Welfare Rights Bulletin articles

(For subscribers) Because of the interaction of child elements with other rules, in some cases a newly awarded element for a third or subsequent child might not make as big a difference as for others. Mark Willis explains

Carri Swann explains who counts as a ‘pre-2026 claimant’ and therefore escapes the April 2026 cut to the amount of the UC LCWRA element.

(For subscribers) In most cases legacy benefits are formally abolished. But a few awards linger, at least for a while. Simon Osborne explains.

(For subscribers) Simon Osborne looks at the rule where a child can be entitled to the higher rate of the mobility component of disability living allowance (DLA) via the ‘severe mental impairment’ route.

(For subscribers) Martin Williams discusses the rules under which universal credit (UC) claimants can be treated as possessing capital which they no longer have.

‘Aids or appliances’ in personal independence payment (PIP) has widely been interpreted as excluding items that are commonly used in the same way by non-disabled people. A recent Upper Tribunal decision reached a different conclusion. Carri Swann looks at the reasoning behind the decision, and asks what it might mean for claimants.

(For subscribers) Martin Williams considers the recent clarification of the law, by a three-judge panel of the Upper Tribunal (UT), concerning appeal rights where a claimant has unsuccessfully applied for revision on the ground of official error.

(For subscribers) Mark Willis looks at rules on children and qualifying young persons in child benefit and universal credit (UC).

Carri Swann considers recent caselaw on how working can affect personal independence payment (PIP).

(For subscribers) Some universal credit (UC) rules regarding work-related activity requirements affect claimants in different ways depending on the levels of certain thresholds. These thresholds should be set by reference to a claimant’s ‘expected hours’. Owen Stevens examines the rules on expected hours.