The government has issued guidance in relation to some new Benefits law- which amends existing law. (coming into force for the majority of purposes on 27/1/2025).
LCWRA element take to UC from ESA for those above retirement age-
Amended to treat those UC claimants whose entitlement to ESA ends because they reach state pension age as being able to carry their LCWRA determination into UC, and not have to serve a relevant period. The UC claim must be made within a month of the ESA award ending to take advantage of this provision. .
New Local Housing Allowance Exemption- problems sharing a bedroom (low rate Attendance Allowance)-
Regulations currently allow couples who cannot share a room to have an extra bedroom included in their size allocation used to calculate their Local Housing Allowance limit. In order to take advantage of this, one member of the couple must receive the daily living component of PIP, or the middle or higher rate of the care component Disability Living Allowance (DLA), or the higher rate of Attendance Allowance (AA) (but not the lower rate of AA). This has been amended to include the lower rate of AA.
Transitional element and housing costs- amended so there is no erosion of the Transitional Element where the claimant moves from specifed/ temporary accommodation covered by HB to accommodation for which the claimant receives the Housing Costs Element - but only if there is a less than one month duration between the end of the HB award and the beginning of the Housing Costs Element award. Comes into force on 01/06/25.
And a separate bit of news-
'Thousands entitled to compensation after DWP settles lost income claim' Leigh Day Solicitors have represented clients-
'More than 200 benefts claimants have been awarded between £200 and £3,000 in a damages settlement for losing out on income after being moved on to universal credit before January 2019. The claimants lost “Severe Disability Premiums” (SDP) in the move on to Universal Credit in the years before the Department of Work and Pensions introduced the SDP Gateway scheme to ensure that people no longer missed out....
'Book now Universal Credit – The Tricky Parts 2025 also Benefits for Older People 2025