In the news

SEPTEMBER 2020

Dr Stephen Brien

Government choice of SSAC Chair to be questioned

The Work & Pensions Committee has called the government's preferred candidate for Chair of the Social Security Advisory Committee in to question.

​

Dr Stephen Brien is the current Director of Policy at the Legatum Institute. He was an advisor to the DWP from 2010-2013 and is the author of Outcome- based Goverment and Dynamic Benefits, the blueprint for Universal Credit. Since 2019, the interim chair of the SSAC has been Liz Sayce, CEO of Disability Rights UK.

​

Dr Brien's evidence to the inquiry into the appointment of the Chair of the SSAC can be viewed from 9.30am on Wednesday 9th September.

​

RRapid review of post-lockdown social security changes

The Social Security Advisory Committee is conducting a rapid review of post lockdown changes to the social security system.

​

The review will take place in two phase and contributions are welcomed from people working in and using the system at all stages.

​

Social distancing measures at the Bodleian Library, Oxford.

New UC law affects students with disabilities

New regulations have come into effect that will limit disabled students' access to Universal Credit, and therefore to education.

​

The Universal Credit (Exceptions to the Requirement not to be receiving Education) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 have been issued to “restore the policy intent” that a disabled student must have received a limited capability for work determination on or before their date of claim for Universal Credit.

The regulations, which came into effect in August 2020, address the exception to the Universal Credit basic condition 'not to be receiving education' for those in receipt of a disability benefit.

​

They amend the exception by specifying that a person entitled to AA, DLA or PIP will only be entitled to Universal Credit if they already have a determination of limited capability for work (LCW).

Disability Rights UK Welfare Rights & Policy Advisor Ken Butler comments that the changes lead to an unwinnable Catch 22 situation where the DWP...

'reject a Universal Credit claim made by a full time disabled student (not previously in receipt of ESA) on the grounds that they have not been determined to have a LCW', and then refuse to arrange a work capability assessment to determine if they have a LCW, even when they would often have 'met the Universal Credit means test if found to have a LCW.'

​

The only current solution is for the student (or potential student) to apply for New Style ESA so that a work capability assessment can evenutally be carried out before the student applies for UC.

FiAdditional payments for self-isolation

The government has started to trial payments for people on low incomes in areas of high-incidence of COVID-19 who are self isolating and unable to work from home.

​​

A trial has begun in the North West of England (Blackburn, Darwen, Pendle and Oldham) to pay £130 for 10 days isolation for anyone self isolating due to COVID-19 infection and £182 for household members of an infected person who need to self isolate for 14 days.

The payment will be available to those currently claiming Universal Credit or Working Tax Credit (and those who claim Income Support, ibJSA, irESA, Pension Credit & Housing Benefit if they are also working), within 48 hours of them providing evidence of a positive test result plus a current bank statement.

The recent change in government COVID policy came after a report by DELVE (a multi-disciplinary group convened by the Royal Society) showed that there was a financial disincentive to self isolation.

The TUC has since described the 'belated concession' of £13 a day as a 'paltry payment', which only applies to people on UC in areas of local lockdown in England, and still leaves many families without adequate support.

AAccess to Work scheme extended for COVID-19

Disabled people at work or working from home can now claim additional funding through an extension of the Access to Work scheme.

​

The new funding covers additional expenses for  special equipment, travel costs and mental health. Applications can be made via https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work.

​