Welfare Rights Bulletin articles

The ‘national expansion’ of universal credit (UC), which began this spring, is anticipated to bring the new benefit to every jobcentre in the UK by 2016. Evidence has emerged that misunderstanding of the rules governing who is eligible to claim UC – known as ‘gateway conditions’ – has meant the wrong people making claims for the new benefit. Dan Norris explains how advisers can help.

Simon Osborne describes important new rules which affect repeat claims for employment and support allowance (ESA) following failure of the work capability assessment, and entitlement to ESA pending appeal.

Despite the introduction of personal independence payment, the Upper Tribunal continues to consider important issues in relation to disability living allowance (DLA). Jon Shaw looks at some recent cases with implications for children’s entitlement.

Simon Osborne describes the latest mandatory reconsideration problems and solutions.

The Supreme Court’s judgment on the benefit cap in R (SG and others) was handed down on 18 March 2015. The Court was sharply divided over whether the benefit cap, which limits the amount of welfare benefits any family with children can receive to £500 a week, regardless of family size, breaches the Human Rights Act 1998. Mike Spencer comments.

Although the Welfare Reform Act 2012 provides for the abolition of tax credits, it is still possible for people who are not entitled to universal credit to make a new claim for tax credits for 2015/16 and the majority of claimants will see their awards renewed as normal. There are also some new developments in policy and legislation, described here by Mark Willis.

Paul Treloar reviews the first of the official independent reviews of personal independence payment (PIP).

Susan Mitchell and Simon Osborne outline the main rules on a new payment which, from April, will replace additional statutory paternity pay in England, Scotland and Wales.

Various changes, some unintentional others deliberate, have made it more difficult to bring an appeal against a tax credits decision outside the time limit. Following on from Martin Williams article in Bulletin 234, Mike Spencer looks at the issues and discusses potential legal challenges.

Mark Willis describes a new scheme due for introduction during 2015, aimed at assisting with childcare costs for some families, and its exclusive interaction with universal credit (UC) and tax credits. UPDATE: Tax-Free Childcare will not be introduced until 2017.