Welfare rights news

9 November, 2023

Work and Pensions Committee launches inquiry to examine effectiveness of statutory sick pay

Responses will inform consideration of how benefit might be reformed to better support the recovery and return to work of people who claim it

9 November, 2023

DWP Permanent Secretary confirms that powers used to distribute Household Support Fund cannot be used to support those with NRPF

Where a person with NRPF is not eligible to access the Fund, Mr Schofield suggests that 'they may decide that their best option will be returning to their home country'

9 November, 2023

DWP confirms that the ‘Verify’ system introduced to carer’s allowance in 2018 to automate identification of overpayments has saved the Department more than £130 million to date

However, correspondence with the Work and Pensions Committee also highlights that 40,000 cases identified as at risk of overpayment remain outstanding as at October 2023

9 November, 2023

Enabling awards of universal credit and maternity allowance to be notified through online Tell Us Once service when someone dies

Work and Pensions Secretary issues new electronic communications directions

9 November, 2023

DWP confirms closure of a further 25 temporary jobcentres in fifth phase of decommissioning programme

Minister provides update on further reduction in jobcentre estate bringing it towards target of reducing provision to pre-pandemic levels

8 November, 2023

Information Commissioner’s Office orders the DWP to disclose the costings and equality impact assessments relating to the decision to remove the work capability assessment

Department required to publish information within 35 days or face possible action in the High Court

7 November, 2023

All Scottish benefits should be increased by September CPI of 6.7 per cent, or Social Justice and Social Security Committee says it will require ‘detailed justification’ as to why they are not

As part of its pre-budget scrutiny, Committee also asks Scottish Government to set out exactly how it will prioritise funding to mitigate the cost of living crisis

6 November, 2023

DWP provides progress update on the development of its integrated Health Assessment Service

Department tells stakeholders that the new Functional Assessment Service commencing in September 2024, will be the foundation for the HAS going forward

6 November, 2023

Poverty levels in the UK are ‘simply not acceptable’ and the government is violating international law, warns UN poverty envoy

Media reports also suggest that UN special rapporteur considers that increasing universal credit would be the 'single most important step' to help reduce poverty

6 November, 2023

Scottish Government seeks views on proposed new £2,000 social security payment to support young people leaving care

Minister urges people who have experience of care or who provide support to them to respond in order to help develop the payment and 'ensure we get this right'

6 November, 2023

Senedd Committee calls for Welsh Government to ‘follow the evidence’ on tackling child poverty by prioritising policies that make the maximum contribution

New report from Equality and Social Justice Committee also calls for an update on progress with the development of the Welsh benefits system

3 November, 2023

DWP confirms automatic extension for universal credit migration notices with a deadline date falling within the Christmas 2023 period

New edition of Touchbase says that all migration notices that have a deadline date between 11 December 2023 and 5 January 2024 have had the extension applied

3 November, 2023

Chancellor and Work and Pensions Secretary warned that simply ramping up conditionality and sanctions for those receiving incapacity benefits will create more barriers to work, not less

Letter from advice and civic society organisations also warns that any attempt to drive up employment through welfare cuts, forced compliance, or a disproportionate focus on those furthest from the labour market is a ‘dead-end for the taxpayer’

2 November, 2023

Ensuring that residence test for housing benefit entitlement is met for certain persons arriving from Israel, the Occupied Palestinian Territories or Lebanon

New DWP guidance

1 November, 2023

Ensuring that residence tests for benefit entitlement are met for certain persons arriving from Israel, the Occupied Palestinian Territories or Lebanon

New DWP guidance

1 November, 2023

Citizens Advice expresses serious concern that government’s proposed changes to WCA would do more harm than good

Charity warns that, if implemented, changes risk undermining the longer term aims of the Health and Disability White Paper

1 November, 2023

Scottish Government introduces Bill to improve the experience of people using the services provided by Social Security Scotland

New legislation will introduce a new form of devolved support for care-experienced individuals and new rights in relation to challenging liability for overpayments and late re-determinations of decisions and appeals

1 November, 2023

Scottish Government urged to take opportunity presented by introduction of new pension age disability benefit to reconsider justification for excluding a mobility component

Scrutiny report on draft Disability Assistance for Older People Regulations also recommends that if a mobility component is not possible, other forms of transport assistance should be considered, either from within or outside the Scottish social security system

31 October, 2023

More than 60 per cent of people see fraud and error in the welfare benefits system as a big problem

Ahead of potential legislative measures to help reduce fraud, error and debt, new DWP research seeks to 'explore their acceptability' to help inform future policy development and assess communication approaches

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