u/Alteredchaos

DWP (including Jobcentre Plus) arrangements for 25 May bank holiday  

The DWP (including Jobcentre Plus) arrangements are different for 25^(th) May bank holiday:  

• On Monday 25 May offices and phone lines are closed

 

To make sure people get their payment on a day when their offices are open, arrangements have been made to make some payments early. 

If the expected payment date is Monday 25 May, then benefits will be on Friday 22 May. 

If the expected payment date is not shown, claimants will get their money on their usual payment date. 

 

 

New compensation scheme for people who moved to UC and were worse off due to an incorrect decision to end old 'legacy' benefit

In 2020, a Court of Appeal decision concluded that people who had an incorrect decision to end their legacy benefits later reversed, for example on appeal, could not be reinstated onto their legacy benefit if they had already claimed UC. However, where these same people had a lower level of benefit entitlement on UC, the court recognised that they had suffered a financial loss.  

A new scheme aims to compensate those who are part of this group and meet the eligibility requirements.

The scheme provides a lump sum payment similar to what a court might have given the individual for their loss. The lump sum is worked out by taking the biggest monthly loss and multiplying it by 12.

You may be eligible for compensation if all the following apply: 

• you have proof that you were receiving one or more means-tested legacy benefits, including Housing Benefit, tax credits (Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit), income-related Employment and Support Allowance, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, or Income Support 
• a decision was made to end one of your legacy benefits, ending your entitlement 
• because of that decision, you successfully claimed Universal Credit within one month of your legacy benefit ending 
• the amount of Universal Credit you were entitled to was less than what you received from your legacy benefit before the move 
• you challenged the decision that stopped your benefit, and won, meaning you should have continued receiving your legacy benefit rather than claiming Universal Credit when you did

Only people who meet all these conditions are eligible under the scheme.

You can apply by phone or by post.

For more information visit gov.uk.

 

 

Over 1,100 people still going through the ‘Move to UC’ process and 360,030 never made a UC claim

The latest Managed Migration caseload figures have been published by the DWP, providing the move to UC picture up to the end pf March.

The DWP planned to move all legacy benefit claimants to UC by March 2026, completing the UC rollout and closing all legacy benefits by this date. However, this was an accelerated timeframe, and it has been controversial. With DWP figures showing that of the 800,000 claimants, just over 22,600 failed to act upon their managed migration notices and as a result saw their legacy benefit income end.

The latest statistics show that between July 2022 and the end of March 2026:

• 2,353,319 individuals (in 1,822,374 households) have been sent migration notices.
• A total of 1,992,161 of these individuals (living in 1,580,239 households) who were sent migration notices have made a claim to UC.
• Of those who have claimed UC, 814,703 households (53%) were awarded transitional protection.
• A total of 1,131 individuals who were sent migration notices are still going through the Move to UC process.
• A total of 360,030 individuals who were sent migration notices did not claim UC and have had their legacy benefit claims closed.
• Amongst households sent a migration notice 87% had made a claim to Universal Credit and 13% had not made a claim and their legacy benefit was ended.

Completing the move to UC statistics to end March 2026 is on gov.uk.

 

 

Turn2us needs your help

As part of their ‘Stop the stigma. Fix the system.’ Campaign, Turn2us are calling for Jobcentres to lead with trust, not suspicion. This means giving people time and support to prepare for work, instead of tick-box exercises and threatening sanctions that just don’t work.

Next month, they are holding an event in parliament where MPs will have the opportunity to get a glimpse of what it’s like for millions of people who use the Jobcentre. Actors will take MPs through a positive and negative Jobcentre experience, to help them understand why it’s so important for work coaches to understand people’s ambitions and challenges, build relationships and provide personalised support.

The idea came about thanks to their fantastic Campaign Group, which brings together Turn2us staff and Co-Production Partners. And they are excited to bring it to life. But they need your help to get MPs there to try the experience and learn how they can be part of the change.

They are asking everyone to… grab a cuppa and take 5 minutes to invite your MP today. It’s super quick and easy.

Victoria, Campaigns Manager at Turn2us said:

>“Our social security system is the glue that holds our society together. It’s a promise that if life takes an unexpected turn, we won’t be left to struggle through hard times alone. Thank you for joining us to show MPs the pivotal role Jobcentres can play in that system.”

