Latest news with #DepartmentofWorkandPensions
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How State Pensioners can boost DWP State Pension and income beyond retirement
The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) pays a maximum of £230.25 per week in the new State Pension. While this amount is ample to live comfortably and cover basic costs for the majority of people, many will not receive this amount. It's vital to boost National Insurance years and maximise savings wherever possible to ensure that when you retire, you have plenty to fall back on. Read more: Parents warned of 'hidden crisis' as childcare costs push 1 in 6 to credit cards details three ways Brits can boost their pension pot. Adding back National Insurance Years Gaps in your National Insurance contributions can have a significantly negative impact on your State Pension amount. While National Insurance is a social security contribution paid by employers, employees, and self-employed workers to the government, there are many cases when people miss contributions for various reasons. To add these contributions back, and therefore boost your State Pensions, you can: Get National Insurance credits Make voluntary National Insurance contributions to fill gaps in your record Work and pay National Insurance contributions until you reach State Pension age Delay your State Pension For every year that you hold back claiming State Pension, payments can rise by 'just under 5.8 per cent'. The government explains: "Your State Pension will increase every week you delay (defer) claiming it, as long as you defer for at least nine weeks. "You cannot build up this extra State Pension if you get certain benefits. Deferring can also affect how much you can get in benefits." Pension Credit The DWP offers Pension Credit to help boost people's payments and assist with living expenses. There are two forms available: Guarantee Credit and Savings Credit. Guarantee Credit boosts your weekly income to a specified minimum, Savings Credit offers extra money if you have savings or an income exceeding the basic State Pension.
Gulf Insider
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Gulf Insider
Immigrants Are Receiving Government Welfare In The UK
British government figures have revealed that a whopping 1.3 million foreigners are receiving Universal Credit benefits at the taxpayer's expense. The stats from the Department of Work and Pensions show that in June 1.26 million people, out of a total 7.9 million claimants, received the welfare subsidies. While Conservative MPs attempted to jump on the Labour government over the findings, Reform leader Nigel Farage noted that it was the Conservative government that introduced the Universal Credit system and facilitated mass immigration for years. Your party caused all of this. You should be in hiding. — Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) July 15, 2025 The figures also show that the average payment was £1,010 a month, and the overwhelming majority of migrant claimants are unemployed. Farage added 'for the first time the Department of Work and Pensions have given us some figures that many have wanted for years. The result? There are 1.3 million migrants on Universal Credit, and over half of them don't do any work at all.' 'This goes completely against the lie we've been told for 25 years that immigration's fine because everyone's working and everyone's contributing,' Farage continued. 🚨 BREAKING NEWS 🚨 1.3m migrants are on Universal Credit and 750k of them don't work at forget that nearly all of this happened under the Conservatives. — Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) July 15, 2025 'We can see from this that it's not… some of this has happened since Labour came to power but nearly all of it happened during 14 years of Conservative government,' he further urged. 'And if they dare say a word about these numbers today don't take them seriously and frankly they should be in hiding for what they've done to this country,' Farage asserted. The stats indicate that the overall monthly cost of Universal Credit to migrants could be as high as one-and-a-quarter billion pounds ($1.6 billion), or £15.2 billion a year. The number of migrants claiming the welfare is just exponentially increasing month on month. We are funding a rapidly growing number of lazy foreigners to do sod a scam. — Rupert Lowe MP (@RupertLowe10) July 15, 2025 Click here to read more Also read: British Explorer Becomes First to Walk the Length of Saudi Arabia
Scottish Sun
19-07-2025
- Scottish Sun
Warning for families on Universal Credit going away during school break- rules to follow or your pay could be stopped
