Welfare rights news and case law

14 February, 2019

Seven per cent of all universal credit claimants are having deductions at 40 per cent of their standard allowance

Minister for Employment adds that a further 5,000 claimants are having deductions exceeding the maximum 40 per cent rate

14 February, 2019

Almost a fifth of new universal credit claims are closed due to ‘non-compliance with the process’

Minister for Employment advises that this includes failure to sign a claimant commitment or to provide evidence to support a claim

14 February, 2019

All-Party Parliamentary Group launches inquiry into effects of the 2016 Welfare Reform and Work Act

Inquiry will focus on how children and disabled people have been affected since Act was introduced almost three years ago

14 February, 2019

Continuation of help with NHS costs following the introduction of integrated health and care services

New statutory instrument

14 February, 2019

Scottish Commission on Social Security is 'open for business' and one of first tasks is scrutiny of Young Carer Grant regulations

Commission Chair also says that work has started to develop a forward work plan, to set up operating methods and to establish a website

14 February, 2019

Judicial review is not an appropriate remedy in a case where statutory appeal is available to challenge refusal to make provisional CTC payments

[2019] EWHC 251 (Admin)

14 February, 2019

Tax credits and guardian’s allowance uprating 2019/2020

New statutory instrument

14 February, 2019

National Insurance earnings limits and thresholds for 2019/2020

New statutory instrument

13 February, 2019

Government considering whether rules relating to calculation of monthly rents in universal credit need amending

Conversion method means one day's rent a year - or two in a leap year - are not covered by benefit

13 February, 2019

Universal credit staff considering industrial action over unmanageable workloads

Key demands include limiting the number of phone calls per case manager, and taking a 'quality-focused' approach

13 February, 2019

Exclusion of mixed-age couples from entitlement to pension credit

New DWP guidance

13 February, 2019

Resolving concerns over Motability reserves offers ‘huge scope’ to improve lives of disabled claimants without increasing tax spending, say MPs

Treasury and Work and Pensions Committees also urge Motability charity governors to ‘stop making excuses’ and provide full evidence to the committees

12 February, 2019

Difficulties accessing money at start of universal credit claims could have been 'main issue' leading to increased food bank use, concedes Secretary of State

Responding to oral questions yesterday, Minister for Employment adds that there are 'no targets for getting claimants to use a digital channel'

12 February, 2019

DWP confirms that Post Office Card Account contract to end in November 2021

However, Minister tells parliament that DWP will implement an alternative payment service for claimants who are unable to open a mainstream account by that date

12 February, 2019

Tribunals are normally required to obtain information about the nature of a claimant's conflicting appointment that led to a postponement application

CPIP/2222/2018
[2018] UKUT 444 (AAC)

11 February, 2019

Government has 'failed utterly' to grasp the seriousness of the impact of its counter-productive sanctions regime, say MPs

While agreeing to evaluate the effectiveness of sanctions in getting people into work, government is still not considering the impact on claimants’ financial and personal wellbeing

11 February, 2019

Tribunal fails to make clear findings as to frequency of night time care needs of child DLA claimant when refusing award

CDLA/1227/2018
[2018] UKUT 445 (AAC)

11 February, 2019

DHP allocations for 2019/2020 for local authorities in England and Wales

New DWP guidance

8 February, 2019

DWP aims to make severe disability premium transitional payments within six months of managed migration regulations being laid

However, Minister confirms that no date has yet been set for this as draft regulations are subject to parliamentary debate