Latest news with #EmploymentandSupportAllowance
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- General
- Daily Mirror
Universal Credit, Pension Credit and Housing Benefit change to make more people eligible
People who are awarded certain compensations won't have it held against them when trying to get benefits From July 22, a change in the law will allow compensation for miscarriages of justice to be excluded from benefit assessments. These compensations are awarded to people who have been wrongfully convicted and can amount to substantial figures. In the past, such compensation was considered part of a person's savings or income, impacting their eligibility for benefits. For instance, receiving over £16,000 in compensation would automatically rule out eligibility for Universal Credit, regardless if they meet the other qualifying factors. The updated legislation will now ensure that these payouts are disregarded during the assessment process, potentially allowing access to various means-tested benefits, including income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support, Housing Benefit, Pension Credit, and Universal Credit. Sir Stephen Timms MP, Minister for Social Security and Disability, commented: 'Rebuilding trust in our systems begins by restoring trust with those the system has failed. We can't return the years lost by miscarriage of justice victims, but we can, and must, ensure they have every opportunity to restart their lives so they can make the most of the years ahead. 'That's why we're bringing in this milestone legislation, and I encourage anyone who has received a miscarriage of justice compensation payment to come forward, so we can ensure they receive the help they are entitled to.' Those who believe they may be impacted by this alteration but are already receiving means-tested benefits will need to declare a change in circumstances to ensure they're getting the proper amount following this legal change. People who might be affected but aren't currently claiming benefits are urged to verify their benefit eligibility online. In both situations, you'll be required to provide a copy of your compensation award during the application or change of circumstances procedure. Further details about the modification can be found on the website. This benefit law change comes after an uplift to the maximum compensation sum that can be granted to a miscarriage of justice victim. This now stands at a ceiling of £1.3million for those who have been wrongfully jailed for over ten years. Minister for Victims and Violence Against Women and Girls, Alex Davies-Jones, declared: 'Miscarriages of justice steal irreplaceable time and devastate lives. 'Better benefit support combined with the uplift of the compensation cap will make a real difference, providing not just financial redress but rightfully deserved recognition to individuals affected. We can't turn back the clock, but I hope these changes go some way in making the future brighter than the past for those who have already lost so much.' Campaigners had been urging for reforms like this, including Andrew Malkinson, as reported by the Independent. Malkinson, who was falsely accused of rape and spent 17 years behind bars before clearing his name, has spoken out about the law changes. The campaigner described the benefit update as "ends a stark injustice" but highlighted that further action is needed, labelling the £1.3 million cap as "insulting". Earlier this month, he told the publication: "I remain determined to challenge the completely unfair cap on compensation for the wrongfully convicted – and the ridiculous requirement that a person in my position be required to prove their innocence a second time to get compensated."
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
DWP issues new update for benefit claimants owed £1,000s in compensation
The payments are being issued to people who received certain disability benefits such as Employment and Support Allowance, who lost disability premiums after they were moved to Universal Credit The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has issued an update for disability benefit claimants who could be owed thousands of pounds in compensation. The payments are being issued to people who received certain disability benefits such as Employment and Support Allowance, who lost disability premiums after they were moved to Universal Credit before January 2019. As a result, some people lost out on severe disability premium (SDP) and enhanced disability premium (EDP). Law firm Leigh Day challenged this loss of income in court and argued that some people saw their payments drop by up to £180 a month. The DWP agreed to compensate for the loss of income, which Leigh Day estimates could be worth in excess of £5,000 per person. However, the DWP has now confirmed around 13,000 cases are yet to be processed and cleared. In its annual report published earlier this month, it said: "Unfortunately, some underpayments may be owed to customers who no longer have an active ESA claim and restrictions in data make it difficult to identify, assess and correct these errors." The DWP said it expects the remaining cases will be resolved by September. It is estimated that 57,000 people were affected by the issue and the total cost of the repayment exercise is expected to be £452million. Leigh Day secured a settlement for 275 claimants following its High Court challenge and these people were awarded between £200 and £3,000 in a damages. A DWP spokesperson told the Independent: 'We are fully committed to identifying claimants that are owed arrears and providing the financial support to which they are entitled as quickly as possible, with the majority of these cases having already been resolved. "We are clear that errors like this one should not happen and have already taken action to avoid future errors.' In a statement issued earlier this year, Leigh Day solicitor Ryan Bradshaw said: 'I am glad to have settled this claim on behalf of my clients. However, there are thousands of others who have been similarly affected who have not been in a position to bring a claim like this. 'They too will have experienced the loss of £180 a month after they were moved from legacy benefits on to universal credit in the years before January 2019. They too will have suffered unnecessary stress.' It comes as the DWP is finishing moving everyone on legacy benefits to Universal Credit. The benefits being replaced by Universal Credit are: Housing Benefit, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, Child Tax Credit, Working Tax Credit and Income Support.
