Latest news with #claimants
The Sun
3 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Exactly how much Universal Credit is rising for millions in major boost this month – check if you're eligible
MILLIONS of Brits will see a major boost this month with a rise in Universal Credit. Claimants will see changes to what they get in June as the new rates introduced by the government come into effect. Universal Credit and other Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) benefits rose by 1.7 per cent from April 7. This was in line with the consumer price index (CPI) level of inflation for September 2024. But most people did not see payments increase until last month while others have had to wait until this month to get the boost. This is due to how Universal Credit is assessed with claimants having to wait longer to receive their increase. Your last assessment period determines when you will receive the pay boost. Paid monthly, Universal Credit is based on your circumstances each month. This is otherwise known as your "assessment period" which begins the day you make your claim. The new uplift will not come into effect until after the first full one-month assessment period, which started on or after April 7. If you're someone who had their assessment period start after April 7, you would have seen your benefits rise as early as May 13. If your assessment period was before this, you would have been paid in May on the old rate, rather than the new. As a result, you could be forced to wait until June 12 to get the payment boost. Universal Credit payments are usually made straight to the bank, building society or credit union account of the claimant. If the payment date falls on a weekend or bank holiday, you are usually paid on the working day before. With no bank holidays in the UK in June, there should be no changes to payment dates compared to May which saw some disruption with the Bank Holidays. In previous years, the DWP has confirmed that backpay will be awarded to those yet to see the increase. Find out below when you will get your boost based on your previous assessment period: All the freebies you can get on Universal Credit March 28 to April 27 - increase applied in June, you'll get it in your payment on June 1 March 29 to April 28 - increase applied in June, you'll get it in your payment on June 2 March 30 to April 29 - increase applied in June, you'll get it in your payment on June 5 March 31 to April 30 - increase applied in June, you'll get it in your payment on June 6 April 1 to April 31 - increase applied in June, you'll get it in your payment on June 7 April 2 to May 1 - increase applied in June, you'll get it in your payment on June 8 April 3 to May 2 - increase applied in June, you'll get it in your payment on June 9 April 4 to May 3 - increase applied in June, you'll get it in your payment on June 10 April 5 to May 4 - increase applied in June, you'll get it in your payment on June 11 April 6 to May 5 - increase applied in June, you'll get it in your payment on June 12 Below is a list of the new benefit rates for 2025-26 so you can see how much extra you might get. Universal Credit Universal Credit standard allowance - paid monthly Single, under 25: £316.98 (up from £311.68) Single, 25 or over: £400.14 (up from £393.45) Joint claimants both under 25: £497.55 (up from £489.23) Joint claimants, one or both 25+: £628.10 (up from £617.60) Extra for limited capability for work Limited capability: £158.76 (up from £156.11) Work-related activity: £423.27 (up from £416.19) Extra amounts for children First child (born before April 6, 2017): £339 (up from £333.33) Child born after April 6, 2017 or subsequent children: £292.81 (up from £287.92) Disabled child (lower rate): £158.76 (up from £156.11) Disabled child (higher rate): £495.87 (up from £487.58) Work allowance increases Higher work allowance (no housing): £684 (up from £673) Lower work allowance (with housing): £411 (up from £404) Carer's element Caring for a severely disabled person at least 35 hours a week: £201.68 (up from £198.31) Are you missing out on benefits? YOU can use a benefits calculator to help check that you are not missing out on money you are entitled to Charity Turn2Us' benefits calculator works out what you could get. Entitledto's free calculator determines whether you qualify for various benefits, tax credit and Universal Credit. and charity StepChange both have benefits tools powered by Entitledto's data. You can use Policy in Practice's calculator to determine which benefits you could receive and how much cash you'll have left over each month after paying for housing costs. Your exact entitlement will only be clear when you make a claim, but calculators can indicate what you might be eligible for.
Irish Times
27-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
The debate: Is going to court worth it for personal injuries claimants?