Plus we explain other ways to avoid your benefits being cut TO YOUR BENEFIT Warning for families on Universal Credit going away during school break- rules to follow or your pay could be stopped Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) FAMILIES claiming Universal Credit should be aware of an important rule before they head away during the school holidays. Failing to report your getaway to the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) could lead to your benefits being stopped or even investigated for benefit fraud. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Your benefits could be stopped if you fail to report you holiday Credit: Getty You could also be fined between £350 and £5,000, if you don't declare your holiday as a change of circumstance. What are the rules? If you claim Universal Credit you can go on holiday for one month and still receive your payments. This is granted you have told your work coach you are going away and you carry on meeting the conditions of your claim. That means if you are in an intensive work group, meaning you are required to actively look for work, you must continue to do this even on holiday. But there are exceptions to this rule, such as going abroad for medical treatment or if a relative passes away. It is worth noting that other benefits have different rules surrounding a trip abroad. For example, if you receive Personal Independence Payment (PIP), you can stay abroad for up to 13 weeks, or 26 weeks for medical treatment. With that in mind, it may be worth checking the specifics for your benefits on the website. Other reasons your benefits may be stopped And it is not only heading away on holiday that can impact your Universal Credit claim. Not applying or looking for work can also lead to your payments being stopped. Disability benefit explained - what you can claim Those on Universal Credit need to spend 35 hours a week looking for work as part of their Claimant Commitment. Failing to do this could lead to your benefits being cut. The same goes if you're not putting the hours in to look. If your Jobcentre work coach doesn't feel you're doing enough to get back into work, you can be sanctioned. Meanwhile, rejecting a job offer or quitting your job without good reason can also lead to your payments being slashed. Claimants must also show up to their appointments on time to avoid sanctions. What to do if your benefits have been stopped or reduced If you have been sanctioned, you can appeal your case. The first thing you must do is check the level of sanction and for how long your money has been reduced. You'll then need to contact the DWP for a mandatory reconsideration if you think they've made the wrong decision. To report a change or appeal, you can: Use your Universal Credit online journal Call the Universal Credit helpline on 0800 328 5644 For PIP, call 0800 121 4433 For written appeals or changes, send letters to: DWP Complaints, Post Handling Site B, Wolverhampton, WV99 2GY
Daily Mirror
15-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
DWP outlines major £725 Universal Credit changes from next year
Millions of households would benefit from the payment increase, DWP officials say Nearly four million households could receive an annual income boost from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) of £725. This increase could come following the progression of a bill aimed at reforming the welfare system set to go through Parliament on Wednesday, officials say. As reported by the Daily Record, the Universal Credit Bill proposes changes intended to adjust the primary payment and health supplement in Universal Credit. Officials say the bill would result in the Universal Credit standard allowance permanently rising above inflation, equating to £725 by 2029/30 in cash terms for a single individual aged 25 or over. According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), this represents the most significant permanent real-terms rise to the main rate of out-of-work support since 1980. The Universal Credit Bill The DWP said it is rebalancing Universal Credit health and standard elements. It wants to address what it sees as the fundamental imbalance in the system - which it says creates perverse incentives that drive people into dependency through: Increasing the Universal Credit standard allowance above inflation for the next four years - worth an estimated £725 by 2029/30 for a single adult aged 25 or over Reducing the health top-up for new claims to £50 per week from April 2026 Ensuring that all existing recipients of the Universal Credit health element - and any new claimant meeting the Severe Conditions Criteria and/or that has their claims considered under the Special Rules for End of Life (SREL) - will receive the higher Universal Credit health payment after April 2026 Exemptions from reassessment for those with the most severe, lifelong conditions The DWP said the reforms will address the 'fundamental imbalance in the system which creates perverse incentives that drive people into dependency'. The Bill has passed through the House of Commons, with MPs voting 336 to 242. It will now proceed to the House of Lords for further scrutiny before receiving Royal Assent. In addition to these changes, the DWP has introduced significant new measures, granting individuals receiving health and disability benefits the right to attempt work without fear of reassessment, officials say. They say this new 'Right to Try Guarantee' includes individuals with a disability or health condition - such as those recovering from illness - who wish to return to work now their health has improved. Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said: "Our reforms are built on the principle of fairness, fixing a system that for too long has left people trapped in a cycle of dependence. "We are giving extra support to millions of households across the country, while offering disabled people the chance to work without fear of the repercussions if things don't work out. "These reforms will change the lives of people across the country, so they have a real chance for a better future." 