Welfare rights news

15 September, 2022

Cost of administering WCA mandatory reconsiderations and appeals under ESA reduced from more than £27m in 2014/2015 to just £1.3m in 2021/2022

Minister advises that the estimated figures include costs for both direct delivery staff and non-staff costs as well as for DWP Presenting Officers

14 September, 2022

Average cost per social security appeal has quadrupled over last nine years

Minister also advises that the number of appeals disposed of has dropped from more than half a million to just over 90,000 over the same period

13 September, 2022

Benefits and tax credits to be paid early ahead of next week’s State Funeral

DWP and HMRC confirm that payments due on Monday 19 September will instead be made this Friday

13 September, 2022

Fewer than four out of ten new normal rules PIP claims made in the last five years resulted in an award

New DWP statistics also highlight that the number of awards changed at mandatory reconsideration stage has dropped from a peak of around 60 per cent a year ago to just over 20 per cent

12 September, 2022

Bill that reforms terminal illness provisions in PIP, DLA and attendance allowance completes passage through Parliament

Social Security (Special Rules for End of Life) Bill now awaits Royal Assent

12 September, 2022

Government urged to rethink its plans for a Bill of Rights as second reading of proposed legislation is postponed

Vital now that the opportunity is taken to strengthen our rights, not weaken them further by bringing the 'dangerous plans' contained in the Bill of Rights Bill back in another guise

12 September, 2022

DWP’s Way to Work regulations are a ‘poor example of legislative practice’, say peers

Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee highlights that, while the Department says its policy was a success, it is unable to identify the degree to which the regulations had any effect in achieving their target

12 September, 2022

Miscellaneous amendments to council tax reduction schemes and single person discount in Scotland

New statutory instrument

12 September, 2022

Extension of exemptions from LHA shared accommodation rate in Northern Ireland to include victims of domestic abuse and victims of modern slavery

New statutory rule introduces amendments equivalent to those introduced in Great Britain

8 September, 2022

Government rejects MPs’ recommendation to pause deductions from benefits to help ease financial pressures during cost of living crisis

Response to Work and Pensions Committee report also rejects recommendations to address wider issues with the adequacy and uprating of benefits

8 September, 2022

Government confirms delay in launch of Early Legal Advice Pilot Scheme in Manchester and Middlesbrough

Pilot will begin in 'late summer' following the conclusion of a feasibility study to inform its final design and how it will be evaluated

8 September, 2022

Extension of exemptions from LHA shared accommodation rate to include victims of domestic abuse and victims of modern slavery from 1 October 2022

New statutory instrument

8 September, 2022

New DWP guidance requiring presenting officers to let appeals proceed without contacting claimant if decision revised partially in their favour close to hearing date

Practice of contacting claimants to give option to continue with appeal or have decision revised is amended 'to avoid placing claimants under undue time pressure close to the hearing date’

8 September, 2022

Two-thirds of ESA work capability assessments result in a support group award

New DWP statistics also show that, while end-to-end clearance times for initial claims have fallen from their peak in July 2021, they remain at more than six months

8 September, 2022

Number of social security and child support appeal receipts in April to June 2022 was up by more than 80 per cent compared to same period in 2021

New MoJ statistics also show that disposals were down by 16 per cent and that the outstanding caseload was up 63 per cent compared to previous year

7 September, 2022

Value of housing benefit overpayments recovered or written off by local authorities exceeds value of overpayments identified for third year running

DWP statistics highlight that the trend since 2019/2020 has brought down outstanding housing benefit debt from a peak of £2.12 billion in March 2018 to £1.78 billion in January 2022

7 September, 2022

TUC sets out series of proposed reforms to universal credit designed to create a ‘fairer, more effective system’

Implementing reforms would provide for a new system, while making use of existing IT to avoid disruption to claimants

6 September, 2022

Chloe Smith appointed new Work and Pensions Secretary as Thérèse Coffey moves to Health and Social Care

New Prime Minister's Cabinet reshuffle also sees a new Chancellor, Home Secretary and Secretaries of State for Housing and Justice

6 September, 2022

Scottish Government confirms that it will increase Scottish child payment to £25 and expand eligibility to those aged between six and 15 from 14 November 2022

2022/2023 Programme for Government also confirms that two further bridging payments worth minimum of £130 will be made in October and December 2022

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