Welfare rights news and case law

10 January, 2024

DWP tells Work and Pensions Committee that managed migration to universal credit is ‘on track’ and ‘going very well’

Universal Credit Senior Responsible Owner also shares learning from migration discovery phase, including that 14 per cent of income support claimants wanted to claim universal credit by phone

10 January, 2024

DWP confirms that it is clearing new PIP claims faster than it did before the Covid-19 pandemic despite recent increase in numbers received

Minister says strategies including prioritising new claims and increased case manager and health assessment provider resources have helped to reduce clearance time to 15 weeks as at October 2023

10 January, 2024

DWP says that 8,000 former universal credit claimants have been underpaid state pension as a result of temporary suspension of automated national insurance credits data transfer to HMRC

Universal Credit Senior Responsible Owner tells Work and Pensions Committee that £2.5 million of underpayments have been paid to affected claimants so far

9 January, 2024

Increasing local housing allowance rates to 30th percentile for 2024/2025

Alongside new statutory instrument, DWP publishes indicative rates based on data for the year to 30 September 2023

8 January, 2024

Where a LEAP decision can be construed as a non-hopeless application for anytime official error revision, then the entirety of the decision can be considered on appeal

CW v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (PIP)
[2023] UKUT 297 (AAC)
UA-2023-000775-PIP

8 January, 2024

First-tier Tribunal erred in law by directing Secretary of State to treat a claim for universal credit as a claim for income-related employment and support allowance

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions v PL (UC)
[2023] UKUT 288 (AAC)
UA-2022-001685-UOTH

8 January, 2024

Increase in standard interest rate charged on loans for mortgage interest from 3.28 per cent to 4.5 per cent

New figure applies from 1 January 2024 in line with calculation method set out in the Loans for Mortgage Interest Regulations 2017

5 January, 2024

Three-month wait for universal credit LCWRA element should not be applied to older member of mixed-age couple whose ESA ended on reaching pension age

PR v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (UC)
[2023] UKUT 290 (AAC)
UA-2022-000330-ULCW

5 January, 2024

Change made in Scotland to make it easier to move from child disability payment to adult disability payment

Social Security Scotland says that new rules will mean that claimants 'will know how much they are going to get and when they will get it'

4 January, 2024

Evidence that comes to light later, but relates to the time a decision was made, can be used to establish whether a decision was made based on a mistake as to a material fact

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions v SV
[2023] UKUT 279 (AAC)
UA-2023-000362-USTA

2 January, 2024

Claimant who was imprisoned on remand before end of first assessment period was not entitled to universal credit

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions v AH (UC)
[2023] UKUT 274 (AAC)
UA-2023-000283-UHC

22 December, 2023

DWP issues guidance to local authorities on housing benefit uprating for financial year ending March 2025

New circular includes information on the timing of housing benefit uprating and how uprating of other benefits should be applied in housing benefit assessments

22 December, 2023

HMRC confirms tax credits, child benefit and guardian’s allowance rates for 2024/2025

New guidance issued setting our rates and thresholds that will apply from April 2024

21 December, 2023

Chief Medical Officer for Scotland issues updated guidance in relation to terminal illness rules for disability benefits

Letter to clinicians highlights that it is a legal requirement to pay regard to the guidance when completing the BASRiS form

20 December, 2023

Information Commissioner says that he is unable to provide assurance to Parliament that measure requiring banks to provide information on claimants’ bank accounts is proportionate

Commissioner also expresses concern that amendment to Data Protection and Digital Information Bill does not provide adequate information about scope of powers and safeguards against arbitrary interference with right to private life

20 December, 2023

Number of new claims registered for PIP continues to increase following a largely upward trend for 2023

220,000 new registrations in three months to October 2023 represents the highest level since PIP began

19 December, 2023

Suggestion that role of disability minister has been downgraded is a ‘complete misunderstanding’ says Work and Pensions Secretary

Under Secretary of State adds that there is no difference in her convening power or in the day-to-day work and that she will carry out the role 'whatever the title or rank'

19 December, 2023

Work and Pensions Secretary gives categorical assurance that powers to carry out checks on claimants’ bank accounts will only be used where ‘there is a clear signal of fraud or error’

Response to Topical Question in House of Commons follows recent vote in favour of government amendment to Data Protection and Digital Information Bill

19 December, 2023

First Health Transformation Programme statistics show that almost 7,300 claimants were referred to the new service between January and October 2023

New figures also highlight the number of claimants registering a PIP claim via the new digital channel