You can invite your MP on turn2us.org.

 

 

DWP confirms longer six-year award review periods

During a Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC) meeting the DWP confirmed that some people could face reviews only every four or six years under updated award guidance.

The minutes of the March meeting were published this week and discuss new regulations that enable DWP to extend the length of an existing fixed term award of PIP, where that is considered necessary to “safeguard the efficient administration of PIP”. The power is confined to extending PIP awards. It does not allow for awards to be shortened or terminated, nor for entitlement levels to be changed.

The DWP modelled different review patterns and concluded that a first review after three years and subsequent reviews after five years (operationalised as four‑ and six‑year awards) struck an appropriate balance between administrative efficiency and maintaining accurate entitlement. 

These longer review intervals are intended as minimum periods rather than rigid standards, with Healthcare Professionals (HCPs) and Decision Makers retaining discretion to recommend shorter or longer awards, where justified, including ten‑year “light touch” arrangements for those with the most severe or stable conditions.

The DWP did confirm if an HCP recommended a review period shorter than the new minimum for a given category of case, their guidance and IT systems will require case managers to apply at least the minimum standard period unless a specific, documented exception applied. 

The SSAC expressed concerns about claimants who do not ask for a reassessment when their condition deteriorates and who “may be some of the most vulnerable”. Under the new system they may miss out on an increased award for even longer.  The DWP’s said they would “strengthen communications” but also admitted that “some savings will arise from cases where claimants with worsening conditions do not receive an earlier tailored assessment.”

Notably, the policy will not apply to claimants under 25 and the SSAC queried the rationale for this, asking:

>“What is the basis for linking age to likely patterns of condition and assessment method, and does the emphasis on 16–24-year-olds reflect a shift towards aligning PIP more closely with employment outcomes, notwithstanding that PIP is not itself an employment-related benefit?”

DWP said there were two reasons for this:

>“First, internal data indicates that with the younger age group there is a greater likelihood of improvement in health and functional ability over time. If reviews for this group are further apart, some individuals could remain on benefit longer than necessary. Secondly, more frequent engagement with 16–24-year-olds provides opportunities to identify and offer appropriate employment support at an earlier stage, in light of rising economic inactivity due to health reasons among young people.” 

The Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance (Decisions and Appeals) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 will come into force on 2 June 2026. 

The minutes of the SSAC meeting of 4 March are on gov.uk.

 

 

Reminder to share your views to improve PIP

There is still time for disabled people and those with long-term health conditions to share their views on how Personal Independence Payment (PIP) should be reformed.  

Anyone can respond to the Timms Review and those with lived or learned experience of PIP, including disabled people, the organisations that represent them, carers, clinicians, experts, MPs, and other elected officials across the UK, are particularly encouraged to do so. 

The Timms Review of Personal Independence Payment: call for evidence is open until 28 May.  

 

 

Overpayments due to fraud stand at 2.2%, claimant error 0.6%, official error 0.4%

The DWP has released the latest statistics revealing that billions of pounds were incorrectly distributed across the benefits system last year. The latest Fraud and Error in the Benefit System report estimates 3.2% of benefit expenditure was overpaid in the financial year ending 2026 (down from 3.3% in 2025), equivalent to £9.9 billion.

The DWP confirmed that overpayments arise due to fraud, claimant error and official error: The net loss from overpayments, following recoveries, stood at £8.6bn. The DWP confirmed that £0.6bn of Universal Credit (UC), £0.2bn of other DWP benefits and £0.4bn of Housing Benefit was recovered throughout the year.

A further 0.4% was underpaid, worth £1.2bn. The DWP stated that underpayments featured in the report occur because of official error, including mistakes or delays by the department, a local authority or HMRC.

The report is founded upon a sample of benefit claims scrutinised for accuracy by a specialist team. The claims were sampled between September 2024 and October 2025.

The DWP provides benefits to approximately 24.3 million people and total benefit expenditure reached £308.6bn in the financial year ending 2026, up from £286.6bn the previous year.

The data reveals problems across various benefits. UC remains the largest source of overpayments in monetary terms, Pension Credit carries the highest overpayment rate relative to expenditure, while PIP recorded a statistically significant increase in overpayments.

