Welfare rights news and case law

16 October, 2019

Working age benefits expected to rise by 1.7 per cent in April 2020 assuming no change in government policy

Resolution Foundation also reports that state pension is expected to rise by a higher 3.9 per cent

16 October, 2019

Maximum amount of deductions that can be taken from universal credit reduced to 30 per cent of standard allowance

DWP updates guidance to reflect change announced in Budget 2018

15 October, 2019

Interpretation of PIP Activity 3 - ‘managing therapy and monitoring a health condition’

New DWP guidance issued following Upper Tribunal decision on 28 November 2016

15 October, 2019

DWP to reassess PIP claims which may be eligible for additional benefit in relation to managing therapy and monitoring a health condition

Following Upper Tribunal's decision in SSWP v LB, changes will take effect from 28 November 2016

15 October, 2019

New Scottish young carer grant will open for applications on Monday 21 October 2019

Speaking at the SNP annual conference, Cabinet Secretary confirms £300 grant will support young carers who cannot get carer's allowance

15 October, 2019

Scottish Social Security Minister announces £0.5 million funding to support advice organisations with benefit take-up work

New 'Scottish Benefit Take-up Fund' will support advice agencies by funding staff training, information resources and promotion of new Scottish benefits

14 October, 2019

Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill announced in today’s Queen’s Speech

Bill includes provision to enable changes to current rules for access to benefits and social security coordination for EU nationals

11 October, 2019

Around 760 claimants in Northern Ireland have received PIP arrears payments since start of review exercise following Upper Tribunal decisions relating to mobility activity 1

Department for Communities says £2.65 million of additional payments have been made, averaging £3,480 per payment

11 October, 2019

Evaluation of DWP universal credit in-work progression trial finds small positive earnings impact from more intensive work coach support

Research also finds that, although earnings impacts for claimants exceeded costs of delivering the pilot, value for money would be less if policy implemented today due to changes in requirements for non-trial participants

11 October, 2019

Parliamentary Ombudsman says it will ‘take some time’ to decide whether to investigate complaints about women’s state pension age changes following High Court judgment

Updated approach to pension age complaints handling also says no new complaints will be accepted as ‘no new issues are being complained about’

11 October, 2019

Amendments to social security legislation relating to Scotland to give effect to agreements between UK and Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway on citizens’ rights when UK exits from the EU

New statutory instruments

9 October, 2019

Child benefit can be exported under Article 7 of Regulation 883/2004 / priority rules for overlapping family benefits do not apply when claimant is receiving benefit in only one State

CF/5039/2014

9 October, 2019

Amendments to social security legislation to allow arrears of maternity allowance and armed forces independence payment to be ignored in calculation of capital

New statutory instrument and statutory rule

9 October, 2019

Amendments to social security legislation to give effect to agreements between UK and Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway on citizens’ rights following the UK’s exit from the EU

New statutory instruments

9 October, 2019

Guidance to tribunals on application of activity 9 - ‘Engaging with other people face to face’

CSPIP/208/2019

9 October, 2019

Remittance of case where it was the tribunal and not the decision maker who made the first decision

CPIP/1172/2018

Welfare rights

Working age benefits expected to rise by 1.7 per cent in April 2020 assuming no change in government policy

Resolution Foundation also reports that state pension is expected to rise by a higher 3.9 per cent

Maximum amount of deductions that can be taken from universal credit reduced to 30 per cent of standard allowance

Interpretation of PIP Activity 3 - ‘managing therapy and monitoring a health condition’

DWP to reassess PIP claims which may be eligible for additional benefit in relation to managing therapy and monitoring a health condition

New Scottish young carer grant will open for applications on Monday 21 October 2019

Scottish Social Security Minister announces £0.5 million funding to support advice organisations with benefit take-up work

Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill announced in today’s Queen’s Speech

Bill includes provision to enable changes to current rules for access to benefits and social security coordination for EU nationals

Around 760 claimants in Northern Ireland have received PIP arrears payments since start of review exercise following Upper Tribunal decisions relating to mobility activity 1

Evaluation of DWP universal credit in-work progression trial finds small positive earnings impact from more intensive work coach support

Parliamentary Ombudsman says it will ‘take some time’ to decide whether to investigate complaints about women’s state pension age changes following High Court judgment

Miscellaneous amendments to the council tax reduction scheme in Scotland

Supporting ‘stay at home’ ethnic minority women towards employment

Labour Leader restates commitment to scrap universal credit

Amendments to social security legislation relating to Scotland to give effect to agreements between UK and Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway on citizens’ rights when UK exits from the EU

Child benefit can be exported under Article 7 of Regulation 883/2004 / priority rules for overlapping family benefits do not apply when claimant is receiving benefit in only one State

Amendments to social security legislation to allow arrears of maternity allowance and armed forces independence payment to be ignored in calculation of capital

Amendments to social security legislation to give effect to agreements between UK and Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway on citizens’ rights following the UK’s exit from the EU

Guidance to tribunals on application of activity 9 - ‘Engaging with other people face to face’

Remittance of case where it was the tribunal and not the decision maker who made the first decision