Welfare rights news and case law

20 November, 2023

DWP faces legal challenge to the freeze of LHA rates that has remained in place since April 2020

Leigh Day issues pre-action letter on behalf of a disabled man and his disabled son who could only find suitable accommodation that was more than £170 per month above LHA rates

20 November, 2023

DWP confirms it is testing a Health Impact Record as a structured way of gathering evidence of fluctuating conditions prior to WCAs or PIP assessments

Providing an update on a range of initiatives outlined in the Health and Disability White Paper, Minister also confirms that Department is trialling an Enhanced Support Service for those who find it hardest to use the benefits system

20 November, 2023

DWP says its Service Modernisation Programme will ‘positively transform the customer experience’ through ‘more intuitive’ data-driven systems, automation and self-service’

Programme will be a six-year 'journey' that will also aim to create the conditions for staff to thrive and do their jobs effectively

20 November, 2023

Amendment of social fund maternity grant provisions in Northern Ireland to reflect changes to the law applying to surrogacy arrangements

New statutory rule

17 November, 2023

HMCTS identifies high proportion of lapsed appeals and overall clearance times as potential barriers to access to justice in social security and child support appeals

New report also highlights disparity in appeal clearance times by region and by protected characteristics, including ethnicity where appellant's main language is not English or Welsh

17 November, 2023

DWP outlines its plans for new WorkWell pilots to support those with a disability or health condition start, stay or succeed in work

Letter to Integrated Care System leaders invites bids for £64 million of grant funding to test new services over two years in around 15 pilot areas

17 November, 2023

IIAC issues recommendations for revised prescription for pneumoconiosis

Recommendations for updated prescription include removal of automatic award on diagnosis irrespective of the actual disability

17 November, 2023

Consequential amendments to UK social security legislation in relation to the introduction of carer support payment in Scotland

New statutory instrument makes changes to ensure that the new payment is treated in the same way as carer’s allowance

17 November, 2023

Miscellaneous amendments to disability assistance provisions in Scotland

New statutory instrument

16 November, 2023

Government announces new ‘Back to Work Plan’ to provide employment-focused support to more than a million people alongside tougher sanctions for people who don’t look for work

Forming part of next week's Autumn Statement, five-year plan will 'reform the ways that people with disabilities or health conditions interact with the state' and 'support more people on unemployment benefits who are able to work, to get back into work'

16 November, 2023

Government outlines plan to close the benefit claims of those who refuse to ‘engage with the jobcentre’

Work and Pensions Secretary says 'if you are fit, if you refuse to work, if you are taking taxpayers for a ride, we will take your benefits away'

16 November, 2023

DWP sets out measures it has in place to support vulnerable claimants, and how it is working to build on the help it currently provides

While reiterating that it has neither a statutory or common law duty of care to claimants, Department tells Work and Pensions Committee that it takes its responsibilities seriously

16 November, 2023

Income from student maintenance loan that was used to pay tuition fees did not reduce the amount to be taken into account in the calculation of income for universal credit

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions v AD (UC)
[2023] UKUT 272 (AAC)
UA-2023-000542-USTA & UA-2023-000543-USTA

16 November, 2023

Miscellaneous amendments to social security legislation in relation to the introduction of carer support payment in Scotland

New statutory instrument

15 November, 2023

Chancellor urged to stick to uprating working-age benefits by September CPI rather than adopt October 2023’s lower figure

Charities and policy organisations respond to reports that Treasury is considering saving £2 billion by uprating in line with last month's figure of 4.7 per cent rather than September's 6.7 per cent

15 November, 2023

Almost one in seven people sent a universal credit migration notice did not make a claim and had their legacy benefit award terminated

New DWP statistics for period from July 2022 to August 2023 also show that almost half of those who were sent a migration notice have yet to make a universal credit claim

Welfare rights

DWP faces legal challenge to the freeze of LHA rates that has remained in place since April 2020

Leigh Day issues pre-action letter on behalf of a disabled man and his disabled son who could only find suitable accommodation that was more than £170 per month above LHA rates

DWP confirms it is testing a Health Impact Record as a structured way of gathering evidence of fluctuating conditions prior to WCAs or PIP assessments

DWP says its Service Modernisation Programme will ‘positively transform the customer experience’ through ‘more intuitive’ data-driven systems, automation and self-service’

Amendment of social fund maternity grant provisions in Northern Ireland to reflect changes to the law applying to surrogacy arrangements

HMCTS identifies high proportion of lapsed appeals and overall clearance times as potential barriers to access to justice in social security and child support appeals

DWP outlines its plans for new WorkWell pilots to support those with a disability or health condition start, stay or succeed in work

IIAC issues recommendations for revised prescription for pneumoconiosis

Recommendations for updated prescription include removal of automatic award on diagnosis irrespective of the actual disability

Consequential amendments to UK social security legislation in relation to the introduction of carer support payment in Scotland

Miscellaneous amendments to disability assistance provisions in Scotland

Government announces new ‘Back to Work Plan’ to provide employment-focused support to more than a million people alongside tougher sanctions for people who don’t look for work

Government outlines plan to close the benefit claims of those who refuse to ‘engage with the jobcentre’

DWP sets out measures it has in place to support vulnerable claimants, and how it is working to build on the help it currently provides

Income from student maintenance loan that was used to pay tuition fees did not reduce the amount to be taken into account in the calculation of income for universal credit

Miscellaneous amendments to social security legislation in relation to the introduction of carer support payment in Scotland

Chancellor urged to stick to uprating working-age benefits by September CPI rather than adopt October 2023’s lower figure

First-tier Tribunal for Scotland erred in failing to consider exercising its power to call for further evidence

Almost nine in ten claimants report that their experience with Social Security Scotland is ‘good’ or ‘very good’

Discretionary support in Northern Ireland is ‘at a crossroads’ as budget reductions start to bite

Almost one in seven people sent a universal credit migration notice did not make a claim and had their legacy benefit award terminated