Welfare rights news and case law

9 March, 2020

European Court of Human Rights rejects UK Government’s ‘last-ditch’ attempt to appeal sanctuary scheme bedroom tax ruling

Claimant's legal team welcomes decision and calls on government to execute the Court’s judgment without delay to end discrimination against vulnerable victims of domestic violence

9 March, 2020

Scottish Government’s decision to end Scottish Child Payment at age six in early stage of roll-out driven by DWP’s delay in supplying benefit data

Scottish Social Security Secretary estimates that 40,000 families will be affected ahead of full roll-out in 2022

6 March, 2020

Average income of poorest fifth of households fell by more than four per cent a year between 2017 and 2019, reflecting fall in value of benefits

ONS also finds that the effects of improving labour market conditions on household incomes were moderated by the freeze on most working-age benefits

6 March, 2020

Work and Pensions Committee questions DWP about its actions in response to NAO report on deaths by suicide of benefit claimants

DWP must demonstrate that it is making improvements in light of serious failings highlighted by NAO, says Committee Chair

6 March, 2020

Institute for Government calls for two-week payment at start of universal credit claim and for legacy benefit debt to be either written off or recovered at a much slower rate

New report argues that, without these measures, the reputation of the government’s flagship welfare reform will be damaged further, and its effectiveness undermined

6 March, 2020

DWP issues guidance on identifying employment or self-employment when considering which EU Member State is competent for cash sickness benefits

New guidance follows Upper Tribunal decision that EU national did not need to be earning enough to pay national insurance contributions to be ‘gainfully employed’

6 March, 2020

15 per cent of new universal credit claimants who were given the choice of more frequent payments went on to take up the offer

Minister's letter to Work and Pensions Committee also advises that, as some claimants are capable of managing their finances, it is not appropriate to provide alternative payment arrangements by default

6 March, 2020

DWP issues reminder that claims for universal credit and other benefits can be made without a national insurance number

New Welfare Direct bulletin highlights difficulties some local authority benefit claimants are having accessing other social security benefits

5 March, 2020

Work and Pensions Secretary announces new run-on of universal credit in assessment period that claimants reach state pension age

Secretary of State also advises that, pending the necessary regulation changes, payments are being made on an extra-statutory basis

5 March, 2020 Open access

Select Committee questions Secretary of State about DWP’s response to the Coronavirus outbreak

Letter from Chair of Committee queries why government's action plan does not address potential impact on universal credit claims or people's earnings

5 March, 2020

DWP announces continuation of £2,500 ‘relevant threshold’ for purposes of calculating surplus earnings under universal credit

Minister for Welfare Delivery says the measure will lead to around 500,000 fewer people seeing their universal credit award reduced by surplus earnings

5 March, 2020

Immigration and Social Security Bill introduced to House of Commons includes provision to end free movement of EU citizens under UK law

Bill also includes provision for the government to make changes to social security arrangements so that 'people pay into the tax system for a reasonable period of time before they can access benefits'

5 March, 2020

Parliamentary Ombudsman finds DWP at fault for failing to properly communicate potential negative impacts of state pension reforms in 2016

Investigation is one of a selection of cases highlighted in first annual Ombudsman’s Casework Report

5 March, 2020

Earnings factors for the calculation of an additional state pension

New statutory instrument

5 March, 2020

Housing benefit administration subsidy arrangements for local authorities in 2020/2021

New DWP guidance

4 March, 2020 Open access

Government to allow payment of SSP from the first day of sickness in the case of a person self-isolating as a result of coronavirus (COVID-19)

Change will be a temporary measure to respond to the outbreak, designed to ensure that 'nobody should be penalised for doing the right thing'

4 March, 2020

Welfare rights

European Court of Human Rights rejects UK Government’s ‘last-ditch’ attempt to appeal sanctuary scheme bedroom tax ruling

Claimant's legal team welcomes decision and calls on government to execute the Court’s judgment without delay to end discrimination against vulnerable victims of domestic violence

Scottish Government’s decision to end Scottish Child Payment at age six in early stage of roll-out driven by DWP’s delay in supplying benefit data

Average income of poorest fifth of households fell by more than four per cent a year between 2017 and 2019, reflecting fall in value of benefits

Work and Pensions Committee questions DWP about its actions in response to NAO report on deaths by suicide of benefit claimants

Institute for Government calls for two-week payment at start of universal credit claim and for legacy benefit debt to be either written off or recovered at a much slower rate

DWP issues guidance on identifying employment or self-employment when considering which EU Member State is competent for cash sickness benefits

15 per cent of new universal credit claimants who were given the choice of more frequent payments went on to take up the offer

Minister's letter to Work and Pensions Committee also advises that, as some claimants are capable of managing their finances, it is not appropriate to provide alternative payment arrangements by default

DWP issues reminder that claims for universal credit and other benefits can be made without a national insurance number

Work and Pensions Secretary announces new run-on of universal credit in assessment period that claimants reach state pension age

Select Committee questions Secretary of State about DWP’s response to the Coronavirus outbreak

DWP announces continuation of £2,500 ‘relevant threshold’ for purposes of calculating surplus earnings under universal credit

Immigration and Social Security Bill introduced to House of Commons includes provision to end free movement of EU citizens under UK law

Parliamentary Ombudsman finds DWP at fault for failing to properly communicate potential negative impacts of state pension reforms in 2016

Earnings factors for the calculation of an additional state pension

Housing benefit administration subsidy arrangements for local authorities in 2020/2021

Government to allow payment of SSP from the first day of sickness in the case of a person self-isolating as a result of coronavirus (COVID-19)

Department for Communities launches second independent review of PIP in Northern Ireland

Almost six in ten universal credit claims had a deduction applied as at November 2019

Total value of outstanding housing benefit overpayments begins to fall as universal credit rolls out