https://www.gov.uk/government/news/broken-fit-note-system-to-be-overhauled The government press release states, Patients, employers and GPs are set to benefit from an overhaul of the broken fit note system following the launch of several pilots by the Government today to reform the system for workers who fall ill. The current system sees some 11 million fit notes issued every year, with…
Tag: work
IFS: April’s universal credit changes mean giveaways now, takeaways later
Three reforms to universal credit, the UK’s main working-age means-tested benefit received by 6.6 million families, take effect on 6 April 2026. Together, they will change the incomes of almost all who receive the benefit … First, the real value of the UC standard allowance will be increased by 2.3% more than inflation … Second,…
‘A cruel penalty’: disabled people face lower benefit payments if conditions not deemed lifelong
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/mar/29/disabled-benefit-claimants-face-lower-payments-if-conditions-not-deemed-lifelong-charities-say Hundreds of thousands of severely ill and disabled people making new claims will have their benefits cut if the government assesses that their condition might improve, charities have said. In April, the health element of universal credit – an extra payment for people assessed as too unwell to work or prepare for work –…
Government must increase trust in Universal Credit as full roll out brings 15 million people into the system
https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/press-releases/government-must-increase-trust-in-universal-credit-as-full-roll-out-brings-15-million-people-into-the-system/ By April, Universal Credit (UC) is finally due to be fully rolled out, thirteen years after its introduction in 2013. With half of all children in the UK (6.5 million) living in families receiving UC, the Government must use this milestone to build trust and improve the system for claimants, according to new proposals…
How to balance fairness and effectiveness in Unemployment Insurance
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/policy/publications/how-to-balance-fairness-and-effectiveness-in-unemployment-insurance/ The aim of recognising previous labour market contributions in benefit eligibility and payment levels, in order to enhance the political legitimacy of the benefits system, is understandable. And we agree that the role of contributory benefits in partially replacing lost income when someone becomes unemployed can help some people return to sustainable jobs more…
New from rightsnet,
DWP confirms that ESA claimants who fail to migrate to universal credit by final deadline should have the LCWRA element included from start of any subsequent claim At the DWP’s November 2025 universal credit stakeholder engagement forum, advisers highlighted that ESA claimants who fail to migrate to universal credit, but then subsequently claim the benefit,…
Cuts to non-health-related benefits shift claimants onto disability benefits
https://ifs.org.uk/news/cuts-non-health-related-benefits-shift-claimants-disability-benefits Disability benefits are intended to support people living with disabilities with the additional living costs they face as a result of their condition. They form just one part of the working-age benefit system, and people can claim disability benefits at the same time as other benefits such as universal credit. Studying four cuts to…
rightsnet updates on today’s budget include:
Budget 2025: Two-child limit within universal credit to be removed from April 2026 Budget 2025: Extension of targeted case reviews in universal credit expected to achieve further £1.3 billion in savings in 2030/2031 Budget 2025: Government confirms that ‘relevant threshold’ for purposes of calculating surplus earnings under universal credit to stay at £2,500 for an…
Budget 2025 fact sheet: Cutting the Cost of Living
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/budget-2025-fact-sheet-cutting-the-cost-of-living This Budget takes levies off energy bills to save families £150 on average next year, and up to £300 for some poorer households. The historic decision to remove the two-child limit in full from April 2026 will lift 450,000 children out of poverty -rising to around 550,000 alongside other measures announced this year, such…
Check how Universal Credit is changing in 2026
If you have a long-term health condition or a disabilityYou might get an additional payment with your Universal Credit called the ‘limited capability for work-related activity’ (LCWRA) element. This is £423.27 extra each month, but the amount will be smaller for most people who start getting it on, or after, 6 April 2026 – it…