Forum Home → Discussion → Covid-19 issues → Thread
UC standard amount increase-when does it apply from?
There appears to be a discrepancy between the Guidance in ADM 04/20 and the Social Security (Coronavirus) (Further Measures) Amendment Regulations 2020 regarding the date the increase applies from.
Normal uprating is on or after the uprating date (6th April this year), as in the ADM, but the amendment Regs state
‘’ The increase to the UC standard allowance is from the assessment period that ends on or after 6.4.20.’‘
This effectively gives someone making their claim 7th March the increase for the month, ending 6th April? So quite a difference.
Has anyone come across whether this increase is being paid to clients who’s assessment period ended on or after 6th April?
Yes, I saw one today where the AP ended 8 April. Was paid the increased amount.
There appears to be a discrepancy between the Guidance in ADM 04/20 and the Social Security (Coronavirus) (Further Measures) Amendment Regulations 2020 regarding the date the increase applies from.
Normal uprating is on or after the uprating date (6th April this year), as in the ADM, but the amendment Regs state
‘’ The increase to the UC standard allowance is from the assessment period that ends on or after 6.4.20.’‘This effectively gives someone making their claim 7th March the increase for the month, ending 6th April? So quite a difference.
Has anyone come across whether this increase is being paid to clients who’s assessment period ended on or after 6th April?
I suspect that having made these big announcements about increased money somebody realised late in the day that under normal rules nobody would see the extra money until payment made on or after 12th May which wouldn’t look good.
That is why the government needed to make these additional regulations so that the increased allowances and increased LHA rates would apply tops ending on or after 6th April so that the extra money appears in payments due on or after 13th April. The inflation linked increases to the other elements are still subject to the normal rules and only apply to APs starting on or after 6th April.
So it’s not really a discrepancy (in the senses of an error) - it’s the reason for these special regulations.