6 h. 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

6 h. 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

6 h. 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

3 d. ago Full list of people eligible for free bus pass under new DWP rules

Full list of people eligible for a free bus pass in England - including under the disabled concessionary travel scheme

Politics

3 d. 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

4 d. ago Drug dealer who benefited by £125,000 ordered to pay back just £42,000

Christopher Heaney, 48, was a member of an organised crime gang which was brought down by the arrest of Steven Creasey, 67, from Cardiff, who was stopped by police in Scotland

Economics

5 d. 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

5 d. 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

5 d. 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

6 d. ago Full list of people eligible for Nationwide £100 Fairer Share payments

The bank estimates over four million of its members will benefit from the pay-outs

Economics

6 d. ago Housebound disabled woman who killed herself after her benefits were cut left notes saying she was unable to pay her bills and had no food, inquest hears

Jodey Whiting, 42, from Stockton-on-Tees, had been asked in January 2017 to attend a work capability assessment before her payments were stopped, but she was not well enough to go.

Events

7 d. 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

7 d. ago Millions of Universal Credit claimants set for bigger payments from this week

The annual uprating to benefits took place on April 7 with Universal Credit payments increasing by 1.7% - however, the higher rates only apply to Universal Credit assessment periods that started on or after that date

Economics

7 d. 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

7 d. ago Payment warning to people making a new claim for devolved disability benefits in Scotland

Social Security Scotland has issued crucial advice to people getting help to make a new claim for Adult, Child or Pension Age Disability Payment.

Events

1 week 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

1 week 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

1 week ago US firm that tests eligibility for UK disability benefits reports 23% rise in profits

British arm of Maximus is biggest provider of functional assessment services for DWPThe British arm of a US contractor that tests whether some people in the UK should receive disability benefits has reported a 23% rise in profits.Maximus, a Virginia-based business, reported an increase in pre-tax profits for its UK arm from £23.6m to £29.1m in its financial year to the end of September, accounts lodged at Companies House show. Its revenue rose 2%, from £294m to £300m. Continue reading...

Economics

1 week ago US firm that tests eligibility for UK disability benefits pays £10m in dividends

British arm of Maximus, which provides DWP assessments, reports a 23% rise in pre-tax profit in annual figuresThe British arm of a US contractor that profits from testing whether some people in the UK should receive disability benefits has paid £10m in dividends to its investors.Maximus, a Virginia-based business, reported a 23% rise in pre-tax profit for its UK arm, from £23.6m to £29.1m, in its financial year to the end of September, accounts lodged at Companies House show. Its revenue rose 2%, from £294m to £300m. Continue reading...

Economics

1 week ago US firm that tests eligibility for UK disability benefits pays out £10m in dividends

British arm of Maximus, which provides DWP assessments, reports a 23% rise in pre-tax profit in latest annual figures The British arm of a US contractor that profits from testing whether some people in the UK should receive disability benefits has paid out £10m in dividends to its investors.Maximus, a Virginia-based business, reported a 23% rise in pre-tax profit for its UK arm, from £23.6m to £29.1m, in its financial year to the end of September, accounts lodged at Companies House show. Its revenue rose 2%, from £294m to £300m. Continue reading...

Economics