Welfare

More than eight out of ten households affected by the benefit cap should be made exempt from the “cruel” policy which “targets claimants unable to work”, an influential group of MPs has said. In a new report, the work and pensions committee said only 18% of those affected by

A report highlighting the difficulties faced by people with mental health conditions accessing social security support has been welcomed as “crucially important” by the Scottish Greens. Money and Mental Health’s The Benefits Assault Course surveyed hundreds of people experiencing m

The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA) has responded to an inquiry by the UK Parliament’s work and pensions committee into Universal Credit ‘natural’ migration by calling for a pause until key conditions are met. The SFHA would like to see the outcomes of

The contribution of the Universal Credit rollout to an increase in food bank use has finally been conceded by work and pensions secretary Amber Rudd. Having long been disputed by successive ministers, the link between the flagship welfare reform, which has been plagued with delays, and food insecuri

People due to move from tax credits to Universal Credit face significant issues and a dramatic culture change, according to Holyrood’s social security committee. The warning comes in the committee’s latest report into in-work poverty which has raised deep concerns with the flagship welfa

The Scottish Parliament’s social security committee has launched an inquiry into whether the social security system adequately supports tenants in both the private rented sector and social housing. There are growing concerns that a system which should support people to be able to rent an affor

CIH policy and practice officer Sam Lister rounds up all the latest changes to Universal Credit – including some which have slipped under the radar. Already in 2019 we’ve seen several new announcements about Universal Credit – in addition to those in the November Budget. Some have

West Whitlawburn Housing Co-operative (WWHC) is to consult on a proposed rent change for the forthcoming financial year but has blamed Universal Credit for not being able to provide tenants with more than one option. The management committee is proposing an increase of 1.9% uplift on all rents for 2

More than £181 million in emergency funding has been accessed by low income households in Scotland since 2013. From when the Scottish Welfare Fund scheme began on 1 April 2013 until 30 September 2018, a total of 316,095 individual households have received awards totalling £181.6 million.

The UK Parliament’s work and pensions committee is today launching a new inquiry into the process by which people claiming existing benefits move onto Universal Credit if they have a change in their circumstances. Now that Universal Credit has been rolled out to every Jobcentre in the country,

An SNP MP has urged the UK Government to accept amendments to its Domestic Abuse Bill to tackle the increased risk of financial abuse under the current Universal Credit system. Dr Philippa Whitford MP, who has led the campaign to introduce separate payments as the default for Universal Credit, said

Institute for Social Policy, Housing, Equalities Research (I-SPHERE) director Professor Suzanne Fitzpatrick provided oral evidence this week to the UK Parliament’s work and pensions committee on its inquiry into the welfare safety net. Drawing on I-SPHERE’s work on Destitution in th

Four working single mothers have secured a High Court victory against the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) for the operation of its Universal Credit benefits scheme. The court found on Friday that the way the DWP has been assessing income from employment through its Universal Credit work asses

The UK Government is to scrap its plans to extend a benefits cap to 15,000 families with more than two children. Work and pensions secretary Amber Rudd told Sky News that families with a third child born before April 6, 2017, will still be able to claim £2,780 worth of annual Universal Credit

A Loretto Housing tenant has received more than £21,000 in backdated benefit payments thanks to the work of the Association’s welfare benefits advisor. Karen Gribben, from Lanarkshire, received the payment after Loretto helped her claim Severe Disabled Premium she didn’t know she w