'Safeguards' in Universal Credit changes The legislation also introduces what is says are safeguards for the most vulnerable and severely disabled individuals. This is said to include 200,000 members of the Severe Conditions Criteria group – those with the gravest, lifelong conditions who are unlikely to see an improvement in their health – who will be exempt from Universal Credit reassessment. All current recipients of the Universal Credit health component and new claimants with no more than 12 months to live or who satisfy the Severe Conditions Criteria will witness their standard allowance merge with their Universal Credit health element, with a guarantee of an increase at least in line with inflation annually from 2026/27 to 2029/30 - says the DWP. The DWP stated: "This means they can live with dignity and security, knowing the reforms to the welfare system mean it will always be there to support them." DWP statement on changes The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) says it is placing disabled individuals at the forefront of a ministerial examination of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessments, steered by Disability Minister Sir Stephen Timms. The review is being co-produced with disabled people, their representative organisations, experts, MPs, and other stakeholders to ensure it is equitable and suitable for the future, says the DWP. The DWP said: "We will be engaging widely over the summer to design the process for the review and consider how it can best be co-produced to ensure that expertise from a range of different perspectives is drawn upon. "These reforms are underpinned by a major investment in employment support for sick and disabled people - worth £3.8 billion over the Parliament. Funding will be brought forward for tailored employment, health and skills support to help disabled people and those with health conditions get into work as part of our Pathways to Work guarantee." Additionally, the DWP noted: "This investment will accelerate the pace of new investments in employment support programmes, building on and learning from successes such as the Connect to Work programme, which are already rolling out to provide disabled people and people with health conditions with one-to-one support at the point when they feel ready to work." Nevertheless, charities have voiced apprehensions regarding the broader consequences of the new Bill. Thomas Lawson, CEO of Turn2us, said: "MPs voted to reduce support for people unable to work by over £200 a month. Halving the health element of Universal Credit for anyone who becomes sick from April 2026 will increase hardship and mean even more people are going without essentials. "To build a system we can all trust, the government now needs to review the whole system and really listen to disabled people and organisations like ours. In a country as wealthy as ours, sickness should never mean hunger or eviction." James Watson-O'Neill, chief executive of national disability charity Sense, voiced his disapproval, saying: "The government's decision to press ahead with its welfare reform Bill and make cruel cuts to Universal Credit payments is causing deep fear and distress among young disabled people with the most complex needs and their families. "Significant concessions on previous proposals to slash PIP benefits made headlines only last week. But MPs have still voted to cut support for disabled people who are assessed as having the greatest barriers to work and apply for benefits after 2026, making them £47 a week poorer. "Almost half of disabled people with complex needs are already in debt because their benefit payments don't cover the essentials. This proposal will create an unfair, two-tier system, where still more disabled people are pushed into poverty simply because they started claiming benefits later. "We are calling on the government to reconsider these proposals and rule out plans to cut support even further for disabled people aged under 22. Disabled people should be included fully and from the start in any efforts to reform the welfare system." Criticism of 'appalling' Universal Credit changes Juliet Tizzard, director of external relations at Parkinson's UK, said: "The government's decision to cut Universal Credit costs is appalling. We believe that, despite the government's claims, savings are being made by effectively making people with Parkinson's ineligible for the higher rate health element. "The Bill clearly states that someone must be constantly unable to do certain tasks to qualify. This will penalise people with Parkinson's, whose symptoms come and go. Until we can be certain that people with fluctuating conditions will not be penalised, we'll continue campaigning for a fair system. "We're thankful to the MPs who tried to stop the changes to Universal Credit, and for every campaigner who raised their voice. We stopped the cuts to PIP, and while we're disappointed by the result today, this setback won't stop us. We'll keep fighting for better support, care and treatment for the Parkinson's community."
