Articles in Benefits

Articles in Benefits

Changes To Disability Benefits – Budget 2022

Ben Clark

The Government have announced as part of their 2023 budget today (15 March) changes to the disability benefit system. BuDS is reading the press releases and papers carefully, and will update this page when we have a fuller understanding of what has been announced. Below, however, are the headlines from the Budget announcement.

The Chancellor announced that the work capability assessment for benefits will be abolished, so that disabled people can seek work without worrying about losing their benefits. It was also announced that a new ‘Universal Support’ programme will be set up to help get disabled people into work, with up to £4000 being spent per person. More details to come on this.

DWP’s Own Audits Show One Third of PIP Assessments Not Fit For Purpose

Ben Clark

A third of ATOS assessment reports are not fit for purpose, according to the DWP’s own quality assurance auditors. In a sample of 1,466 PIP assessments carried out in August 2022, DWP auditors found that:

  • 972 reports (66%) were acceptable, which means they met the DWP’s contract requirements
  • 138 (9%) of reports met the contract requirements but it was clear from the assessment report that the ATOS assessor ‘required learning’
  • 321 (22%) of reports met the contract requirements but ‘required amending’ to improve their accuracy and completeness
  • 35 (2%) were found not to even meet the DWP’s contract requirement.
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Cold Weather Payments in Buckinghamshire

Ben Clark

A cold weather payment has been triggered in Buckinghamshire today, Sunday 11th December 2022, for the period between Monday 5th December and Sunday 11th December.

A cold weather payment is made if the average temperature in your area is recorded as, or forecasted to be, zero degrees Celsius or below over 7 consecutive days. You will receive £25 for each 7-day period of very cold weather between 1st November and 31st March.

To check whether your postcode is eligible for a cold weather payment, please type your postcode into the DWP’S, Cold Weather Payment Checker https://coldweatherpayments.dwp.gov.uk/search.php

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Delays To PIP Payments

Ben Clark

We’ve confirmed today with the DWP that there is an ongoing issue with PIP benefit payments which started on Friday 2nd December, and persists today. Many people are finding that their usual PIP payment hasn’t reached their bank account. DWP insiders are telling us that Caxton House (DWP Head Office) have ‘declared a major incident’ over non-payment of disability benefit PIP, but they still don’t know how or when it will be resolved.

We have consulted welfare rights lawyers, who confirm that disabled people receiving PIP have no legal right to be paid on any particular day and that the DWP cannot be held liable for any bank charges or other losses because a payment is delayed. The DWP have made themselves unaccountable.

If the DWP end up making two payments into your account, report it to the DWP immediately. Do not leave yourself vulnerable to DWP recovery proceedings, as they can be very ruthless. More information here.

As of 5 pm today (5 December), a lot of claimants are reporting money is arriving in their accounts. We do not know how many claimants have been affected, or how many payments are still outstanding, as the DWP is not accountable.

As of 3.30pm today (5th December), the DWP are telling claimants that about a third of PIP claimants have been affected, and that all failed payments will be paid again using Faster Payments. There has, of course, been no official confirmation from the DWP.

Sick Pay Rebate Scheme

Ben Clark

Since 17 March, you can’t claim statutory sick pay or Employment & Support Allowance (ESA) if you (or someone in your household) need to self-isolate because of Covid-19. Also from 17 March, statutory sick pay only starts from the 4th day after you got too ill to work. Read on for more.

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