The State Pension continues to register the lowest overpayment rate, yet underpayments remain considerable owing to the scale of spending and persistent National Insurance record complications.

UC overpayments have now dropped to the lowest level since the pandemic, at 8.5%. This is below both pre-pandemic levels and the OBR forecast of 9.1% for this year. It is also a significant drop of 42% from the record level of 14.7% in FYE 2022. Despite this UC remained the biggest contributor to overpayments in cash terms. The DWP estimated 8.5 per cent of UC spending was overpaid in the financial year ending 2026, worth £6.72bn.

UC spending rose from £65.3bn to £79.2bn, due in no small part to the managed migration of legacy benefits, meaning monetary figures cannot be directly compared across the two years.

The report revealed that 24 in every 100 UC claims were either overpaid or underpaid, while 21 in every 100 were overpaid. Fraud represented £5.42bn of UC overpayments, with claimant error accounting for £690m and official error totalling £610m.

The principal drivers of UC fraud overpayments were earnings and employment, living together rules and capital, which collectively represented more than £6 in every £10 overpaid owing to fraud.

The report stated that earnings and employment fraud, including under declaration of income from work, dropped from 2.2 per cent to 1.5 per cent.

UC underpayments were estimated at 0.4 per cent, totalling £350m.

Fraud and error in the benefit system: financial year ending (FYE) 2026 estimates is on gov.uk. A Written Statement from Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Andrew Western is on parliament.uk.

 

 

Estimated £3.7 billion benefits unfulfilled

The DWP published their ‘Unfulfilled Eligibility’ statistics this week.

Unfulfilled Eligibility measures how much a claimant could have been eligible for had they updated the DWP with their correct circumstances.

The total unfulfilled eligibility rate in the financial year March 2025 to April 2026 was 1.2% (£3.7bn) compared with 1.3% (£3.7bn) the previous year.

Here are the headlines:

• Universal Credit, the Unfulfilled Eligibility rate was measured at 1.6% (£1,290 million) - around 10 in every 100 claims, similar to the previous year
• Personal Independence Payment, the Unfulfilled Eligibility rate in FYE 2026 was 3.3% (£950 million) - around 10 in every 100 claims, similar to the previous year
• Disability Living Allowance Unfulfilled Eligibility rate was 8.5% (£710 million) – around 20 in every 100 claims, a decrease from 25 in 100 in 2024
• Pension Credit Unfulfilled Eligibility rate was 2.0% (£130 million) - 13 in 100 claims, an increase from 10 in 100 last year
• State Pension, the Unfulfilled Eligibility rate remained at 0.0% (£50 million)

Note: the Unfulfilled Eligibility estimates are based on information that was previously included in the ‘Fraud and error in the benefit system’ statistics as ‘Claimant Error underpayments’. They were removed and reclassified and are now published separately.

Unfulfilled eligibility in the benefit system: Financial Year Ending (FYE) 2026 is on gov.uk.

 

 

DWP updates guidance on what banks can check under new benefit fraud powers

The DWP has published new guidance explaining what banks and financial institutions may be asked to check under new benefit Eligibility Verification powers.

Under the Eligibility Verification Measure (EVM), banks may be required to examine accounts receiving certain DWP benefits and identify cases where accounts meet specific “eligibility indicators” linked to benefit rules.

The DWP said the checks are designed to help identify incorrect payments caused by fraud, claimant error or official error, while also preventing people from building up large overpayments that later need to be repaid.

According to the new Code of Practice on Eligibility Verification Notices (EVN), banks could be asked to flag accounts where savings exceed benefit thresholds. For UC, this could include accounts holding more than £16,000, which is the upper capital limit for the benefit.

The guidance also states the DWP may request information linked to signs a claimant has spent more time abroad than benefit rules normally allow. However, the DWP said there are strict legal limits on what banks can share.

The Code states financial institutions are prohibited from sharing transaction information, meaning the DWP cannot see what people are buying, where they shop or individual spending habits.

Banks are also banned from sharing “special category data”, including information relating to political opinions, religious beliefs, ethnicity or health information.

The guidance states:

>“DWP is prohibited by law from sharing personal data with financial institutions under this power, and from requesting transaction information and special category data.”