Wales Online
10-07-2025
- Wales Online
Married couple caught in £50,000 DWP benefit scam after posting holiday photos online
Married couple caught in £50,000 DWP benefit scam after posting holiday photos online Alan Forsythe, 37, and wife Jemma, 36, were living with their two children when they claimed they were each living alone Alan and Jemma Forsythe A husband-and-wife duo who falsely claimed they were single parents had their deceitful scheme unravelled after posting holiday snaps online. Alan Forsythe, 37, and his wife Jemma, 36, swindled over £50,000 in benefits to which they were not entitled. The court was told that from 2019 to 2023, the couple resided together at their family home in Blackpool, along with their two children and Jemma's two older children from a previous relationship. However, they misled the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) by claiming they were living separately, reports the Manchester Evening News. An investigation was eventually initiated when the DWP noticed social media posts showing the pair as a married couple. Preston Crown Court heard that in February 2019, Alan Forsythe applied for Universal Credit, asserting he was living alone in a flat in Blackpool. Alan and Jemma Forsythe (Image: Facebook ) Article continues below He continued to claim until October 2019, when he terminated the claim, but in January 2022 he registered again - this time purporting to be a single father with a child living with him. He continued to claim Universal Credit on these grounds until July 2023, the court was told. In total, Mr Forsythe claimed £3,182.27 to which he was not entitled. His wife Jemma Forsythe, now using her maiden name O'Malley, lodged a claim with the DWP in June 2020, also alleging to be a single parent. Alan and Jemma Forsythe on their wedding day (Image: Facebook ) She alleged that she was residing with her four children, but failed to disclose that her husband was also living at the family home - and working full time. She perpetuated this falsehood until June 2023, fraudulently claiming £49,007.91, according to court proceedings. Each claimant is required to sign a declaration affirming the truthfulness of the information they have provided, and committing to inform the DWP of any changes in circumstances. Mrs Forsythe has a prior conviction for failing to notify the DWP of a change in circumstances, dating back to 2014. Alan and Jemma Forsythe (Image: Facebook ) The DWP initiated an investigation and found social media posts where the couple portrayed themselves as married. They conducted further investigations, examining bank statements and credit references, before inviting them for an interview in June 2023. On 14th June, Mr Forsythe visited St Annes Jobcentre where he claimed he was sofa surfing after separating from Jemma. On 26th June, Mrs Forsythe visited the same Jobcentre and informed investigators that they had separated but were not yet divorced. The couple later admitted to fraud. In September 2024, Alan Forsythe was sentenced to four years in prison after being involved in a severe assault that left a man with life-altering injuries. He appeared at Preston Crown Court to face fraud charges via a prison video link. His barrister, Anthony Parkinson, stated that while he accepted an immediate custodial sentence was inevitable, he was deeply concerned about the impact on his children if their mother was also incarcerated. Kira Unsworth, barrister for Mrs Forsythe, stated that her client demonstrates a strong work ethic and is addressing her debts through her role as a care assistant. She has also separated from her husband and initiated divorce proceedings. At the sentencing, Recorder Ayesha Siddiqi remarked: "You were both involved in providing false information to the DWP which affected the benefits you were entitled to. You were a married couple and resided together in your family home. "At the time you made these claims you signed declarations but you were not providing accurate information. You were taking from the public purse. Just because money is public money does not make this any less serious." Alan Forsythe, residing at Armistead Court, Fleetwood, received a 15-week prison term consecutive to his current sentence. Nevertheless, Recorder Siddiqi took the children's right to a family life into account when determining Mrs Forsythe's penalty. Addressing Mrs Forsythe, Siddiqi said: "You knew it was a criminal offence. You have a previous conviction and you went on to commit this offence over this period. This was fraudulent activity over a sustained period of 36 months that you were defrauding the DWP." "I have heard about the pressure you were under and that you are now working and taking steps to address your mental health. You recognise you need to work on this debt problem. "Taking money is not the solution. Your children deserve better than this - this is no example to set them. They are today facing the prospect of both parents being in prison. Their rights are very important to this court. "If it wasn't for those children I would be sending you to prison right now. Because of those children I am going to suspend the sentence." Article continues below The judge sentenced Mrs Forsythe, of Foxdale Avenue, Blackpool, to 21 months suspended for two years with 10 days rehabilitation activity requirements and a curfew from 9pm to 7am for the next six months.
