Welfare rights news and case law

21 November, 2016

90 per cent of mandatory reconsiderations overturned Concentrix decisions in claimant’s favour

New HMRC statistics also reveal that 94 per cent of cases involving 'undisclosed partners' were overturned following mandatory reconsideration

18 November, 2016

Backbench motion to pause planned cuts to ESA passed unanimously in House of Commons

127 MPs vote in favour of motion which calls for delay until 'appropriate alternative measures to progress the commitment to halve the disability employment gap have been considered'

18 November, 2016

Chair of Treasury Committee urges HMRC to undertake 'wide ranging internal review' of Concentrix contract

HMRC will also need to tackle problems of fraud and error ‘in much more sensitive ways than achieved by Concentrix’

18 November, 2016

Detailed findings of fact concerning substantial risk may not be required if tribunal finds no significant functional impairment

CE/1428/2016

17 November, 2016

DWP warns that some claimants may have had the lower benefit cap applied earlier than scheduled in roll-out plans

New guidance advises that those likely to be affected are claimants previously subject to the higher cap but who subsequently ceased to be capped

17 November, 2016

Opposition day motion calling on government to reverse cuts to ESA and universal credit work allowances defeated in the House of Commons

MPs vote by 284 votes to 265 against the motion

17 November, 2016

Government responds to SSAC report on telephony problems in HMRC and DWP

Response highlights that whilst DWP policy is to ‘downgrade’ role of telephony in the transition to digital under universal credit, extra assistance will be available for 'those who need it'

17 November, 2016

Prescribed Disease D8A (primary carcinoma of the lung) did not apply to a scaffolder who did not directly apply or remove asbestos

CSI/92/2016

16 November, 2016

Government is a ‘necessary, but not sufficient provider of welfare’

Work and Pensions Secretary says that government must not assume that it can provide all the help necessary

16 November, 2016

Hardship payments to be available immediately after a sanction for those who are homeless or have mental health conditions

Work and Pensions Secretary says he does not want sanctions 'to discourage those with mental health problems from engaging fully with the welfare system'

16 November, 2016

Claimant entitled to additional ESA from date change of circumstances notified by telephone, prior to submission of form ESA3

CE/2407/2016

Welfare rights

90 per cent of mandatory reconsiderations overturned Concentrix decisions in claimant’s favour

New HMRC statistics also reveal that 94 per cent of cases involving 'undisclosed partners' were overturned following mandatory reconsideration

Backbench motion to pause planned cuts to ESA passed unanimously in House of Commons

Chair of Treasury Committee urges HMRC to undertake 'wide ranging internal review' of Concentrix contract

Detailed findings of fact concerning substantial risk may not be required if tribunal finds no significant functional impairment

DWP warns that some claimants may have had the lower benefit cap applied earlier than scheduled in roll-out plans

Opposition day motion calling on government to reverse cuts to ESA and universal credit work allowances defeated in the House of Commons

Government responds to SSAC report on telephony problems in HMRC and DWP

Response highlights that whilst DWP policy is to ‘downgrade’ role of telephony in the transition to digital under universal credit, extra assistance will be available for 'those who need it'

Prescribed Disease D8A (primary carcinoma of the lung) did not apply to a scaffolder who did not directly apply or remove asbestos

Government is a ‘necessary, but not sufficient provider of welfare’

Hardship payments to be available immediately after a sanction for those who are homeless or have mental health conditions

DWP announces schedule for roll-out of universal credit full service to the rest of Great Britain

13,000 employment and support allowance claimants received a sanction decision in the year to June 2016

More than 400,000 people are now claiming universal credit

Government Actuary’s Department to look at projected life expectancy to inform state pension age review

Government to respond to last week’s Supreme Court bedroom tax defeats ‘as soon as we practicably can'

Around 20,000 lone parents with a child under two will be hit by the new lower benefit cap

Failure of HMRC to provide relevant documents to tribunal led to error of law

Frank Field calls on government to aim to process JSA and ESA claims within five days

Claimant entitled to additional ESA from date change of circumstances notified by telephone, prior to submission of form ESA3