The document also makes clear the DWP cannot ask banks to search for named benefit claimants. The code also repeatedly stresses strict limits apply to the information banks can provide. Financial institutions are prohibited by law from sharing:

• transaction histories
• spending information
• financial statements
• special category data such as political opinions, religion or ethnicity

Instead, financial institutions would apply eligibility criteria across their own systems and only return limited information where accounts match the indicators set out in an EVN.

The information that may be shared with the DWP includes account details, names and dates of birth linked to accounts, and details showing how an account met the eligibility indicator. Examples could include confirmation that savings exceeded a certain amount or evidence an account had been consistently used outside the UK.

The DWP stressed information returned by banks does not automatically mean somebody has done anything wrong. The Code states:

>“No decisions about benefit entitlement will be made automatically on this information alone.”

DWP must instead review the information alongside other evidence already held on a claim before deciding whether further checks are needed.

The guidance also confirms there will be a “Test and Learn” rollout phase involving a small number of financial institutions before wider expansion. During this period, the DWP said it will assess how well the system works, how accurate the data is and whether safeguards are operating effectively before broader implementation.

The new system forms part of the Government’s wider measures on fraud and error in the benefit system and will initially apply to people claiming UC, Pension Credit and ESA.

The Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Act is estimated to deliver benefits of £2.1 billion by 2030/31.

The Code of Practice on Eligibility Verification Notices is on gov.uk.

 

 

Winter Fuel Payment reminder  

From winter 2025/26 the Winter Fuel Payment will be paid to all pensioners unless they have opted out of getting the payment. HMRC will recover the Winter Fuel Payment from pensioners with a total individual income above £35,000 by either automatically changing their tax code from April 2026 or including it in their Self-Assessment tax return.  

Those with total individual incomes, from private/ state pensions and any other sources, exceeding £35,000, can act now to opt out of future Winter Fuel Payments rather than have HMRC recover them through taxation.  

Pensioners in England, Wales and Northern Ireland can opt out of receiving future Winter Fuel Payments via an online form available on GOV.UK. A telephone option is available for those unable to use this online route. 

Pensioners can opt back in should their circumstances change in the future.  

HMRC have provided a calculator on GOV.UK to help pensioners work out if their total income will be over £35,000.  

 

 

Wales – More than 2,000 young people attended Wales’ first ever Youth Jobs Fair

Thousands of young people from across Wales were brought face to face with some of the region’s best-known employers in Cardiff this week in the biggest ever jobs fair of its kind.  

The event was Wales’ first ever jobs fair to be hosted as part of the Youth Guarantee hosted at the Principality Stadium, the event welcomed thousands of young jobseekers from across Cardiff, Newport, the Valleys and the Vale of Glamorgan. 

Over 40 employers and providers from across Wales attended the jobs fair. Defence, hospitality and construction were just some of the career pathways open to attendees at the event. 

Employers and training providers provided jobseekers with details of the hundreds of open vacancies and apprenticeships opportunities being recruited with more than 600 job offers already made.  

Pat McFadden, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, said: 

>“The Jobs Fair in Cardiff has shown what’s possible when government and employers work together.    

>Young jobseekers have been shown what the next step in their career journey could be – and in some cases will have left with a job offer.  

>I’m delighted so many local employers are choosing to back our Youth Guarantee, and we will keep going further so we can ensure every young person has the chance to earn or learn.”

Before the event, young jobseekers received specialised group information sessions to help them get the most out of meeting employers face-to-face. They also received hands-on advice covering everything from filling in applications to preparing for interviews – giving them the skills and confidence they need to take their first step into the world of work. 

The press release is on gov.uk.

 

Case law – with thanks to u/ClareTGold

 

Universal Credit (fit note) - RM v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions [2026]

This case concerns the duty under regulation 2 of the Social Security (Medical Evidence) Regulations 1976 to provide evidence of Limited Capability for Work (LCW) for Universal Credit (UC) i.e. to trigger a work capability assessment.

The default position is a fit note, but this case details the other ways in which a claimant can demonstrate having a LCW. It’s worth a read.

