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DWP response to coronavirus
Just now from @faisalislam
NEW/ Exclusive: Government has just told BBC that Coronavirus/COVID19 is to be formally registered as a “notifiable disease” ...
Of course, already notifiable in Scotland and Northern Ireland:
https://www.gov.scot/news/coronavirus-becomes-notifiable-disease-in-scotland
https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/health/HSS%28MD%29-9-2020.pdf
SSP to take effect from day one.
They are going to have to do something about the ESA waiting days also - ?
Matt Hancock this afternoon in the Commons ...
- govt is ‘absolutely willing’ to look at using healthcare professionals currently carrying out DWP assessments at the coronavirus frontline
It will be interesting to see how that works out. “You are fit for work, you score 0 points on the coronavirus capability test… erm, actually, sorry, Wrong job!”
Govt has now added that: “The [SSP] change will be a temporary measure to respond to the outbreak and will lapse when it is no longer required ...”
The DWP has added some coronavirus-related info to its Universal Credit pages:
https://www.understandinguniversalcredit.gov.uk/coronavirus/
Government may also wish to address how our fraudster friends will try to exploit people on benefits:
‘Need help getting sick pay or a free government loan?’ etc…..
Notifiable status confirmed in England:
At 6.15pm on 5 March 2020, a statutory instrument was made into law that adds COVID-19 to the list of notifiable diseases ...
This change was made by adding them to the Health Protection (Notification) Regulations 2010.
This change in law requires GPs to report all cases of COVID-19 to Public Health England.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/coronavirus-covid-19-listed-as-a-notifiable-disease
In a (corrected) written answer on Friday, Mims Davies gave update on self-isolation and conditionality -
Claimants who are self-isolating as a result of Covid-19 will have their mandatory work search and work availability requirements switched off during that period.
Any work-related requirements outside of this will be tailored to take into consideration the claimant’s capability and circumstances, can be conducted over the phone or through digital formats and ensure they are realistic and achievable.
So, given that self-isolation appears to a be a judgement and a choice…
In a (corrected) written answer on Friday, Mims Davies gave update on self-isolation and conditionality -
Claimants who are self-isolating as a result of Covid-19 will have their mandatory work search and work availability requirements switched off during that period.
Any work-related requirements outside of this will be tailored to take into consideration the claimant’s capability and circumstances, can be conducted over the phone or through digital formats and ensure they are realistic and achievable.
Which presumably means that for a self employed claimant the MIF must not be applied as the MIF can only apply if the claimant would be subject to full conditionality if it were not for the MIF.
Sounds like they’ll be using powers under Reg. 99 to remove conditionality, and that doesn’t help for the MIF, unfortunately.
Sounds like they’ll be using powers under Reg. 99 to remove conditionality, and that doesn’t help for the MIF, unfortunately.
Thanks, Charles. Which has the consequence that SE may not be able to afford to self-isolate.
Statement from the Work and Pensions Secretary:
[ Edited: 16 Mar 2020 at 10:44 pm by shawn mach ]“‘nobody should be penalised for doing the right thing’.
Aha, more comedy with no insight into the irony.
Quite an inadequate statement in many ways, and rather cold.
Why on earth are they even faintly considering sanctioning anyone?
Anyone who has been told to self-isolate will very likely be a very worried person; shouldn’t government be considering supporting them, not which work-related activity to stick them with? ‘I sanctioned this person because when I phoned up all they wanted to talk about was being scared of dying. I wanted them to look at jobs websites. They didn’t engage.’
Perhaps they think they’re helping - ‘two weeks with nowt to do but twiddle their thumbs, we’ll keep ‘em busy….’
We also need an explanation of what they are going to do about the ESA claim process, the 7-day wait and advance payments; the statement makes it sound too easy.
As for UC, see above for problems with the MIF etc etc. Are people going to be treated as having LCW and will this help?
Not to mention a legacy of debt because people have had to take repayable advances.
‘Exceptional circumstances’ require an exceptional response, and this isn’t one.
I think all responses need to be seen in the context that other governments are largely addressing the issue from a health crisis perspective whereas the British government is addressing the issue from an economic crisis perspective. The reluctance to convene Cobra is thus entirely in keeping with that approach. Statements re: the benefits system are way down the list as the focus is on economic activity rather than economic inactivity.
Add in what we already know about the DWPs approach to anyone dying whilst on a social security benefit and I don’t see why such statements should be a surprise or why we should expect any more. Well, I know “why” we ought to expect more but, realistically, when seen as above it simply isn’t going to happen.
New House of Commons Library briefing published on coronavirus, SSP and employment rights (as at 10 March 2020).
Some coronanvirus-related stuff just now in the Budget speech
Just published: the Statutory Sick Pay (General) (Coronavirus Amendment) Regulations 2020
Meanwhile in N.Ireland ... we have the Employment and Support Allowance and Universal Credit (Coronavirus) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020
Just published: the Statutory Sick Pay (General) (Coronavirus Amendment) Regulations 2020
This reads as if it only amends the definition of who is incapable; is something else needed to amend the provision for waiting days, or am I (not unusually) missing something?
HMCTS has just launched a new rolling guidance page relating to court and tribunal planning and preparation:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-courts-and-tribunals-planning-and-preparation
This reads as if it only amends the definition of who is incapable; is something else needed to amend the provision for waiting days, or am I (not unusually) missing something?
The budget documents say this change will be legislated for in the forthcoming “COVID-19 Bill”.
New press release - Coronavirus support for employees, benefit claimants and businesses - says -
‘people who cannot work due to coronavirus and are eligible for Statutory Sick Pay will get it from day one, rather than from the fourth day of their illness – we intend to legislate so this measure applies retrospectively from 13 March 2020.’
New from Public Health England: COVID-19: residential care, supported living and home care guidance:
New ‘Coronavirus: Claiming welfare benefits’ briefing from the House of Commons Library:
https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/insights/coronavirus-claiming-welfare-benefits
On Monday, the DWP will announce that face-to-face assessments for people claiming sickness and disability benefits will be suspended for three months. Instead claimants will be assessed by phone or paper-based methods ...
Paper based assessments will be great for many. However my fear is that people who are now not able to get into a advice agency to help complete their form to the level that allows a paper based assessment to run smoothly might start seeing a spike in poor decisions.
The nature of form filling i think is that a lot of advice organisations rely on volunteers to prop up that part of their work. Volunteers might be reluctant to venture out at the moment.
I would assume that the demand for form filling will continue , if not increase in the coming months unless so temporary blocks/extensions are issued by the DWP?
New regs ...
... the Employment and Support Allowance and Universal Credit (Coronavirus Disease) Regulations 2020
New SSP regs for N.Ireland ...
... the Statutory Sick Pay (General) (Coronavirus Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020