Welfare rights news

14 December, 2018

Work and Pensions Committee calls on DWP to withdraw draft universal credit managed migration regulations

Letter to Work and Pensions Secretary says that DWP should not seek parliamentary consent for migration until it can show that it is ready and that separate regulations should be urgently laid to protect those on severe disability premium

14 December, 2018

Draft regulations issued to protect citizens' rights in relation to EU social security coordination in event of 'no deal' Brexit

New legislation aims to 'maintain the status quo on a unilateral basis'

14 December, 2018

Housing benefit uprating 2019/2020

New DWP guidance

14 December, 2018

Reciprocal arrangements between the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man in regard to state pension matters

New statutory instrument

14 December, 2018

Agency arrangement between UK and Scottish Governments for the delivery of welfare food

New Statutory instrument

13 December, 2018

SSAC 'remains concerned' about government's expectation that everyone must make a claim to universal credit under managed migration

Committee also expresses concern that many safeguards in the process are left to DWP discretion rather than enshrined in legislation

13 December, 2018

DWP sets out improvements to processes for dealing with third party deductions under universal credit

New edition of Touchbase also highlights that Welsh language version of online universal credit service is now available

13 December, 2018

Scottish Government Budget 2019/2020 proposals include £584 million of social security spending

£435 million is committed for direct assistance to claimants while a further £77 million is set aside for developing and expanding the Scottish social security system

13 December, 2018

Outstanding caseload of social security appeals has increased 12 per cent since last year despite 20 per cent drop in receipts

New Ministry of Justice statistics also show that 68 per cent of appeals cleared at a hearing are revised in favour of claimant

13 December, 2018

1.3 million ESA work capability assessments were closed by the claimant before completion between October 2013 and March 2018

New DWP statistics also show that 350,000 mandatory reconsiderations were registered in relation to 2.4 million completed work capability assessments in the same period

13 December, 2018

Local authorities in England and Wales spent 45 per cent of their DHP funding in first six months of 2018/2019

New statistics also show that 27 per cent of spending related to bedroom tax and 25 per cent related to benefit cap

13 December, 2018

Revaluation of ‘protected payments’ subject to a pension sharing order in new state pension awards in Northern Ireland

New statutory rule

13 December, 2018

Revaluation of ‘protected payments’ in new state pension awards in Northern Ireland

New statutory rule

12 December, 2018

Child benefit take-up rate drops three percentage points in two years

HMRC statistics for 2016/2017 also show that families with children failed to claim around £2.9bn of tax credits in the year

12 December, 2018

Young adult carers in education should be recognised in devolved carer's benefits, Scottish Social Security Committee Convener says

Letter to Cabinet Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville also says that the young carer grant should be available to young carers who provide 16 hours care to more than one person or who share care provision with more than one carer

12 December, 2018

Welfare rights news

Work and Pensions Committee calls on DWP to withdraw draft universal credit managed migration regulations

Letter to Work and Pensions Secretary says that DWP should not seek parliamentary consent for migration until it can show that it is ready and that separate regulations should be urgently laid to protect those on severe disability premium

Draft regulations issued to protect citizens' rights in relation to EU social security coordination in event of 'no deal' Brexit

Housing benefit uprating 2019/2020

Reciprocal arrangements between the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man in regard to state pension matters

Agency arrangement between UK and Scottish Governments for the delivery of welfare food

SSAC 'remains concerned' about government's expectation that everyone must make a claim to universal credit under managed migration

DWP sets out improvements to processes for dealing with third party deductions under universal credit

New edition of Touchbase also highlights that Welsh language version of online universal credit service is now available

Scottish Government Budget 2019/2020 proposals include £584 million of social security spending

Outstanding caseload of social security appeals has increased 12 per cent since last year despite 20 per cent drop in receipts

1.3 million ESA work capability assessments were closed by the claimant before completion between October 2013 and March 2018

Local authorities in England and Wales spent 45 per cent of their DHP funding in first six months of 2018/2019

Revaluation of ‘protected payments’ subject to a pension sharing order in new state pension awards in Northern Ireland

Revaluation of ‘protected payments’ in new state pension awards in Northern Ireland

Child benefit take-up rate drops three percentage points in two years

Young adult carers in education should be recognised in devolved carer's benefits, Scottish Social Security Committee Convener says

Total value of housing benefit overpayments outstanding in Great Britain continues to follow an increasing trend

Increasing local housing allowance rates when calculating housing benefit and universal credit in 2019/2020

Almost half of universal credit claimants who are working have conditionality applied

47 per cent of reassessed DLA claims result in a lower or nil PIP award