Moyagh Murdock: No. Compensation awarded by the IRB is similar to that awarded by the courts The answer is no. Not for claimants, not for policyholders, not for the economy or society. The personal injuries system is at a crossroads. On one side lies a time-consuming litigation process. On the other, a faster, fairer and more cost-effective alternative: the Injuries Resolution Board (IRB). Let's be clear: the IRB works. It delivers broadly similar compensation outcomes as litigation, but at a fraction of the cost and in a fraction of the time. The IRB was designed to streamline claims, reduce legal overheads and deliver justice swiftly. It is an efficient and effective service for claimants. It empowers individuals to resolve their cases quickly. Using the IRB delivers results in a fraction of the time. Claimants can get their lives back on track much quicker and with much more certainty by going through the IRB route. Claims take on average two years to settle through the IRB, compared with an average of six years through costly and unnecessary litigation. The Central Bank of Ireland's national claims information database (NCID), established in 2019, provides policymakers with a definitive independent data source on the personal injury claims environment. In its most recent report on liability claims , published in March of this year for 2023 claims data, the NCID illustrated the significant impact of litigation, with more than 70 per cent of claims settled by litigation, representing 89 per cent of injury settlement costs. These legal costs are ultimately borne by policyholders, businesses and consumers. They affect insurance premiums and put significant strain on small businesses and unnecessary pressure on the court services with cases that could – and should – be resolved more efficiently. READ MORE Critics may argue that litigation offers more 'control' or 'fairness'. But the data tells a different story. The compensation awarded by the IRB is broadly similar to that awarded by the courts. Successive NCID reports have highlighted the effectiveness and efficiency of the IRB's claim settlement process. Compensation levels – whether in a litigated process or settled by the IRB – are based on the same personal injuries guidelines. The guidelines were introduced by the Judicial Council in 2021. The NCID has reported previously that legal costs are well over 20 times higher in the litigation channel than in the IRB. It is concerning, therefore, that the Judicial Council has proposed a 16.7 per cent increase in the personal injuries guidelines. This could erode the progress made by the Government's insurance reform agenda. If implemented, the recommended increase would directly impact claims costs, which are ultimately borne by consumers. As a result of the IRB and the introduction of the personal injuries guidelines, it is easier than ever for parties to resolve a case at an early stage without litigation and unnecessary legal costs. This means less delay, less waste of resources, fewer medical and other expert reports, leading to a more efficient claims process and speedier payment of compensation to accident victims. The current claims environment and the Government's action plan for insurance reform have created ample opportunity for claimants, insurers and their advisers to settle cases quickly and cost effectively without going to court. For personal liability claims, it is the best route to take to have claims resolved quickly and efficiently. The IRB has been immensely positive in its 20-year history, and it continues to evolve. With a broader mediation mandate, it is more capable than ever of delivering timely, fair and proportionate outcomes. The courts should be reserved for complex or contested cases – not routine claims that can be resolved quickly and fairly using the IRB. Moyagh Murdock is chief executive of Insurance Ireland Seán Guerin: Yes. Court proceedings produce the best results for victims Insurance is a numbers game and the insurance industry is very good with numbers. It can be hard for the ordinary reader to keep up. Fortunately, the Central Bank is here to help. To understand what has been happening in the Irish insurance market, only one number matters: what the Central Bank calls 'gross insurance-related result'. This number shows how much money insurance companies make on the policies they issue, after the cost of claims (including compensation and legal costs), as a percentage of premium income. That number tells a very simple story. In recent years, the insurance industry in Ireland has been making out like bandits. For motor insurance, between 2009 and 2012, the gross insurance-related result was -1 per cent. Between 2017 and 2023, it was 15 per cent. For other insurance types (employers' liability, public liability and commercial property), between 2009 and 2014 it was 0.8 per cent. In 2022, it was 31 per cent and in 2023 it was 34 per cent. These mind-boggling increases in the profitability of insurance underwriting in Ireland have been achieved by hoodwinking the public, the media and successive governments into believing that compensation awards or legal costs, or both, were too high. Compensation is simply a means of providing redress to a victim of a civil, as opposed to a criminal, wrong. Because the process of obtaining redress is legally and factually complex, victims are entitled to the advice and representation of expert lawyers. Forcing down compensation awards, while at the same time reducing the ability of victims to recover the real cost of essential legal advice and representation, is a double blow to victims. But for the insurance industry, the beating of victims will continue while profits improve. An editorial published in this newspaper last week made three fundamental errors in reaching the conclusion that 'the benefits of ... taking your case to court are at best marginal'. The first error is to ignore the Central Bank findings of boomtime insurance underwriting profit, while high premiums for consumers and businesses remain. The public policy goal of reducing insurance costs to consumers and businesses has not been achieved. The second error is to ignore the effect on victims, who are now expected to navigate the legal and procedural difficulties of their situation without legal advice and representation, unless they pay for it out of their own pockets or their award of compensation. This is unfair. The third error is to assume that a single bureaucratic assessment of redress is an adequate substitute for the judicial process. The IRB applies the same guidelines as in court. True, but the application of the guidelines to individual cases still requires sensitivity and understanding. It is too early to tell whether the IRB does this job as well as the courts. What is clear is that the legitimacy of any system of redress depends heavily on the opportunity for a victim to have their voice properly heard. Last year saw the 100th anniversary of the Courts of Justice Act 1924 celebrated. A century after their establishment, the Irish people trust their courts, and independent judges, to see justice done. They also trust their lawyers, both solicitors and barristers, to advise them and speak up for them. And the Central Bank has shown them to be right. The March 2025 Central Bank report shows that issuing proceedings in court and settling with the benefit of expert legal advice produces the best results for victims. Compared with awards by the IRB, litigating and settling produces a 60 per cent increase in compensation for pain and suffering and a 500 per cent increase in compensation for financial loss. If you've been injured unlawfully, call your local solicitor and let them find you an expert barrister if necessary. Don't let the insurance industry – or your newspaper – tell you otherwise. Seán Guerin SC is chair the Council of the Bar of Ireland
The Independent
23-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Universal Credit payment boost to land in bank accounts today
People on Universal Credit could see an early payment from the Department of Work and Pensions this week. Benefit payments will be going out as normal in May for the most part, but there are some exceptions due to the Bank Holidays. That means those that were due to get their benefit on 26 May, will get it on 23 May. This applies to a range of benefits, including the state pension, child benefit, PIP, and Universal Credit. Not everyone will be paid early, only those whose usual payment date falls on the bank holiday Monday. The full list of benefits that may be paid early are: Universal Credit State pension Pension credit Child benefit Disability living allowance Personal independence payment (PIP) Attendance allowance Carer's allowance Employment support allowance Income support Jobseeker's allowance Payments that were due on 26 May will now arrive this week on Friday 23 May, rather than after the long weekend, providing claimants with a much-needed financial boost right before the holiday. For more information on how and when state benefits are paid, visit the government's website. Changes to benefits In April, all benefits were uprated by 1.7 per cent, matching the September 2024 inflation figure. The increase will apply to all working-age benefits, including universal credit, PIP, DLA, attendance allowance, carer's allowance, ESA and more. Things will change slightly for Universal Credit claimants next year following Labour's welfare announcements. Everyone receiving the benefit's standard allowance will see a one-off above inflation rise by £7 a week from April 2026, taking it from £91 to £98. However, the rate of the additional Universal Credit health element will be frozen from 2026 at £97 until 2029/30 (although those in this group will receive the increased standard allowance). Additionally, any new claimants for the health element after April 2026 will receive a massively reduced rate of £50 a week – almost £2,500 less than the current level. This means it is a good idea for anyone who thinks they might be eligible to apply as soon as they can.
The Independent
22-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Universal Credit payment boost to land in bank accounts this week
People on Universal Credit could see an early payment from the Department of Work and Pensions this week. Benefit payments will be going out as normal in May for the most part, but there are some exceptions due to the Bank Holidays. That means those that were due to get their benefit on 26 May, will get it on 23 May. This applies to a range of benefits, including the state pension, child benefit, PIP, and Universal Credit. Not everyone will be paid early, only those whose usual payment date falls on the bank holiday Monday. The full list of benefits that may be paid early are: Universal Credit State pension Pension credit Child benefit Disability living allowance Personal independence payment (PIP) Attendance allowance Carer's allowance Employment support allowance Income support Jobseeker's allowance Payments that were due on 26 May will now arrive this week on Friday 23 May, rather than after the long weekend, providing claimants with a much-needed financial boost right before the holiday. For more information on how and when state benefits are paid, visit the government's website. Changes to benefits In April, all benefits were uprated by 1.7 per cent, matching the September 2024 inflation figure. The increase will apply to all working-age benefits, including universal credit, PIP, DLA, attendance allowance, carer's allowance, ESA and more. Things will change slightly for Universal Credit claimants next year following Labour's welfare announcements. Everyone receiving the benefit's standard allowance will see a one-off above inflation rise by £7 a week from April 2026, taking it from £91 to £98. However, the rate of the additional Universal Credit health element will be frozen from 2026 at £97 until 2029/30 (although those in this group will receive the increased standard allowance). Additionally, any new claimants for the health element after April 2026 will receive a massively reduced rate of £50 a week – almost £2,500 less than the current level. This means it is a good idea for anyone who thinks they might be eligible to apply as soon as they can.
Times
22-05-2025
- Health
- Times
Labour must end the scandal of healthy millions rotting on benefits
Wembley Stadium is the biggest sports ground in the country and the second-biggest in Europe. Its capacity is 90,000 people. Much like the size of Wales, it is a readily intelligible unit of measurement for the otherwise incomprehensibly large. So it is to Wembley that anyone seeking to understand the scale of Britain's galloping welfare crisis should turn. Every day, some 2,000 people make a claim for disability and incapacity benefits. Half are claiming the personal independence payment (PIP), which is not means-tested and can handsomely remunerate otherwise-healthy Britons of working age prepared to cite anxiety and similar conditions as an impediment to their participation in the economy. In other words, Britain's claimant count for health-related benefits is increasing by one Wembley Stadium every 45