 

 

No cut to UC for under-22s until at least the Autumn

In November, DWP secretary Pat McFadden confirmed that the government had not yet decided whether to take forward its proposal that people under the age of 22 would no longer be eligible for the limited capability for work related activity (LCWRA) part of Universal Credit (UC). He told parliament that the department wouldn’t be making any firm decisions until after Alan Milburn publishes his review into young people and unemployment this “summer”.

The DWP commissioned Milburn to carry out an independent investigation to explore why young people are not in employment, education, or training (NEET).

Speaking to parliament on Tuesday 28 April, Timms responded to a question on the plans from Labour MP Ben Coleman.

He told parliament that:

>“There is an urgent need to address the big rise in the number of young people not in work, education or training that took place before the last general election. We think that better support might help young people more than extra cash. Alan Milburn’s review on the NEET problem more broadly will report in September; we will wait until then to decide whether to delay access to the universal credit health element until the age of 22. If we did do that, there would need to be exceptions.”

Read the debate on hansard.parliament.uk.

 

 

Thousands of healthcare professionals complete autism awareness training

As Autism Awareness Month draws to a close the DWP has announced that “thousands of healthcare professionals have completed Oliver McGowan training to better support autistic people and those with learning disabilities as they navigate the benefits system.”

The training is named after Oliver McGowan, a young man with autism and a learning disability who died in 2016 after being given antipsychotic medication against his and his family’s wishes. It was established following a campaign by his family to ensure that staff working with autistic people and those with learning disabilities have the knowledge and skills to support them safely.

The training tackles “diagnostic overshadowing” - where symptoms are wrongly attributed to a person’s disability rather than investigated properly - ensuring people receive the right support at the right time.

It also gives staff practical tools to make meaningful reasonable adjustments for people with learning disabilities and autism as they navigate the benefits system. These include:

• More time in assessments, reducing anxiety and allowing people to communicate clearly and confidently.
• Simpler, clearer communications from Jobcentres, making information accessible to people who may find complex language difficult to process.
• Sensory-aware Jobcentre environments, ensuring spaces feel safe and manageable for people who may find busy or loud environments overwhelming.

Minister for Social Security and Disability Sir Stephen Timms, said:

>“Oliver McGowan’s story is a powerful reminder of why services must understand the people they serve.

>This training is part of how we achieve that, equipping our staff to treat every autistic person and everyone with a learning disability as an individual, and to provide support that genuinely works for them.

>We’re determined to break down barriers for disabled people, and to put autistic people and those with learning disabilities at the very heart of our decisions and direction.

>I pay tribute to the hard and brave work of the McGowan family in Oliver’s memory.”

In total, 231 active internal DWP healthcare professionals have completed part of the training. 4,168 active external provider healthcare professionals have completed part of the training. “Active” is defined as having an active employment status, excluding those on long-term sickness, parental leave or similar absences.

The training is one part of wider support the DWP is investing into better support people with autism. Separately, an expert academic panel has examined the specific barriers neurodivergent people face in the workplace, with its recommendations under active consideration.

Jon Sparkes, OBE, Chief Executive of learning disability Mencap, said:

>“Increasing benefit assessors’ understanding of learning disability is an important step towards a more accessible and inclusive benefits system. The training they’ve received has the potential to make a real difference in helping them to communicate more clearly, recognise individual needs and make reasonable adjustments.

>People with a learning disability need to be properly understood and receive the level of support that’s right for them to navigate the benefits assessment process.

>This training is already making a difference in health and social care teams, and we hope it will now make another public service more accessible to people with a learning disability so that they can live their lives to the full.”

The press release is on gov.uk.

 

 

PIP Timms Review, have your say: PIP call for evidence ends this month

The Co-Chairs of the Timms Review shared an update this week in which they stressed that it is “essential that this Review is informed by a diversity of experiences, evidence, and perspectives” and it included a ‘call for evidence’, which is the first step in the Review’s wider programme of engagement.

Dr Clenton Farquharson CBE, co-chair of the Review, said:

>“PIP is not just a benefit. It is part of how many disabled people live with dignity, independence and choice. That is why this Review must be shaped by people who know the system from the inside.

>We need to hear what works, what does not, who is being missed, and what needs to change.

>This engagement programme matters because good evidence is not only about data. It is about real lives, real barriers and practical recommendations that can make the system fairer and fit for the future.”

