Welfare rights news and case law

14 December, 2020 Open access

Living standards of low-income families continue to deteriorate as a result of COVID-19

New survey carried out by CPAG and the Church of England finds that increased reliance on social security system has pushed families to breaking point

14 December, 2020 Open access

Ethnic minority groups need more comprehensive access to state benefits to help mitigate housing pressures and the impact they have on COVID-19 transmission

Recommendations of group advising SAGE on ethnicity and COVID-19 include ending the benefit cap, bedroom tax and no recourse to public funds restrictions

14 December, 2020 Open access

Work coaches raise concerns about reduction of appointment times following the reintroduction of conditionality

Update on PCS union's negotiations with the DWP reports members’ particular concerns about Work Search Reviews, which are now limited to only 10 minutes

14 December, 2020 Open access

Miscellaneous amendments to tax credit legislation in consequence of changes introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic

New statutory instrument includes provisions relating to easement of working hours rules and the disregarding of certain coronavirus-related payments in the calculation of tax credits

11 December, 2020 Open access

Independent Food Aid Network reports a more than 60 per cent increase in the number of emergency food parcels distributed by independent food banks

Calling for significant changes, Network says current social security system 'creates rather than prevents poverty'

11 December, 2020 Open access

EHRC finds ‘sustained or severe regression’ in protection of people’s standard of living linked to UK Government’s failure to effectively meet international human rights standards

Updated assessment of UK and Welsh Governments' human rights records also links increased poverty and inequality to UK-wide social security changes

11 December, 2020

Government confirms that almost 6,000 cases of universal credit identity theft have been referred to DWP’s Stolen Identity Team since June 2020

Department continues to take fraud seriously and will continue to employ the full range of penalties at its disposal, Minister says

11 December, 2020

Second independent review of PIP in Northern Ireland highlights need for assistance and advocacy in completing complex application process

Report's key recommendations also include that staff should be reminded to use implicit consent process when contacted by representative, relative or social worker

11 December, 2020

Commencement of provisions allowing Scottish Ministers to appoint person to act on behalf of claimant in relation to applications for top-up assistance

New statutory instrument

10 December, 2020 Open access

Disregarding COVID-19 compensation payments as capital for benefit claimants would ‘diverge from principles of means-testing’, says Secretary of State

Payments are treated on a par with other death-in-service payments and to do otherwise would create 'inconsistent discrepancies', adds Dr Coffey

10 December, 2020

Amendments to social security and tax credit regulations in relation to rights of third country nationals lawfully living and working in the UK after it exits the EU

New statutory instrument

10 December, 2020

Date from which a change of circumstances takes effect where there is already benefit entitlement / whether arrears of industrial injuries disablement benefit can be offset against overpayment of pension credit

DD v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (II)
[2020] UKUT 302 (AAC)
CI/339/2019

9 December, 2020

Room where door could only open to 60 degrees if it contained an adult single bed counted as bedroom for purposes of the bedroom tax

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions -v- JM and Liverpool City Council (HB)
[2020] UKUT 337 (AAC)
CH/1253/2018

9 December, 2020 Open access

Job Retention scheme should be used to allow employers to pay 80 per cent of wages to workers who are self-isolating due to COVID-19

Resolution Foundation also argues that grants should be paid to self-employed workers to cover periods of self-isolation

9 December, 2020 Open access

Number of people experiencing destitution rose by more than 50 per cent between 2017 and 2019, reports Joseph Rowntree Foundation

While COVID-19-related support measures have provided much-needed relief, JRF finds that for many the pandemic exacerbated the difficulties they were already facing

9 December, 2020

Tribunal was correct to find that no reduction could be made from claimant’s income for investments in overseas property when assessing tax credits entitlement

JQ v Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (TC)
[2020] UKUT 340 (AAC)
CTC/1974/2019

9 December, 2020

Scottish Government confirms it is not planning significant changes to current PIP descriptors and activities before it begins delivery of Adult Disability Payment in 2022

However, Cabinet Minister says a substantial independent review of the new benefit will be undertaken in summer 2023

9 December, 2020

Scottish Affairs Committee launches survey to ask people about their experience of the benefits system

Results will inform Committee's ongoing inquiry into welfare policy in Scotland

9 December, 2020 Open access

Changes to rate relief scheme in Northern Ireland in response to coronavirus pandemic

New statutory rule