Ongoing News

The government has released new figures- '124,000 households had their benefit capped, almost all of which are capped on UC (540 households had their benefit capped on HB) at May 2025 ...On UC, at May 2025: t

In the recent Cabinet reshuffe Pat McFadden was as appointed as the new Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.

He replaces Liz Kendall who has moved to become the new Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology.

Book now Introduction to Benefits 2025

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Maximising Housing Benefit(including supported accommodation)

Including the interaction between UC(monthly beneft) and HB(weekly beneft).

Housing Associations – Introduction to Welfare Benefts

A new law will come into force on 15/9/2025. it allows the Government to pay a winter fuel payment to a person

who, in the week beginning on the third Monday in September (“the qualifying week”) in any year, has reached

Latest Universal Credit migration statistics show-

Latest govt. Statistics show-

Failure to attend or participate in a mandatory interview accounted for 90.8% of all adverse sanction decisions in the

last year and 89.8% in the latest quarter.

The government  has released the latest Statistics on Universal Credit-

The largest conditionality group is those with no work requirements(as more vulnerable claimants enter the system).

34% of the people on Universal Credit were in employment in May 2025

In February 2025, 86% of new successful claims received their first payment in full and on time

What is retirement age when it's possible for a person to start to get their State Retirement Pension?

For both men and women, age 66 at present.

This is changing next year from April 2026- April 2028(it will gradually rise to 67). Here's a table from the govt 

The government is currently undertaking a review of existing processes to identify opportunities to strengthen

support for vulnerable customers.

Safeguarding Vulnerable Claimants: Government response(the Work and pensions Committee)’ states

Local Welfare Provision in England is delivered by Local Authorities.

In Wales it is a national scheme via the DAF fund(Discretionary Assistance Fund).

Changes have been made to the rules from 1/7/2025-

The government has announced a number of U turns in relation to the £5

billion of proposed cuts in the Universal Credit and Personal Independence

Payment Bill.

● Changes in PIP eligibility criteria- The new eligibility requirements will be

implemented from November 2026 for new claims only.

The Winter Fuel Payment(WFP) was cut for most pensioners in 2024/2025. Only those on certain benefts

qualified-

Pension Credit or other means tested benefts- Tax credits, Income Support, JSA(IB), ESA(IR).

Another U turn by the government, means that now 9 million pensioners(of the 12 million pensioners in the

From September 2026, the government has announced-

'We expect the majority of schools will allow parents to apply before the start of the school year September 2026,

The Flexible Support Fund is administered in Job Centres. It's discretionary and aimed at helping clients into work.

Here are a few examples of items that might be funded- childcare costs, travel cost for interviews in the Job Centre

outside normal signing on times, new clothes for interviews, training course fees, drivers licence. Here's some

The government has released statistics around overpayments. 'Fraud and error in the benefit system, Financial Year Ending (FYE) 2025'