The six-part evidence and engagement programme will use different ways to hear from people, including written evidence, local workshops, expert sessions, deliberative events, existing research and new survey work. The programme will comprise:

1. A Call for Evidence - the steering group’s thinking will be informed by the responses received. 
2. Existing data and research - the steering group will consider existing qualitative and quantitative research from the disability sector, experts, and government, so that its work is grounded in a broad base of evidence. 
3. New quantitative survey research - the steering group has commissioned a representative quantitative survey on topics for which the existing evidence base is limited or further insight is needed, working with the National Centre for Social Research. 
4. Workshop in a box - the steering group will create resources for organisations to run workshops on the Review. These workshops will allow us to capture more in-depth qualitative insights on people’s lived experience of disability and PIP across the UK. 
5. Evidence sessions with experts - the steering group will hear evidence from experts, including people with lived experience of disability and/or relevant professional expertise. The group will consider which experts it wants to engage with and how best to do so, providing an opportunity for deeper, targeted engagement on specific topics. 
6. Deliberative events – later in the year, a series of deliberative events will be held across the UK to test ideas, explore trade-offs, and refine the Review’s recommendations.

 

The steering group believes that using this mixture of methods is essential to the success of the Timms Review. Giving individuals and organisations a variety of ways to take part will help us to reach more people, hear a wider range of perspectives, and build a stronger evidence base for the Review’s recommendations. 

The Timms Review of Personal Independence Payment: Call for Evidence is open to responses until 28 May 2026.  

The press release is on gov.uk

 

 

More than one in four pensioners are struggling financially

In a new report, ‘Fragile budgets, difficult choices’, Age UK warns about the risks of another year of energy price hikes and inflationary consequences, especially for pensioners living on a low fixed income.

New polling for Age UK shows that among the 3.4 million pensioners (28%) in Great Britain who said they were financially struggling, almost half (47%) 1.6 million said they’ve been struggling for three years or longer, pointing to more persistent financial hardship.

Notably, a fifth (22%) of those struggling, equivalent to 740,000 aged 66+ said they have been struggling financially for more than five years showing an even more persistent financial strain for a large number of pensioners.

In 2022-24, pensioners with the lowest fifth of incomes spent half of their total spending (more than £6,500) on the essentials of energy, food and housing. This is higher than those pensioners on the middle fifth of incomes who spent around 40% on these, and those on the highest incomes who spent around 30%.

Age UK warns that energy remains the dominant source of financial pressure for older households in 2026. Energy affordability continues to shape the financial confidence and wellbeing of pensioners, with one in four (25%) saying they find their energy bills unaffordable – even before the conflict in the Middle East began.

The pressures among older people are not felt equally. Renters, women, younger pensioners, those with disabilities, and pensioners from ethnic minority backgrounds are all disproportionately affected.  Among older private renters, 51% pensioners said they were financially struggling, compared with 28% overall.  And for pensioners from ethnic minority backgrounds these challenges were likely to be even more common, as poverty rates are higher. 29% of Black pensioners and 21% of Asian pensioners are living in poverty, compared to 12% of white pensioners.

Age UK is calling on the Government to act across income, energy and housing to address the underlying drivers of insecurity in later life, including boosting Pension Credit take‑up, strengthening protections against high energy costs and tackling unaffordable and poor‑quality housing.  To protect older people from another tough winter, Age UK urges the Government to act now across three interconnected areas:

• Income: Age UK calls for a sustained strategy to tackle the persistently low take-up of Pension Credit and other benefits, stronger protections and careful monitoring of the new Crisis and Resilience Fund to ensure it reaches pensioners in genuine hardship.
• Energy: Age UK calls for reform of the Warm Home Discount to extend eligibility to all low-income households, deepen the support it provides, while also optimising and accelerating delivery of the Warm Homes Plan.
• Housing: Age UK urges the Government to ensure Local Housing Allowance keeps pace with real rental costs, provide more consistent access to proven funding models and support with housing costs, and develop a long-term strategy to increase the supply of affordable, accessible homes suitable for later life.

Fragile budgets, difficult choices: The cost of living for pensioners in 2026 is on ageuk.org.

