Read the latest social welfare news from around the UK.
People into work- 500,000 target
The government has announced a policy of trying to get half a million Universal Credit claimants into work by June.
Terminal Illness and Claimant Commitments
The law is changing from 15/2/2022. Rather than being at the discretion of the work coach, there will be a specific exemption from the requirement to accept a claimant commitment, for those classed as terminally ill.
The government say-
Flexible Support Fund
Flexible Support Fund information has been released by the government. It gives a good summary of the discretionary, budget limited scheme aimed at improving a claimant’s job prospects.
Medicals Mostly still by Telephone
During the pandemic we have seen a move from face to face medicals for Benefts assessments to mostly those over the telephone(78%).
The trend has stayed and the government has released these fgures for work capability assessments.
Book Now- Benefts and Mental Health 2022
Citizens Advice- Help to Claim Extension
Help to Claim will now run until at least March 2023. The government has announced £21.3 million further investment.
'Dame Clare Moriarty, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice, said:
2022/2023 Draft Benefit Rates Poster
Next week, we will be sending all our newsletter subscribers a link to our free Benefits Poster 2022/2023 for professionals.
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(and receive the free draft benefits poster for 2022/23 next week)
Pensioner Benefits
The government has given figures relating to benefits claimed by those aged above retirement age(age 66).
Book now for our updated–Benefits for Older People 2022 course.
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Benefits directed at Pensioners |
Many Universal Credit Claimants not Paid Monthly
Universal Credit is calculated based on earnings received during a monthly assessment period. The government has said-'The proportion of working Universal Credit recipients who are paid in a non-monthly-cycles is 37.0%.'
Claimants who are not paid monthly, will see fluctuating UC payments even though their earnings might remain the same-
PIP Statistics
Latest PIP statistics confirm that in around 50% of cases, Mandatory reconsiderations result in a changed award. This trend has only occurred in the last couple of years.
3.1% Benefits Uprating for 2022/23
From 11/4/2022 the government has confirmed that Benefits, including Pensions, will be increased by CPI(inflation measured by the Consumer Price Index)- 3.1%.
Local Housing Allowances will again be frozen staying at 2020/2021levels.
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Changes in Universal Credit November 2021
From 24/11/2021, as confirmed in our last November Newsletter, the government has brought in two big UC changes.
£51m Welsh Support Fund
A new £51m package of support will help families facing the cost-of-living crisis to pay their bills this winter,
£2billion Tender for DWP Medical Reports
The government has issued a tender document for the continued contracting out of most of its Benefts medical services.
HMRC - Post Office Card Accounts- closing
HMRC are allowing a time extension to April 2022, for around 13,000 claimants of either tax credits, Child Benefit or Guardians Allowance, who need to switch their accounts.