52 h. ago Keir Starmer doubles down on DWP PIP cuts as major Labour revolt looms

Most of the savings to the welfare bill will be made by restricting access to a key disability benefit - Personal Independence Payments (PIP) - in a move that has caused alarm

Politics

3 d. ago HMRC tells parents of these students to contact them following “GCSE season”

Parents could be at risk of losing their benefit payments as their children finish their GCSE exams

Society

8 d. ago Labour MPs call for benefit cuts to be scrapped after winter fuel payment U

Rachel Reeves has announced that around nine million more pensioners will receive the fuel payment this year

Politics

8 d. ago The Guardian view on Labour’s tough choices: they are costing the government dearly | Editorial

Austerity-era scepticism runs deep – and Labour’s abstract promises are falling flat as Nigel Farage rises in the pollsThe Labour government’s abrupt U-turn on winter fuel payments – restoring the benefit to more than three-quarters of pensioners – reveals less a change of heart than a sobering realisation in Westminster: after years of austerity, the public no longer gives politicians the benefit of the doubt. The irony is hard to miss. Labour set out to prove that “grown-up” economics means difficult decisions – only to find that once trust is lost, voters won’t accept vague promises without tangible results.It turns out many are sceptical that sacrifices will produce better results for society. That’s why ministers are struggling to justify cuts to disability benefits as a way to “fund” public services – or to convince the public that Britain can’t afford to lift the two-child benefit cap even as ministers claim they will reduce child poverty. There may be more conspicuous retrea...

Politics

8 d. ago Winter fuel payments threshold to rise to £35,000, Rachel Reeves announces

Change means about 7.5 million pensioners in England and Wales who lost out on payment will have it restoredUK politics live – latest updatesAll pensioners with an income of £35,000 or less a year will have the winter fuel payment restored in full, Rachel Reeves has announced, after weeks of uncertainty over the decision to make a U-turn on scrapping the benefit.Ministers are restoring the automatic payments as a universal benefit this winter and then recouping the money when higher-income pensioners fill in their tax returns, as creating a new means test would be a highly complex option. Continue reading...

Economics

8 d. ago Winter fuel payments to benefit nine million pensioners after major u

The Scottish Parliament will receive a funding boost after the re-think by Chancellor Rachel Reeves.

Economics

8 d. ago Full list of people eligible for Nationwide £100 payments next week

More than four million members are estimated to benefit from the payments taking place from next week

Economics

1 week ago Families of dead pensioners could be chased by taxman to recoup winter fuel payment

'Unforeseen consequence' of Treasury’s plans to restore the payments as a universal benefit would see a six-month lag - and some pensioners could die during that time

Economics

1 week ago DWP minister issues message to 'all pensioners' in Pension Credit update

The latest set of Pension Credit statistics shows that an additional 58,800 households have been awarded the means-tested benefit since last summer's Winter Fuel Payment announcement

Politics

1 week ago Winter fuel payment update as chancellor confirms benefit change timeline

More people will be eligible for the winter fuel payment under Rachel Reeves' new plans

Economics

1 week ago DWP to reform PIP payments next year – full list of those who will keep benefit

The DWP has provided a new update on the forthcoming changes to PIP, which will provide crucial financial support to two groups of claimants

Politics

2 w. ago DWP to carry out new checks on Universal Credit claimants with more than £6,000 in bank account

Anyone claiming Universal Credit with between £6,000 and £16,000 in their bank will start to get reduced benefit payments under Labour's new plans

Economics

2 w. ago Exact date unpaid carers to receive an extra £293 payment on top of benefit this month

The money will be issued to around 90,000 unpaid carers over a two-day period in June.

Economics

2 w. ago Winter fuel payment: Options to reintroduce the benefit for millions of households

The decision to make the Winter Fuel Payment available only to those who claim pension credit last year meant those claiming the benefit fell by almost 90% and saved around £1.5 billion a year, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) estimates

Economics

2 w. ago Crucial Universal Credit payment dates when you'll finally see DWP benefit rise

The DWP has increased the amount it pays to Universal Credit claimants each month, but when you see the increase will depend on the date of your assessment period

Politics

2 w. ago Sums behind Nigel Farage's vow to spend £85billion if he wins the next election 'are implausible', experts say

Nigel Farage unveiled a string of policies in a major speech, including scrapping the two-child benefit cap, reinstating winter fuel payments and raising the tax-free income allowance to £20,000.

Economics

2 w. ago DWP could pause PIP payments or benefit entitlement if you holiday abroad this summer

Millions of people on PIP may not be aware of the rules around holidaying abroad.

Politics

2 w. ago Nigel Farage vows to reverse Keir Starmer's cut to winter fuel payments as part of £85bn package

The Reform UK leader unveiled a string of policies in a major speech, including scrapping the two-child benefit cap and fully reinstating winter fuel payments.

Economics

3 w. ago How WILL you pay for that, Nigel? Farage admits Reform's costings might be 'optimistic' as he vows '£80bn' tax cut while axing two

Nigel Farage trolled that Keir Starmer is 'terrified' of the threat from the insurgents as he committed to scrap the two-child benefit cap and fully restore winter fuel payments.

Economics

3 w. ago Nigel Farage blasted for 'fantasy economics' as Reform claims £225billion savings by axing net zero projects

Nigel Farage is calling for the scrapping of the two-child benefit cap and restoring the winter fuel payment to all pensioners

Economics