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Date when thousands of Universal Credit households will get £1,000s back after DWP claim error
We reveal more details on the move from old-style benefits to Universal Credit below TO YOUR BENEFIT Date when thousands of Universal Credit households will get £1,000s back after DWP claim error THE Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed when thousands will get £1,000s back after a major error. The payments are being issued to people who received certain disability benefits such as Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and were moved to Universal Credit. Advertisement 1 Thousands who moved to Universal Credit are still owed compensation It was found some claimants unfairly lost out on Severe Disability Premiums (SDP) and Enhanced Disability Premiums (EDP) during the transition, resulting in a drop of income. Both premiums offered additional financial support on top of the standard allowance for certain means-tested benefits. Tens of thousands who transferred to Universal Credit and missed out on this protection have now been found to be owed arrears. Around 57,000 people are reportedly thought to be affected by the issue, with the vast majority having now received redress. Advertisement But, the DWP has confirmed around 13,000 cases are yet to be processed and cleared. In its annual report published earlier this month, it said: "Unfortunately, some underpayments may be owed to customers who no longer have an active ESA claim and restrictions in data make it difficult to identify, assess and correct these errors." The department said it was working its way through all the remaining 13,000 cases which should be completed by September. The report added: "We are working to both correct existing errors and to prevent new errors in the new premiums cases." Advertisement The total arrears being paid to the roughly 57,000 claimants who missed out on SDP and EDP is worth £452million. Solicitors Leigh Day, who brought a legal challenge for claimants on disability benefits who didn't receive income protection while moving over to Universal Credit, secured a settle for 275 claimants who list their SDP earlier this year. Stop handing out new cars for FOOD INTOLERANCE says Kemi Badenoch as she demands Labour cut ballooning benefits bill These claimants were awarded between £200 and £3,000 for the loss of income they incurred. We have asked the DWP how the remaining 13,000 people affected by the issue will receive any compensation and will update this story when we have heard back. Advertisement We have also asked how much the approximately 44,000 who have already received compensation got on average. Will I need to move to Universal Credit? The DWP is currently moving everyone from old-style "legacy" benefits onto Universal Credit, through a process known as managed migration. Universal Credit was set up to replace these benefits and the scheme kicked off in November 2022 after a successful pilot in July 2019. As part of the process, households on legacy benefits are sent "migration notices" in the post which tell them how to make the move to Universal Credit as it's not automatic. Advertisement Households must apply for Universal Credit within three months of receiving their managed migration letter. Failing to do this can result in benefits being stopped. Tax credits, income-based jobseeker's allowance, income support and housing benefit (for those under the state pension age) were permanently discontinued in April. The remaining households, currently claiming income-related employment and support allowance (ESA), will be asked to move to Universal Credit by December 2025. Advertisement Can I get help claiming Universal Credit? As well as benefit calculators, anyone moving from legacy benefit to Universal Credit can find help in a number of ways. You can visit your local Jobcentre by searching at There's also a free service called Help to Claim from Citizen's Advice: England: 0800 144 8 444 Scotland: 0800 023 2581 Wales: 08000 241 220 You can also get help online from advisers by visiting, Advertisement Will I be better off on Universal Credit? ANALYSIS by James Flanders, The Sun's Chief Consumer Reporter: Around 1.4million people on legacy benefits will be better off after switching to Universal Credit, according to the government. A further 300,000 would see no change in payments, while around 900,000 would be worse off under Universal Credit. Of these, around 600,000 can get top-up payments (transitional protection) if they move under the managed migration process, so they don't lose out on cash immediately. The majority of those - around 400,000 - are claiming employment support allowance (ESA). Those who move voluntarily and are worse off won't get these top-up payments and could lose cash. Those who miss the managed migration deadline and later make a claim may not get transitional protection. The clock starts ticking on the three-month countdown from the date of the first letter, and reminders are sent via post and text message. There is a one-month grace period after this, during which any claim to Universal Credit is backdated, and transitional protection can still be awarded. Examples of those who may be entitled to less on Universal Credit include: Households getting ESA and the severe disability premium and enhanced disability premium Households with the lower disabled child addition on legacy benefits Self-employed households who are subject to the Minimum Income Floor after the 12-month grace period has ended Either way, if these households don't switch in the future, they risk missing out on any future benefit increase and seeing payments frozen. Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@ Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Parents urged to 'take 20 minutes' to apply for £2,000 a year free childcare