 

 

DWP names first ‘Jobs Guarantee’ delivery partners

Some of the country’s biggest employment support providers have been chosen to deliver the first phase of the government’s flagship youth unemployment scheme.

The DWP has appointed six organisations as lead delivery partners to run the “jobs guarantee” in six areas ahead of the national rollout.

They will be responsible for matching unemployed young people to suitable jobs, reimbursing employers for wage and onboarding costs and providing wraparound support before and during placements.

The jobs guarantee is one of the government’s key initiatives to tackle stubbornly high youth unemployment. Eligible young people will have access to a fully subsidised six-month paid job through the scheme. They must be aged 18 to 21 and have been on universal credit and looking for work for 18 months.

Catch 22 will deliver the scheme in Birmingham and Solihull, Ingeus in the East Midlands, The Growth Company in Greater Manchester, Reed in Partnership in Hertfordshire and Essex, The King’s Trust in central and east Scotland and Itec Training Solutions in South West and South East Wales.

The six areas chosen for phase one were selected because they were identified as having the “highest need”.

DWP expects 1,200 referrals in phase one, although the guidance said referral numbers could increase if capacity allows.

Delivery organisations have until October 2026 to assess and place eligible young people, and job placements in this phase must be completed by April 2027.

Covering the six-month job placement, the government will fund 100 per cent of wage costs at the minimum wage for up to 25 hours per week, plus employer national insurance and minimum pension contributions.

In addition, delivery organisations can claim up to £2,250 per participant for wraparound support and training, £400 for administration and up to £250 for employer onboarding costs.

DWP guidance says the scheme will roll out across England, Scotland and Wales “later” this year. Ministers have said the scheme will provide 55,000 job placements over the next three years.

The scheme is part of the government’s wider youth guarantee, backed by £820 million, to ensure young people can access work, training or education.

Details on the jobs guarantee are on gov.uk.

 

 

Young people lost in transition

The share of 18–24-year-olds not in education, employment or training (NEET) has risen from 13% in 2019 to 15% in 2025, leaving almost 900,000 young people navigating a challenging transition between childhood and adulthood in terms of economic status. This rise has made the headlines and the Government agenda, with Alan Milburn’s team set to release findings from a review that is looking into why young people in the UK are disconnected from work.

The Resolution Foundation in their latest report ‘Lost in Transition’ investigates why the UK’s NEET rate has been rising since 2019, and why it has long been higher than in many other countries.

Resolution Foundation argues this recent increase is only part of the story. The UK already had one of the highest NEET rates in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OEDC) even before the pandemic.

Just over half of the recent rise reflects a weaker labour market. The rest is driven by a sharp increase in economic inactivity, closely tied to worsening health (especially mental health) and rising incapacity benefit claims among young people. Crucially, youth unemployment itself is not unusually high. More young people are simply disengaging from the labour market altogether.

International comparisons helped their researchers challenge some common assumptions about worklessness among young people. Countries with far lower NEET rates do not necessarily have better health outcomes. Instead, they keep more young people in education – particularly vocational pathways – and combine stricter engagement requirements with more generous, hands-on support than in the UK.

Recently, there have also been several headlines about entry-level jobs disappearing. Many have attributed the rise in economic inactivity among young people to this phenomenon. While this is certainly part of the story, this latest report highlights the barriers in the transition between education and work for young people.

Areas to examine are encouraging young people to stay in education and re-engage after setbacks, whilst setting up a better support system to help them navigate ill (mental) health alongside work. The report makes clear there are no quick fixes.

Lost in transition: An examination of why the UK NEET rate is high and rising is on resolutionfoundation.org.uk.

 

 

DWP commences corrections to ESA to UC late managed migration claims

You may remember that back in January that the National Association of Welfare Rights Advisers (NAWRA) highlighted an issue where ESA claimants who missed their final migration deadline but subsequently claimed UC were not having the LCWRA element included and were being put through the WCA due to the DWPs failure to apply regulation 21 of the Universal Credit (Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2014.

While the DWP accepted it was in the wrong, it said it would 'take some time' to fix.

In an update to members this week, NARWA confirmed that the DWP has finally got to a place where they are correcting the cases they are aware of, and they are looking into how they identify and correct all other cases.

