Welfare rights news

29 October, 2018

Universal support is not ‘universal’ and it doesn’t offer much in the way of support, say MPs

Select Committee also finds DWP's aggressive approach to collecting debts leaves claimants 'swimming against a tide of unmanageable repayments'

29 October, 2018

Scottish Government creating technical prototype for creation and re-use of digital identities

Social Security Agency and a local authority will test the prototype with child DLA and single person council tax discount

26 October, 2018

DWP's 'systemic culture of denial and defensiveness' is a significant risk to universal credit programme, say MPs

New Public Accounts Committee report calls on Department to urgently demonstrate 'a step change in its attitude to listening and responding to feedback'

26 October, 2018

Accuracy of work coaches’ management of claimant commitment processes fell to just 70 per cent in December 2017

Minister for Employment also says that ‘failure to attend’ decision making has been identified as another ‘emerging risk’

26 October, 2018

Working people with disabilities up to £300 a month worse off under universal credit, says Citizens Advice

New report highlights problem with accessing work allowance for those who are not assessed as having limited capability for work

25 October, 2018

DWP must recognise additional support that people living in supported housing need to access universal credit

Housing providers recommend giving support workers access to the claimant journal to allow a two-way information flow

25 October, 2018

Changes to social security since 2010 will have a disproportionately negative impact on several protected groups, says EHRC

Commission reports that for households with at least one disabled adult and a disabled child, average annual cash losses are just over £6,500

25 October, 2018

Regulation of appointments to the Scottish Commission on Social Security and Poverty and Inequality Commission

New statutory instrument

24 October, 2018

Lack of sufficient universal credit case managers is driving problem behaviours on part of claimants, says PCS

Union warns that massive pressure is being put on staff 'who know that vulnerable people are being poorly served by DWP'

24 October, 2018

Social Security Scotland confirms membership of new Executive Advisory Body

Role of new non-executive members includes offering advice and support to the Chief Executive on Agency strategy and governance

23 October, 2018

Cost of medical assessments carried out for DWP by private contractors has quadrupled over the last eight years

Minister for Disabled People confirms that the Department spent around £450 million in 2017/2018

23 October, 2018

National Fraud Initiative in Wales detected £0.64 million in housing benefit fraud and error overpayments between 2016 and 2018

Amount detected down by £0.5 million compared to the period from 2014 to 2015

22 October, 2018

Government needs to ‘urgently rethink’ its policy of single household payments in universal credit

Select Committee recommends making split payments standard for all couples in line with the approach in Scotland

19 October, 2018

Prepopulating universal credit claims with data from legacy benefit awards could recreate problems with transfer from incapacity benefits to ESA

However, Universal Credit Director General also tells Work and Pensions Committee that DWP is exploring use of prepopulation in 'bespoke' areas such as proof of identity and where claimants have a DS1500

19 October, 2018

Work and Pensions Secretary rules out enabling claimants to defer repayment of universal credit advances until the end of their award

Response to Work and Pensions Committee questions on DWP's debt collection practices also says that DWP Debt Management always aim to agree repayment levels that are 'affordable and sustainable'

18 October, 2018

Responsibility for compensating for loss of passported benefits due to ESA underpayments is down to 'Government Department concerned'

Minister says it would be 'impractical' for the DWP to find out whether people accessed particular schemes

18 October, 2018

Commons votes against motion calling for the release of recent analyses of the impact of universal credit on claimants' finances

Opposition Day debate is lost by 279 votes to 299

18 October, 2018

Citizens Advice Scotland calls for single, non-refundable payment to be made to new universal credit claimants at start of their claim

New report highlights that in last eighteen months CAB clients’ rent arrears issues have predominantly been caused by them moving onto universal credit

18 October, 2018

55 per cent of universal credit claimants are having deductions taken from their award in respect of debts to the DWP

Minister for Employment confirms that Department will consider reducing or suspending recovery of these debts if there is hardship

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