Welfare rights news and case law

23 March, 2023

Just 45 of the 960 LHA rates for Great Britain were at or above the 30th percentile of local rents in the 12 months to September 2022

Responding to a written question in Parliament, DWP Minister also highlights that there is no Broad Rental Market Area where all five LHA rates meet the latest 30th percentile of local rents

23 March, 2023

Claimant not entitled to assume DWP knew daughter was living with him because she was claiming ESA from same address

MW v Secretary of State and Work and Pensions (ESA)
[2023] UKUT 50 (AAC)
UA-2021-001803-ESA & UA-2021-000859-ESA

23 March, 2023

Drop in poorer households’ income in second year of Covid-19 pandemic is likely to continue once impact of high inflation is taken into account

New Households Below Average Income statistics highlight ‘undoing’ of some of the gains that poorer households made in the first year of the pandemic, and it would not be surprising to see poverty rates rise above their pre-pandemic levels in 2022/2023, IFS says

23 March, 2023

Extension of provisions that enable the use of audio and video live links in courts and tribunals in Northern Ireland

New statutory rule

23 March, 2023

Social security benefits uprating in Northern Ireland for 2023/2024

New statutory rules

22 March, 2023

IPPR calls for suspension of benefit sanctions until inflation is brought under control

In addition, highlighting that those living in the north of England are at a higher risk of sanctions, think tank suggests that local Jobcentre Plus practice may play a significant role

22 March, 2023

Cash-first approaches should be the default response to financial crisis, says APPG on Ending the Need for Food Banks

Parliamentarians from across the political spectrum also call for funding and guidance to make sure strong local support systems are in place so no one has to turn to a food bank

22 March, 2023

UK’s system of income replacement is an ‘inadequate patchwork’ that in most cases falls far behind the support available in other rich countries

Fabian Society says that the next government should introduce a comprehensive new system of ‘British employment insurance’ to stop incomes plummeting during sickness, maternity and unemployment

22 March, 2023

Minister sets out details of new ‘Universal Support’ programme to help disabled people and those with health conditions into work

Under the programme, people will be able to opt-in to receive up to 12 months of 'place and train' support to help them move into suitable work and to sustain that employment for the longer-term

22 March, 2023

Restart scheme will cost more per person and help fewer than planned, Public Account Committee finds

New report also highlights areas for improvement, including better information sharing between work coaches and providers and improved record-keeping about barriers to work faced by claimants

21 March, 2023

DWP confirms that its ‘In Work Progression offer’ is now available across all of Great Britain

Department also highlights that a further 460,000 working claimants in the 'Light Touch' regime will be required to engage with the offer from September 2023

21 March, 2023

Payments to child care provider made to reserve children’s places during Covid-19 lockdown did not amount to ‘relevant child care charges for the purposes of regulation 28 of the Housing Benefit Regulations 2006

Manchester City Council v NG
[2023] UKUT 51 (AAC)
UA-2022-000787-HB

21 March, 2023

Number of households subject to benefit cap decreased by 7 per cent in the three months to November 2022

New DWP statistics also show that 41,000 households left the universal credit cap, with less than 10 per cent leaving due to having earnings at, or over, the earnings threshold

21 March, 2023

HMCTS announces changes to timetable for court and tribunal reform programme

However, Chief Executive says that reform of social security and employment tribunals will be completed over the next year

21 March, 2023

DWP outlines current work to test new online application processes for health and disability-related benefits

Written answer in Parliament confirms that trials are underway for digital work capability questionnaires and online claims for attendance allowance and PIP

21 March, 2023

Uprating of mesothelioma lump sum payments from April 2023 in Northern Ireland

New statutory rule

20 March, 2023

Automation of sanctions decision-making suggests a ‘computer says no’ culture with individual claimant circumstances ignored, says PCS

Union also warns that putting onus for decision-making onto work coaches will destroy relationships with the claimants they support, and risk more violent incidents in jobcentres

20 March, 2023

DWP expects NI records of universal credit claimants who have not had credits added automatically as a result of a 2019 system change to be fully updated over the course of 2023/2024

Response to written questions in Parliament also confirms that any state pension entitlement affected by the issue will be reassessed, and 'any underpayment addressed accordingly’

20 March, 2023

Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland to receive £22 million funding to continue delivering Help to Claim service for a fifth year

However, DWP confirms that service will still only be provided either online or by telephone and that those unable to access support via these channels should contact their local jobcentre instead