covid-19, it will update the income used to calculate finalised entitlement 'in most cases'

22 January, 2021

High Court rules that requirement for universal credit claimants to pay childcare costs upfront before receiving childcare costs element is unlawful

Salvato, R (On the Application Of) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions [2021] EWHC 102 (Admin)

22 January, 2021 Open access

DWP is delivering more than 2,500 pieces of IT equipment a week to ensure that all its staff are able to work from home

Work and Pensions Minister says that more than 74,000 are already able to work remotely representing more than 80 per cent of the Department's workforce

22 January, 2021 Open access

Government’s Covid-19 response has seen it ‘scrambling’ to reverse the cuts to DWP staff numbers made over the past 10 years

By the time the pandemic struck, DWP staff numbers were almost 30 per cent down, former Shadow Work and Pensions Minister highlights

22 January, 2021 Open access

Government provides update on cases where PIP claimants will not have had their award extended as a result of Covid-19

Specified cases 'are not included in Covid-19 easements and will not be extended as part of this exercise', says DWP Minister

22 January, 2021

DWP announces first Local Partnership Agreements with HM Prison and Probation Service to support offenders to prepare for release from prison

New collaborative working commitment runs alongside the national rollout of telephone support for prisoners making online universal credit claims and advances

22 January, 2021

Joint Committee on Human Rights launches call for evidence on government’s independent review of the Human Rights Act

Committee seeks views on questions including whether Act has increased ability of individuals to enforce their human rights, and whether correct balance has been struck in relationship between domestic courts and the ECHR

22 January, 2021

Ensuring that EEA nationals can continue to be awarded funeral expenses payment where funeral is taking place in the UK

New statutory instrument

21 January, 2021 Open access

DWP confirms plan to deploy 450 more staff to its Debt Management service telephone line to ensure target of answering 90 per cent of calls is met

However, Permanent Secretary reports that PIP, attendance allowance and state pension telephony services are also currently providing a service level 'below the expected standards'

21 January, 2021 Open access

DWP has ‘no plans’ to extend time limit for payment of contributory ESA where claimants have reached 365-day limit but not had work capability assessment

However, Minister confirms that there is a ring-fenced operational team working on progressing those claims in absence of face-to-face assessments

Welfare rights

Northern Ireland Executive’s commitment to introduce new welfare reform mitigations to be ‘stopped or significantly curtailed’ in 2021/2022

Department for Communities says that commitments, including improvement of terminal illness benefit rules, mitigation of two-child limit and continued investment in welfare rights advice, will not be delivered due to 'constrained financial position'

Scottish Budget secures almost £3.6bn of social security and welfare payments in 2021/2022

DWP issues revised uprating guidance in place of earlier version that ‘contained a number of errors’

Local housing allowance rates in Northern Ireland frozen in 2021/2022

Removal of SDP Gateway and eligibility for transitional SDP element in universal credit for new claimants on or after 27 January 2021

Expenditure on crisis grants in Scotland up by more than 20 per cent compared to same period last year

Self-employed tax credit claimants who are unable to report their final income for 2019/2020 by 31 January 2021 should do so ‘as soon as possible’

HMRC advises that, where delay is due to impact of Covid-19, it will update the income used to calculate finalised entitlement 'in most cases'

High Court rules that requirement for universal credit claimants to pay childcare costs upfront before receiving childcare costs element is unlawful

DWP is delivering more than 2,500 pieces of IT equipment a week to ensure that all its staff are able to work from home

Government’s Covid-19 response has seen it ‘scrambling’ to reverse the cuts to DWP staff numbers made over the past 10 years

Government provides update on cases where PIP claimants will not have had their award extended as a result of Covid-19

DWP announces first Local Partnership Agreements with HM Prison and Probation Service to support offenders to prepare for release from prison

Joint Committee on Human Rights launches call for evidence on government’s independent review of the Human Rights Act

Ensuring that EEA nationals can continue to be awarded funeral expenses payment where funeral is taking place in the UK

DWP confirms plan to deploy 450 more staff to its Debt Management service telephone line to ensure target of answering 90 per cent of calls is met

Scottish Government urged to commit to work toward a Minimum Income Guarantee for all

DWP has been ‘far too slow’ to provide its staff with the kit needed to work from home during the Covid-19 pandemic

Covid crisis is creating a ‘child poverty timebomb’, warns Children’s Commissioner

DWP has ‘no plans’ to extend time limit for payment of contributory ESA where claimants have reached 365-day limit but not had work capability assessment