Welfare rights news and case law

26 May, 2023

More than two million calls to the DWP’s Future Pensions Centre helpline were blocked from entering the call waiting queue between January and May 2023

Minister also confirms that less than 50,000 calls were answered in each four-week period, despite earlier assurance that extra staff had been deployed to manage increased demand

25 May, 2023

Court of Appeal rules that Secretary of State’s practice of excluding claimants awaiting verification of national insurance number applications from advance payments of universal credit is unlawful

Bui, R (On the Application Of) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Re Universal Credit) [2023] EWCA Civ 566

25 May, 2023

Managed migration of universal credit to roll out in Durham and Tees Valley, Kent, North London and East Anglia from July 2023

In addition, DWP confirms that it is starting a discovery phase for moving couples to universal credit in all managed migration areas

25 May, 2023

DWP sets out high-level strategy for evaluating and tracking the performance of the Health Transformation Programme

With reforms due to roll out nationally from 2029, Department says it will use a Theory of Change Logic Model to achieve the Programme's key strategic outcomes

25 May, 2023

Claimants that participated in Covid-related employment programmes provide mixed views on the adequacy of the support they received from their work coach to move into work

While new research found high levels of overall satisfaction for those closer to the labour market, those more likely to face additional barriers to work, for example for health reasons or caring responsibilities, were less positive

24 May, 2023

Chair of Work and Pensions Committee asks the DWP to explain why it has refused to share data relating to sanctions with researchers

In particular, Stephen Timms highlights that, although Ministerial clearance was initially given to Glasgow University to access data in 2018, this was reversed in 2022

24 May, 2023

More than 100,000 universal credit households were subject to the minimum income floor in February 2023

Total number of households and proportion of all households with a self-employed claimant impacted by MIF have both more than doubled in the 12 months since March 2022

24 May, 2023

Public Accounts Committee launches inquiry into DWP’s Annual Report and Accounts 2022/2023

Views sought in light of Committee raising concerns last year that Department's excuses for unprecedented and unacceptable levels of benefit fraud and error 'don’t stand up'

24 May, 2023

Public Accounts Committee launches inquiry into ‘revising health assessments’ for disability benefits

Views sought on DWP's Health Transformation Programme ahead of evidence session with senior Department officials

23 May, 2023

Claimant can rely on social assistance benefits paid to a partner in order to demonstrate self-sufficiency where their presence did not increase entitlement

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions v W V (UC)
[2023] UKUT 112 (AAC)
UA-2021-001684-USTA

23 May, 2023

Where there is evidence that earnings were paid in two separate assessment periods, information from RTI system reporting them as paid in same assessment period can be disregarded

AF-v-Department for Communities (UC)
C1/23-24(UC)
[2023] NICom 18

23 May, 2023

Senedd Committee warns that response to cost of living crisis risks being a ‘sticking plaster’ for the most vulnerable people in Wales and calls for a more sustainable, long-term approach

Report on unsustainable debt includes recommendations for more automation of local authority-administered benefit claims and a long-term government plan which prioritises poverty and debt prevention

19 May, 2023

DWP announces trial of peer mentoring programme designed to help claimants out of addiction and into employment

New mentors are 'proof that work can be a crucial part of someone’s journey out of substance dependency', says Minister

19 May, 2023

Disability cost of living payments to be issued between 20 June and 4 July 2023

DWP confirms that £150 will be paid automatically to those entitled to specified disability benefits on 1 April 2023

19 May, 2023

Qualifying day to establish entitlement to the 2023/2024 disability cost of living payment set as 1 April 2023

New statutory instrument

19 May, 2023

Human rights remedy not available to 71 year old claimant whose PIP mobility component award was not increased to the enhanced rate following terminal illness diagnosis

GH (deceased) (by his wife as his appointee/attorney) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (PIP)
[2023] UKUT 104 (AAC)
UA-2022-SCO000053-PIP

19 May, 2023

Senior President of Tribunals decides to implement proposal that PIP appeals about failure to attend a consultation or provide information should always be decided by a judge alone

Change will bring PIP cases into line with ESA and universal credit, where cases which do not involve the assessment of daily living or mobility activities are always decided by a judge on their own

19 May, 2023

Scottish Commission on Social Security recommends that clearer guidance should be issued to claimants transferring to adult disability payment from other disability benefits

Scrutiny report on draft amendment regulations also encourages Scottish Government to work closely with the DWP to improve take-up of increased UK benefit entitlements for transfer claimants

19 May, 2023

Exemption from requirement to satisfy habitual residence test or past presence test in Northern Ireland for people fleeing Sudan

New statutory rule