Welfare rights news and case law

11 April, 2019

DWP's approach to explicit consent is 'unduly restrictive' and puts people at risk of 'significant prejudice', says ICO

DWP must take active steps to ensure policy works on a practical level for both individuals and their representatives

11 April, 2019

Select Committee demands second response to its report on universal credit childcare support after government's 'skimpy and disappointing' first response

Committee says it is 'sick of disrespectful government responses' that fail to engage with its evidence-based reports

11 April, 2019

Select Committees launch joint inquiry into Northern Ireland’s welfare policy

With Northern Ireland 'mitigation' funding due to end in 2020, inquiry will examine impact of policies such as universal credit and two-child limit

11 April, 2019

Universal credit payments to corporate appointees will now include the relevant National Insurance number, says DWP

New edition of Touchbase advises that this will assist appointees who support more than one claim to identify the payments

11 April, 2019

DWP expects to have private landlord online alternative payment system in place by end of 2019

Work and Pensions Secretary confirms that Apply for Direct Rent Payment service is currently being developed using number of 'test landlords'

10 April, 2019

Tribunal has no power to issue a ‘peremptory adjournment’

CPIP/1217/2018
[2019] UKUT 21 (AAC)

10 April, 2019

Whether residence in Australia before March 2001 can be relied upon in calculation of transitional rate of new state pension

CP/1664/2018
[2019] UKUT 61 (AAC)

9 April, 2019

Work and Pensions Committee opens new follow-up inquiry into ‘profound injustice’ of bereavement benefits

MPs to examine how bereavement support payment is working in practice and press government for response to Supreme Court ruling on bereavement benefits for unmarried bereaved parents

9 April, 2019

PIP ‘20 metre rule’ will cost more than it’s predicted to save, says MS Society

New research estimates knock-on costs could be £92.7 million compared to savings of £83.3 million

9 April, 2019

Need for local authority to provide clear evidence of how claimed overpayment calculated

CH/2937/2017 & CH/0258/2018
[2019] UKUT 45 (AAC)

9 April, 2019

Whether tribunal is required to put reliability and credibility conclusions to claimant if it properly assesses evidence

CSPIP/341/2018
[2019] UKUT 50 (AAC)

9 April, 2019

Disregard of discretionary housing payments in calculation of council tax reduction in Scotland

New statutory instrument

8 April, 2019

State pension information will be included in new pensions dashboard 'as soon as possible', says government

In the interim, government proposes that new service could incorporate a link to 'Check your State Pension' on gov.uk

8 April, 2019

Specified accommodation referral arrangements between housing benefit and universal credit teams failing some claimants

DWP issues guidance to local authorities to signpost claimants back to universal credit if found not to be in specified accommodation

8 April, 2019

Protecting reciprocal social security rights enjoyed by British and Irish citizens in the event of the UK's exit from the EU

New statutory rule issued in relation to the modification of social security legislation applicable to Northern Ireland

5 April, 2019

Justin Tomlinson replaces Sarah Newton as DWP Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work

Will Quince also joins DWP team as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Family Support, Housing and Child Maintenance

5 April, 2019

Final universal credit live service cases transferred to full service

Universal Credit Director of Operations says it is another step to ‘getting there’

5 April, 2019

DWP provides further information about 'Proof of Concept' on starting from point of no conditionality for universal credit claimants awaiting WCA

Minister confirms that small scale test will be evaluated in Autumn 2019 'after which we will determine next steps'

5 April, 2019

DWP prioritising work on capturing aggregated data about universal credit claimants, including those with vulnerabilities

Written answer to parliament

Welfare rights

DWP must take active steps to ensure policy works on a practical level for both individuals and their representatives

CP/1664/2018 [2019] UKUT 61 (AAC)

CP/1664/2018
[2019] UKUT 61 (AAC)