Welfare rights news and case law

23 March, 2020 Open access

Select Committee questions Secretary of State about ‘alternative arrangements’ for disability assessments in light of the coronavirus outbreak

Chair of Work and Pensions Committee also asks how many claimants are awaiting an appeal for disability benefits and what support is being put in place for them

23 March, 2020 Open access

Amendments to ESA and universal credit in response to the coronavirus outbreak

New DWP guidance

23 March, 2020 Open access

Public access to jobcentres to be restricted, with 10,000 staff moved to focus on processing new claims

Measures to be introduced tomorrow are part of the government’s effort to stop the spread of coronavirus

23 March, 2020 Open access

Sickness and disability benefit reviews and reassessments suspended for the next three months as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

We will do whatever it takes to protect claimants and our staff, says Work and Pensions Secretary

23 March, 2020 Open access

Amendment of SSP regulations in Northern Ireland as a result of updated public health guidance on coronavirus (COVID-19)

New statutory rule

23 March, 2020

Tribunal erred in law by considering whether claimant was properly referred to the Work Programme when this was not an issue raised on the appeal

CJSA/1122/2016
[2020] UKUT 26 (AAC)

23 March, 2020

DWP issues guidance on how additional £40 million DHP funding for 2020/2021 will be allocated to local authorities in England and Wales

Councils that have largest shortfall between actual rents and LHA rates will receive largest proportion of funding

23 March, 2020

Housing benefit subsidy limits for Welsh local authorities 2020/2021

New DWP guidance

21 March, 2020 Open access

Government publishes further details of its ‘Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme’

New scheme to support employees who have been ‘furloughed’ as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak will run for at least 3 months from 1 March 2020

20 March, 2020 Open access

Government announces new employment support package and series of benefit changes for people affected by coronavirus

Economic intervention ‘unprecedented in the history of the British state’, says Chancellor

20 March, 2020 Open access

Government launches online ‘isolation note’ for employees to provide evidence that they have been advised to self-isolate due to coronavirus (COVID-19)

However, government confirms that people who need to claim universal credit or employment and support allowance due to coronavirus will not be required to produce a fit note or isolation note

20 March, 2020

DWP has used discretion to waive universal credit overpayment recovery in just eight cases over last three years

Written answer from DWP Minister confirms that no debts were waived in 2017/2018, five were waived in 2018/2019 and three have been waived in 2019/2020 to date

20 March, 2020

DWP has identified almost 100,000 fraudulent universal credit advance claims worth between £100-£150 million

However, National Audit Office estimates that there are almost 50,000 additional cases that have yet to be identified, with value between £50-£74 million

20 March, 2020 Open access

Contingency Arrangements in the First-Tier Tribunal and the Upper Tribunal during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic

Senior President of Tribunals issues Practice Directions for hearings to be decided without a hearing whenever possible

20 March, 2020

Uprating of mesothelioma lump sum payments in Northern Ireland from April 2020

New statutory rule

19 March, 2020 Open access

Coronavirus Bill, that includes power to pay SSP from day one, given its first reading in the House of Commons

Bill also includes provision to enable employers with fewer than 250 employees to reclaim SSP paid for coronavirus-related sickness absences

19 March, 2020

DWP issues sample letter that will be sent to PIP claimants considered as most unlikely to benefit from MH and RJ review exercise

Minister says letter explains ‘how we are implementing the Upper Tribunal decisions, who is likely to be affected, and that claimants can ask us for a review if they think they are affected’

19 March, 2020 Open access

DWP announces no requirement to attend jobcentre appointments for three months

However, jobcentres will remain open and will continue to support people who cannot go online or use the phone to make claims or get support

19 March, 2020 Open access

New claimants will have priority for telephone and paper-based disability assessments to ensure access to support, says Minister

Health professionals will also be moved on to the telephone systems to help cope with demand