The latest DWP statement: 

>“We are currently working to put right an error that affected some customers who were receiving income related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). In these cases, customers did not claim Universal Credit before the end of their managed migration grace period and their ESA award was ended. Where this happened, National Insurance credits should have been considered and, where appropriate continued to be awarded, and we recognise that this did not occur.

>We will review the records for those cases we are already aware of. At the same time, we are working through the issue to ensure we fully understand the problem completely and to develop processes that will enable us to identify and put right cases.

>This issue may also affect the amount of Universal Credit paid to customers who later made a claim and already had a valid Work Capability Assessment decision. We will take steps to ensure that any impact on entitlement is identified and corrected where appropriate.”

Thanks to NAWRA for championing this issue.

 

 

Housing benefit earned income changes from the Autumn

A long-awaited change to benefits designed to make work pay has been confirmed by the DWP - but claimants will have to wait until late 2026 to see it introduced.

The update came after Darlington MP Lola McEvoy pressed the Government for clarity on when new “earned income disregards” four Housing Benefit (HB) would take effect.

Responding on behalf of the DWP, minister Stephen Timms said the changes are scheduled for rollout from Autumn 2026. He said:

>"These disregards will help smooth the transition between the Universal Credit and Housing Benefit for individuals in Supported Housing and Temporary Accommodation as they move into work or increase their earnings, ensuring work always pays.

>The new disregards will be in place from Autumn 2026. This will require legislative changes and be accompanied by IT changes made to local authority IT systems.”

In preparation for this, we have already begun engagement with stakeholders to ensure that the implementation meets the needs of those affected.

This is accompanied by clear communications to support local authorities, housing providers and third sector organisations to ensure that eligible customers are aware of and able to utilise this change."

The reform, first announced in the Autumn Budget last year, will apply to people receiving Housing Benefit while living in supported housing or temporary accommodation.

In practice, the new rules will allow claimants to keep more of what they earn, reducing the risk of being financially worse off when taking on extra hours or a new job.

Officials say they have already begun working with councils, housing providers and charities to prepare for the shift, alongside plans to communicate the changes clearly to those affected.

The question and answer is on parliament.uk.

 

 

Recruitment for Access to Work case managers underway

The DWP has published a job listing for 360 new Executive Officers (read, case managers) within the Access to Work department.

The roles are available across a range of locations: Barnsley BSC, Blackpool Fylde View, Bradford Debt Centre, Dean Clough Office Park, Leeds Quarry House, Preston Palatine House, Stockport Millenium House, Treforest Ty Taf.

The full time salary is £32,137, pro-rata for part time staff.

“We welcome applications from candidates who demonstrate they have the right communication skills to be responsive to the needs of a diverse group of customers, an ability to understand complex information and can make the right decision at the right time.”

Closing date is Thursday 14th May 2026.

The job advert is on gov.uk.

 

 

Case law – with thanks to u/ClareTGold

 

Housing Benefit (supported accommodation, contrived tenancy) - FYE v Middlesborough City Council and GPZ v Sunderland City Council 2026

This case concerned whether rent liabilities had been created to take advantage of the Housing Benefit scheme. There were 34 appeal cases involving two local authorities, this appeal dealt with the two leading cases.

All the cases involved the issue of whether the claimant’s rent liability was created to take advantage of the Housing Benefit (HB) scheme. In every case, the local authority decided that the liability had been so created (contrived), with the effect that the claimant was not entitled to HB.

Some of the cases also raised the issue whether the claimants were living in ‘exempt accommodation’. In the simplest terms, this means whether they were receiving support in addition to their accommodation. However, the support issue only arises if the claimant’s liability was not created to take advantage of the scheme.

The First-tier Tribunal determined that the tenancies were contrived, as per regulation 9(1)(l) of the Housing Benefit Regulations 2006, and the FtT gave detailed reasons for this decision.

Several grounds were put forward in the appeal to the Upper Tribunal (which make for interesting reading). All of which were unsuccessful.

No material error of law was identified, “the tribunal’s evaluative judgment on contrivance was unassailable given the totality of the factors it took into account”. The FtT decision stands.

 

And lastly… Routine DWP led work capability reassessments remain suspended in UC and ESA.