Roundup of recent DWP announcements NHS Test and Trace service The NHS Test and Trace service has been launched across England. The service will help identify, contain and control coronavirus, reduce the spread of the virus and save lives. Anyone who tests positive for coronavirus will be contacted by NHS Test and Trace and will…

Roundup of recent DWP announcements Coronavirus Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme The new Coronavirus Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme will launch online on Tuesday 26 May. The Scheme will enable small and medium sized employers with fewer than 250 employees to apply to HMRC to recover the costs of paying coronavirus-related Statutory Sick Pay. Tax…

Roundup of recent DWP announcements Benefits information available via WhatsApp People can now access the most up-to-date benefits and support information via their smart phones, using WhatsApp. The service, which can be accessed by sending ‘Hi’ in a WhatsApp message to 07860 064 422, has been launched to help combat the spread of incorrect information…

Roundup of recent DWP announcements Latest Universal Credit statistics Wednesday 6 May saw the biggest number of new Universal Credit claims paid in a single day. This was the first payment day for the 135,000 people who made a claim for Universal Credit over the 30th and 31st March.  Of the eligible claims, more than…

Published by the UK Government – Gov.uk This guidance will assist employers, businesses and their staff in staying open safely during coronavirus (COVID-19). During this time of unprecedented disruption, the UK Government is not asking all businesses to shut – indeed it is important for business to carry on. Only some non-essential shops and public…

Roundup of recent DWP announcements Further expansion of access to coronavirus testing Anyone in England with symptoms of coronavirus who has to leave home to go to work, and all symptomatic members of the public aged 65 and over, will now be able to get tested. This will mean people who cannot work from home…

Roundup of recent DWP announcements Update on Universal Credit Since 16 March, we have had more than 1.4 million new claims. This level of new claims would present a challenge in ‘normal’ times, but we’ve also had to deal with the knock on effect coronavirus has had on our staffing levels, with around a fifth…

Roundup of recent DWP announcements Don’t call us, we’ll call you People making new claims for Universal Credit will no longer need to call the Department as part of the process. Instead, a bolstered frontline team will proactively call claimants if they need to check any of the information provided as part of the claim….

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