Welfare rights news and case law

19 June, 2018

Proposed variations to a jobseeker’s agreement that do not change a claimant’s availability for employment are not necessarily reasonable

CJSA/742/2017

19 June, 2018

IIAC issues new guidance for diagnosing and assessing disability from occupational disease and injury

Advisory Council says guidance aims to simplify assessment procedures and reduce the risk of appeals

19 June, 2018

Prescribed disease D11 could apply to a claimant who has worked as a coalminer, says IIAC

Advisory Council recommends that this would apply where work has involved 'tunnelling in, or quarrying sandstone or granite'

19 June, 2018

IIAC decides against prescribing connective tissue diseases in workers with exposure to crystalline silica

Advisory Council review concludes that there is insufficient evidence to define a suitable qualifying schedule of exposure

18 June, 2018

Government announces end to unnecessary PIP reviews for most severe health conditions

People with severe or progressive conditions will receive ongoing awards with a 'light touch' review every ten years

18 June, 2018

Northern Ireland parties call for new definition of terminal illness for personal independence payment purposes

PIP entitlement should be based on 'clinical need' rather than time-restricted understanding of life expectancy

18 June, 2018

Scottish Government launches inquiry into the impact of universal credit on those who are in work

Social Security Committee seeks views on the effect of policies such as in-work conditionality, and suggestions for mitigating any detrimental impact

18 June, 2018

DWP announces plans to automate data sharing processes between the Department and local authorities

New DWP guidance advises that the new service will be introduced in the autumn

15 June, 2018

DWP's claims about the positive effects of the universal credit programme are based on ‘unproven assumptions’, says NAO

New report on the roll-out of universal credit also finds that the programme is not value for money now, and its future value for money is unproven

15 June, 2018

Select Committees respond to NAO’s ‘devastating’ report on universal credit

In addition, Public Accounts Committee announces intention to take evidence from the DWP about the programme’s value for money and the experience of claimants under the new scheme

15 June, 2018

Chair of Work and Pensions Committee questions Director General of Universal Credit about link between universal credit and rent arrears

Letter to Neil Couling asks whether recent claimant survey results provide ‘satisfactory evidence’ that universal credit increases arrears after the initial ‘take on period'

15 June, 2018

Government withdraws appeal against Upper Tribunal ruling on pre-2017 PIP activity 3 descriptors relating to assistance to manage therapy

Work and Pensions Secretary says that the DWP has now begun work to apply the law as stated by the Upper Tribunal and will take all steps necessary to implement it in the best interests of all affected claimants

15 June, 2018

Secretary of State confirms appointment of new chair of the Social Security Advisory Committee

Professor Sir Ian Diamond will take up 5-year appointment on 1 August 2018

14 June, 2018

High Court rules that government’s failure to protect benefit rates for severely disabled people migrating to universal credit is unlawful

[2018] EWHC 1474 (Admin)

14 June, 2018

Welfare rights

Proposed variations to a jobseeker’s agreement that do not change a claimant’s availability for employment are not necessarily reasonable

CJSA/742/2017

IIAC issues new guidance for diagnosing and assessing disability from occupational disease and injury

Prescribed disease D11 could apply to a claimant who has worked as a coalminer, says IIAC

IIAC decides against prescribing connective tissue diseases in workers with exposure to crystalline silica

Government announces end to unnecessary PIP reviews for most severe health conditions

Northern Ireland parties call for new definition of terminal illness for personal independence payment purposes

Scottish Government launches inquiry into the impact of universal credit on those who are in work

Social Security Committee seeks views on the effect of policies such as in-work conditionality, and suggestions for mitigating any detrimental impact

DWP announces plans to automate data sharing processes between the Department and local authorities

DWP's claims about the positive effects of the universal credit programme are based on ‘unproven assumptions’, says NAO

Select Committees respond to NAO’s ‘devastating’ report on universal credit

Chair of Work and Pensions Committee questions Director General of Universal Credit about link between universal credit and rent arrears

Government withdraws appeal against Upper Tribunal ruling on pre-2017 PIP activity 3 descriptors relating to assistance to manage therapy

Secretary of State confirms appointment of new chair of the Social Security Advisory Committee

High Court rules that government’s failure to protect benefit rates for severely disabled people migrating to universal credit is unlawful

Social security appeals disposed of at a tribunal go in favour of claimants in 66 per cent of cases

More than 60 per cent of ESA ‘fit for work’ decisions overturned at appeal

Tribunals must not vary the standard of proof according to the significance of the issue for an award of benefit

More than 3.5 million claims for personal independence payment have been made since its introduction in 2013

920,000 people were claiming universal credit in May 2018, up 5 per cent on the previous month