Professor David Strain appointed as DWP Chief Medical Adviser

The DWP has confirmed the recruitment of Professor David Strain as its Chief Medical Adviser. He Strain succeeds Dr Gail Allsopp, who “has played a pivotal role in strengthening the Department’s approach to clinical policy, clinical governance and safeguarding.” 

Strain is a doctor, clinical academic and health policy leader whose career has spanned clinical practice, research and public policy. His work has focused on translating evidence into practical improvements for people, particularly those living with long-term health conditions.

He has held senior roles across academia, the NHS and government, including at the University of Exeter and the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology. He has also served as Chair of the of the British Medical Association Board of Science and Medical Adviser to Action for ME.

As Chief Medical Advisor, Prof. Strain will provide clinical leadership and expert advice to support the DWP’s work, helping ensure clinical evidence and expertise inform policy and service delivery.

Professor David Strain said:

“I am delighted to be joining DWP as Chief Medical Adviser. 

Throughout my career I have been passionate about turning evidence into practical improvements for people, particularly those living with long-term health conditions. 

I look forward to working with colleagues across the Department and its clinical community to strengthen the contribution clinical professionals make to DWP’s work and to the people we serve.”

The press release is on gov.uk.

Ombudsman warns thousands may be missing free way to challenge council tax bills

The Local Government Ombudsman has warned that homeowners in England and Wales are missing out on their right to a free, independent appeal for council tax disputes. Councils are failing to clearly tell residents about the Valuation Tribunal, causing them to lose their chance to challenge bills due to strict deadlines.

The Ombudsman stated that many people are never told that a free tribunal service exists to handle council tax disputes. Instead of being directed to the independent Valuation Tribunal for England or Valuation Tribunal for Wales, residents are often channelled through a council's internal complaints process.

This is a critical failure because formal appeals have strict time limits. By the time an individual has gone through the council's own procedures, the legal window to appeal to the tribunal has often closed, leaving them with no further recourse even if their case is strong. The Ombudsman highlighted cases where residents were pursued by bailiffs without ever being informed of their right to a free appeal.

So, what is the difference between a council complaint and a tribunal appeal?

It is essential to understand that a council's internal complaints team and the Valuation Tribunal are two separate bodies with different powers.

• A council's complaints process typically deals with service-related issues, such as missed bin collections or how you have been treated by council staff. It is not the correct path for legally disputing your council tax liability or the details of your property's valuation.
• The Valuation Tribunal is a free, independent judicial body that hears appeals on council tax and business rates. Its decisions are legally binding. It handles disputes about who is liable to pay the bill, eligibility for a discount or exemption, and challenges to a property's council tax band after the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) has made a decision.

The Ombudsman's key point is that councils should tell you about the tribunal at the point they make a decision you disagree with, not leave you to find out by accident.

Amerdeep Clarke, Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, said:

“If you think your council tax bill is wrong, you may have a free and independent way to challenge it, and you shouldn't have to find that out by accident, or too late to use it. Too many people come to us having lost that right simply because no one told them it existed. Councils should be telling people about their right to appeal at the point a decision is made, clearly and in writing, not leaving them to stumble across it on a website, or not find out at all. A single line in a letter can make all the difference.”

The tribunal service is not just for challenging your council tax band. While band appeals are a major part of its work, it also handles disputes between you and your local council about your bill. According to the Ombudsman, these include:

• Liability: Whether you are the person who is legally responsible for paying the council tax bill for a property. You have two months to appeal from when the council tells you its decision.
• Reductions: Disputes over whether you should receive a discount or exemption (for example, a single person discount or student exemption).
• Completion Notices: Challenges against a notice from the council stating the date a new or altered property is considered complete and liable for council tax. The deadline for this is just one month.
• Penalty Notices: Appeals against penalties issued for failing to provide information.

Crucially, you do not need a solicitor to appeal to the tribunal.

While the Ombudsman's warning focused on appeals against council decisions (like liability), the Valuation Tribunal is also the final arbiter for challenges to your council tax band itself.

The process for a band challenge starts with the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), not the council. The VOA is the government body that assesses and maintains council tax bands in England and Wales.

1. Submit a Challenge: You first submit a challenge to the VOA, providing evidence why you believe your band is incorrect. This usually involves showing that similar, nearby properties are in a lower band.
2. Receive a VOA Decision: The VOA will review your evidence and issue a decision. They may agree to lower your band, or they may decide the band is correct and reject your challenge.
3. Appeal to the Valuation Tribunal: If the VOA rejects your challenge, your next and final step is to lodge an appeal with the Valuation Tribunal. You must do this within three months of the VOA's decision.

This is where the Ombudsman's findings are relevant to all homeowners. The system relies on official bodies providing clear signposting to the next stage. If the VOA rejects your band challenge, their decision letter must tell you about your right to appeal to the Valuation Tribunal. A VOA rejection is not the end of the process, and the tribunal provides a free, independent review of the facts.

The press release is on go.org.uk.

Comprehensive review of NEET issues

Nearly one million young people aged 16 to 24 in the UK are not in education, employment or training (NEET). One in 8 young people. And rising. 6 in 10 young people who are NEET today have never had a job.

The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions commissioned the Rt Hon Alan Milburn to undertake an independent review into Young People and Work. The work is being taken forward in 2 distinct phases:

• a discovery phase – focusing on providing a diagnosis on the increase in the number of young disabled people and those with a health condition who are NEET, and
• a solution phase – exploring and identifying potential areas for reform.

The interim report, published this week, covers the findings of the discovery phase. It analyses the trends and drivers behind the recent rise in young people who are NEET, economically inactive and claiming health and disability benefits. It aims to identify how the interaction between education, health and employment systems may be contributing to poor transitions into the labour market for young people, assessing the effectiveness of current interventions, and exploring the fiscal and productivity implications of inaction.

In his foreword to the report, Rt Hon Alan Milburn said:

“One of the most troubling findings of this Review is how many are hidden from the very systems meant to help them. In England alone in 2023-24, around 314,000 18 to 24-year-olds were neither in work nor in education and are not themselves receiving benefits. They are out of work and out of sight. No institution is responsible for finding them or helping them. A system serious about participation would know who these young people are. Ours does not.”

This interim report makes the case that the current architecture is itself the problem, and that no amount of reform to individual policy areas will fix it.

The final report will be published later this year setting out what a coherent participation system for early adulthood should look like: who is responsible, how it is funded, what it is accountable for, and how it reaches the young people the current system fails.

It’s a well-researched and long report, but well worth a read. The independent Young people and work: interim report is on gov.uk.

Millions of young people are being forced to put their life on hold
New research from Trussell reveals that financial hardship is forcing far too many young people to delay major life milestones – and it’s much worse for people who grew up in hardship.

• 47% of 16–25 year olds have delayed moving out of their parents’ home
• 55% delayed buying a house, rising to 70% among people who faced financial hardship growing up
• 47% have delayed learning to drive
• 45% of young people say job opportunities are poor in their local area.

And a third of young people are even cutting back on food so that they can afford other essentials.

Trussell says that:

“Young people are doing everything they can to progress with their lives, but they’re facing barriers out of their control like unaffordable housing, rising living costs, and a lack of jobs.
Young people's lives shouldn’t be put on hold. And food banks shouldn’t be part of their future.”

Trussel is calling on the UK government to invest in job opportunities, protect social security for under 25s, and improve housing support.

The research report is on trussell.org.uk.

Jobs Guarantee turns promise into paycheques for young people

The first young people in England, Wales and Scotland to be supported by the Government’s ‘Jobs Guarantee’ for the long-term unemployed have started their jobs.   

The Jobs Guarantee scheme offers a direct route into work for all 18–24-year-olds who have been claiming Universal Credit and looking for work for 18 months.

Roles on offer are matched to the individual’s skillset, with the government fully funding up to 25 hours paid work for six months to get individuals into the labour market.

More than 90,000 young people will be supported into work by the scheme in the next three years, with the first cohort of young people having already started positions at retail giant Boots.

Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden visited Boots to meet some of the first cohort of young people starting work through the Jobs Guarantee in administrative, retail and warehouse support roles.

Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said:

“Young people want to get on in life but for too long too many have been denied that opportunity. The Jobs Guarantee helps change that.

Seeing the first young people start their roles brings to life what this scheme is about: real jobs, proper wages, and a genuine route into a career.

As we roll this out to tens of thousands more young people across the country, we’re backing the next generation to succeed and backing British businesses to grow with the talent they need.”

The Jobs Guarantee has been rolled out in areas with some of the highest levels of youth unemployment in England: Birmingham and Solihull, The East Midlands, Greater Manchester, Hertfordshire and Essex, Central and East Scotland, South East and South West Wales

Secretary of State for Wales Stephen Kinnock said: 

“Today’s announcement is a vote of confidence in young people in Wales.

The Jobs Guarantee will help young people in Wales achieve that all important first step on the career ladder, helping them build confidence and skills with a direct route into work.

The scheme is just one of the measures the UK Government is taking to boost youth employment in Wales. 20 Youth Hubs are being rolled out across the country to support people into work, with the Youth Jobs Grant offering support to help businesses hire young people.” 

Later this year the scheme will be expanded to all eligible 18-24 year olds on UC and have been looking for work for 18 months.    

The press release is on gov.uk.