Tax-free childcare is an online account where for every £8 you pay in, the Government adds in £2. The money must be spent on childcare costs Parents could be missing out on tax-free childcare worth up to £2,000 a year - and you can use this help during the summer holiday. Tax-free childcare is an online account where for every £8 you pay in, the Government adds in £2. The money must be spent on childcare costs. If you're eligible, you can get up to £500 every three months - so £2,000 a year - for each of your children. For disabled children, the maximum amount is £1,000 every three months (£4,000 a year). You can open a tax-free childcare account for free and the website says it takes around 20 minutes to apply. Your child must be aged 11 or under and usually will need to live with you to claim tax-free childcare. You can keep using your tax-free childcare account until September 1 after their 11th birthday, or if your child is disabled, they may qualify until September 1 after their 16th birthday. You need to be earning at least the minimum wage, for the equivalent of 16 hours a week, to open a tax-free childcare account. You won't be eligible if your adjusted net income is above £100,000. This applies to yourself and your partner, if you're in a couple. If you've been self-employed for less than 12 months, there is no minimum income requirement. There are some circumstances where you can claim tax-free childcare if you're not working. For example, if you're on sick leave, annual leave, on shared parental, maternity, paternity or adoption leave, or if you're in a couple and one of you is working, and the other claims Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance, Carer's Allowance or contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance. The money in your tax-free childcare account must be spent on a registered childcare provider, such as nurseries, nannies, after school clubs and play schemes. But not everyone necessarily needs to pay for childcare in the first place. For example, parents can claim 15 or 30 hours free childcare a week, depending on the age of their child. Working parents of nine-month-olds and two-year-olds can currently access 15 hours of free childcare a week. This will rise to 30 hours from September 2025. You must be in work and earning the equivalent of the national minimum wage or for 16 hours a week, but have an adjusted net income of £100,000 a year. All parents of three and four-year-olds are entitled to 15 hours free childcare a week as standard, regardless of whether they are in work. Working parents with children of these ages can claim the full 30 hours if they meet the earnings criteria. You can claim tax-free childcare on top of the 30 hours free childcare. Finally, if you claim Universal Credit and you're in work, you can claim back up to 85% of childcare costs, up to a maximum of £1,031.88 for one child or £1,768.94 for two or more children.
Daily Record
4 days ago
- Business
- Daily Record
What DWP's 'Data Surveillance' policy means for Universal Credit claimants
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed new powers will soon allow officials to request bank details from Universal Credit claimants. The DWP has released a statement in response to questions regarding "data surveillance" of Universal Credit claimants. MP Angus MacDonald raised a written question in parliament, enquiring whether the DWP had evaluated "the potential impact of data surveillance on recipients of Universal Credit". In his response, DWP minister Andrew Western clarified: "No assessment has been made as the DWP does not currently or have any plans to use data surveillance to regulate, police or monitor the actions of individuals or groups in receipt of benefits." However despite these assurances, legislation is progressing through parliament that would empower DWP investigators with new authority to access banking information, including that of Universal Credit recipients, reports the Mirror. The proposed measures aim to curb errors and fraud within the benefit system by enabling officials to demand that banks disclose details about the accounts of benefit recipients, such as those on Universal Credit, Employment and Support Allowance, and Pension Credit. This data will be utilised to verify the eligibility of benefit recipients for their payments. There's potential for these powers to extend to other benefits as well. The bill also proposes provisions for officials to directly withdraw funds from an individual's bank account if they owe money to the DWP and are not cooperating with repayment demands. In cases where these powers are used, investigators will need to request a minimum of three months' bank statements for the relevant account, to ensure the individual has sufficient funds. The person must receive at least 28 days' notice to provide them an opportunity to clear the debt before money is withdrawn from their account. MPs have recently passed a bill to implement significant changes to Universal Credit payments. The law will ensure that the standard allowance increases at least in line with inflation each year, from 2026/27 to 2029/30. However, there will be reductions to the additional amounts you can receive if you have a health condition that impacts your capacity to work. Here are the current rates for the monthly Universal Credit standard allowance:
