Ongoing News

We have been receiving some positive news over the last few weeks from groups about the claim process for the new benefit Personal Independence Payment(PIP). 

In Wigan, part of the intial pilots,  initally the first phonecall to make a claim and answer the non disability questions(PIP1 form) over the telephone took 45 minutes in one instance(slowness of the computers).  Since then a local authority Welfare Benefits Specialist reports the process takes around 20 minutes.  However, in the same area,  there are reports of the medicals assessment centre(ATOS) where clients are being sent are further away than would be expected than for an ESA assessment. 

In Oxford,  a floating support worker says that claims were also taking 20 minutes and staff were reported to be very helpful offering to call the client back free of charge.  However,  welfare rights staff in Wolverhampton have told us during PIP training that PIP2 forms are taking around 3 weeks to arrive.

We are waiting for news of the first decisions on PIP now.

The government is still to decide the rules of passporting for free school meals under Universal Credit.

David Laws has stated that

A press release from Lord Freud brings welcome news to many landlords and  tenants worrying about direct payment of benefit to tenants.

The government has estimated that 7,000 Universal Credit claims in the four pathfinder areas will be processed ahead of the national roll out in October.  There are some fears that this will not be enough to iron out faults in the system.Hansard 27 Jun 2013 : Column 376W  

The government has announced that there will be an exemption from 'The Real Time' information for small employers of less than 50 staff until April 2014.  The system is a corner stone of Universal Credit and is meant to make a smooth transition between in and out of work and increasing or decreasing wages.  Until the system operates smoothly claimants would have to declare their chang

Croatia joins the European Union on 1/7/2013.  Croatian nationals will face the strict version of the right to reside test that currently applies to nationals of A2 countries (Bulgaria and Romanians).  It will not be enough to be a work seeker to claim means tested benefits.  Claimants will usually have to be to be employed in one of a very  restricted list of occupations or

The Benefit Cap(not to be confused with the Welfare Cap above) will be rolled out nationally from 15/7/2013 to the end of September 2013. 

George Osborne has announced further tough changes to Welfare Benefits.  (Spending ReviewJune 2013).

The government has launched a new  6 week consultation(ending on 5/8/2013) about  whether descriptor 2 of the  PIP Mobility Component should be changed.  Descriptor 2 , or  the ‘moving around’ criteria, allows points to be awarded according to the

The figures below give the government estimated value of the contracts to deliver PIP.  Atos have been awarded around 2/3 of the contracts. 

Hansard

The government has again confirmed their policy that the Work Capability Assessment carried out by ATOS can be recorded.  A request for this needs to be made in advance.  Some clients have complained about the inaccuracy of reports and what was said during them.

The government have estimated that the cost to the tax payer to introduce the new benefit Universal Credit this year is £2billion,  and that 21% of that budget has been spent so far.  They suggest that the budget is not due be overpsent. Hansard

No not at the moment!  Textphone and telephone can often be problematic.

Some of you have asked how the claimant count will be performed under Universal Credit. 

The Government has indicated that the the system will stay broadly the same-

'it was agreed that the Claimant Count would reflect those people who were still receiving JSA, plus the subset of UC claimants who were claiming benefits principally for the reason of being unemployed. This UC element would be defined as those claimants who are not earning and subject to a full set of labour market jobseeker requirements, that is required to be actively seeking work and available to start work in order to qualify for benefits.'

Click here for Hansard