Welfare rights news and case law

17 July, 2019

Funeral expenses payment claims process amended to enable claims with estimated funeral date

DWP says change is set to significantly speed up the claims and payments process

16 July, 2019

Disabled people have lost on average four times as much as non-disabled people as a result of welfare cuts

Disability Benefits Consortium also highlights that the full impact of universal credit has not yet been felt and warns that it is 'a disaster waiting to happen'

16 July, 2019

Council tenants on universal credit more than three times as likely to be in arrears than tenants on housing benefit

Survey of local authority landlords also finds that tenants on universal credit are almost four times more likely to face court action

15 July, 2019

Government proposes extension of statutory sick pay to those earning less than lower earnings limit

New proposal forms part of consultation on how employers can better support disabled people and people with long-term health conditions to stay in work

15 July, 2019

More than a third of child support workers see families affected by welfare cuts on a daily basis

Survey carried out by Buttle UK also finds that more than half of the families worked with are living in destitution

15 July, 2019

IIAC recommends new guidance for diagnosing and assessing hand arm vibration syndrome

Advisory Council says guidance addresses concerns about inconsistent interpretations of claimants’ descriptions of the timing, onset, and progression of the disease

12 July, 2019

Scottish Social Security Committee calls on UK Government to halt launch of universal credit managed migration pilot

Pilot should be put on hold to ensure that there is 'no negative impact upon claimants who rely on this money', says Committee Convener

12 July, 2019

Interest rate charged on support for mortgage interest loans drops to 1.3 per cent

New rate applies from 1 July 2019 to be reviewed in six months

11 July, 2019

Reform programme needed to ‘take an axe’ to the root causes of destitution in the UK

New report calls for properly functioning welfare safety net to address countless harrowing stories of painful decisions that people are making just to get by

11 July, 2019

Government invites Work and Pensions Committee to contribute to review of the Social Security Advisory Committee

Taliored review will also consider the functions of the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council

11 July, 2019

Secretary of State asks DWP to set up an 'honest and in depth evaluation' of benefits for those with terminal illnesses

Review will also look at whether more can be done to improve 'engagement' with the department for claimants living with the most severe conditions

11 July, 2019

DWP backtracks on Minister's assurance that innocent victims of advance payment fraud will not be expected to pay money back

In the Commons, Minister had also said that DWP will consider putting claimants back on to their legacy benefits 'if they were better off under those'

11 July, 2019

Department for Communities settles discrimination claim from transgender woman denied state pension under Northern Ireland’s Gender Recognition Certificate rules

Human Rights Commission successfully argues that requirement to be unmarried before issue of Certificate is discriminatory

11 July, 2019

Scottish Government launches consultation on independent advocacy support for disabled benefit claimants

Subject to the consultation, it is planned that support will be in place for summer 2020 when disability assistance is delivered

11 July, 2019

More than half of local authorities spent less than their DHP central government allocation in 2018/2019

New spending data shows that 205 councils in England and Wales underspent DHP funding of more than £5.5 million in the year

10 July, 2019

Government says consideration of High Court's SDP judgment is holding up progress in tabling managed migration regulations

Parliamentary Under-Secretary says Department is 'considering the options open to us and will respond in due course'

10 July, 2019

DWP's Chief Digital Officer refutes allegation that Department tried to hide phone numbers in bid to make claimant contacts online only

Select Committee told that the Department would always provide alternative means of contact

10 July, 2019

Tribunal should have considered claimant's audio-recording and transcript of HCP assessment even if recording was made covertly

CPIP/2310/2018
[2019] UKUT 179 (AAC)

9 July, 2019

DWP estimates that 10 per cent of universal credit advances are potentially fraudulent

'If you think you've been targeted, we urge you to report it urgently', says DWP Minister