Welfare Rights search

Jennie Hammond, tax and benefits adviser at Advice NI, provides an update on HMRC investigations on the legitimacy of single tax credit claims, often based on data supplied by credit reference agencies.

On 1 July 2013 Croatia became the newest member of the European Union (EU). Henri Krishna outlines the changes.

PLEASE NOTE: this article argues that JI v HMRC is not binding. That position is incorrect. However the other reasons given in the article as to why JI is wrongly decided may still be used. Please see also the further article (Feb 2015)

A Northern Ireland Social Security Commissioner has held that the right-to-reside test cannot lawfully be applied in child benefit cases. The successful claimant was represented by Patricia Carty of the Law Centre Northern Ireland. Martin Williams discusses the case.

Jon Shaw highlights some issues with personal independence payment, which was rolled out nationally on 10 June 2013.

David Simmons examines DWP guidance on the provision of budgeting support for universal credit claimants.

In Bulletin 232, we examined the rules restricting the housing benefit (HB) entitlement of social sector tenants who are deemed to have excess bedrooms. Since then two new exemptions have been announced, the government has dropped its appeal against a CPAG test case in the Supreme Court and a number of judicial review challenges have been launched. Mike Spencer explores these developments.

Martin Williams takes a look at preparing appeals in cases involving the work capability assessment where the argument concerns the risk of substantial harm to the claimant or another person in the event they are not found to have limited capability for work (or work-related activity).

2013 is a landmark year in welfare reform. Simon Osborne outlines the main changes.

David Simmons looks at alternative provision following the abolition of the discretionary social fund (SF) from 1 April 2013.

New rules came into effect on 3 December 2012 for employment and support allowance (ESA) claimants who fall foul of the requirement on them to take part in work-related activity or a work-focused interviews. Edward Graham outlines the main features of the new sanctions regime.

David Simmons examines new rules which restrict the housing benefit (HB) entitlement of social housing tenants with excess bedrooms.