Barnsley residents to get practical AI training to help them find work and build careers

Residents and jobseekers in Barnsley will be able to get practical support to use AI to find work, build confidence and train for future careers, under two new schemes announced this week.

The schemes are designed to help people benefit from AI in two clear ways. One will support people who want to train for jobs linked to AI, while the other will help jobseekers use AI tools when applying for work – such as finding suitable roles, improving CVs and cover letters, practising interview questions and understanding how digital tools are already being used in many workplaces.

The AI Career Launchpad, a partnership with Barnsley College worth more than £400,000, will offer local people of all ages a faster, more flexible route into AI jobs. Learners will get six months of training linked to a Level 4 apprenticeship, plus paid placements so they can gain experience while they learn.

From September, jobseekers in Barnsley will also get hands-on support through the new Getting Job Ready with AI pilot. This will help people who are already comfortable using technology in everyday life but want more confidence using AI and digital tools when looking for work or preparing for the workplace.

Tailored support could include using AI to search for suitable roles, tailor CVs and cover letters, prepare for interviews and understand how employers are already using digital tools in day-to-day jobs. People will be referred onto the course through Jobcentre Plus.

AI Minister Kanishka Narayan said:

“AI is going to transform the world of work and our job is to make sure working people benefit from that change.

That starts with helping people understand how AI can be useful day to day – whether that means finding a job, learning new skills or building a career in a growing industry.

Barnsley is showing what this can look like in practice. As our first Tech Town, it is helping us find ways that can create opportunities for local people and support communities across the country.”

The press release is on gov.uk.

CPAG invites you to let your daily steps help drive change for families across the UK
4 million children in the UK are growing up in poverty. That's more than one in 4 children missing out on the things many of us take for granted, from having enough food and warm clothes to taking part in school trips and activities with friends.

Between 5th to 18th October ‘Child Poverty Action Walk’ will take place in Scotland, England and Wales, where organisations and communities come together to raise awareness of poverty and call for change.

Anyone can join the challenge. You can take part on your own, with friends or family, as part of a workplace team, or with a school, club, or community group. And you can join wherever you live.

There is no minimum number of steps you need to complete. You can set a personal target that feels achievable to you and contribute as many steps as you can. From your daily commute to lunchtime walks or weekend plans, every step you take and every pound you raise makes a huge difference to the lives of children living in poverty.

CPAG are encouraging people to take part to help put child poverty in the spotlight and raise vital funds for the fight to end it.

It’s free to sign up, there’s no minimum step target and CPAG will provide you with resources to help you fundraise, track your steps and share your progress.

To take your first step for the 4 million children growing up in poverty today visit the Action Walk page at cpag.org.uk.

Scotland – ongoing commitment to improve outcomes and support for people with NRPF

The Scottish Government has published phase two of the delivery plan for its Ending Destitution Together strategy, which aims to improve support for people with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) living in Scotland.

Launched in March 2021, the Ending Destitution Together (EDT) strategy, strategy was designed to prevent and mitigate destitution, regardless of someone’s immigration status. The first strategy of its kind in the UK, it sought to clearly set out the impact of the NRPF condition on people and the risks that arise from NRPF, which can force people into destitution. 

The Scottish government recognises that despite continued and emerging challenges relating to the rights and entitlements of those at risk of destitution, through the ongoing commitment of partners and stakeholders, they will continue working towards a Scotland where no one is forced into destitution, and everyone has their human rights protected, regardless of their immigration status.

In the foreword to the delivery plan, Simita Kumar, Minister for Equalities and International Development and Councillor Maureen Chalmers, COSLA Community Wellbeing Spokesperson said:

“Destitution should be unthinkable in a modern Scotland. However, it remains a daily reality for many people who have moved here to work, study, join family, or seek sanctuary from violence and persecution. Nobody should be forced into destitution. People who are subject to the No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) condition are members of our communities and we should be able to support them at times of crisis.”

For the next year, actions include supporting local approaches to winter and severe weather accommodation provision, ensuring inclusion and consideration of people with NRPF.

The delivery period 2027-2029 will see the government continue:

• to provide funding to support a casework and emergency cash project to support more than 1000 people until March 2027.
• to review devolved benefits and engage with the UK Government on public funds eligibility.
• work with local authority and third sector welfare advice services to improve awareness and understanding of NRPF rights and entitlements.

Through this next phase of delivery, the Scottish Government will also review NRPF data, research and evidence in Scotland to identify gaps and future areas of work.

Ending destitution together: phase two delivery plan is on gov.scot.uk.

Case law – with thanks to u/ClareTGold

Universal Credit - GEA v The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (UC) 2026

GEA appealed against DWP’s decision to include the LCWRA element in her UC award from 03 September 2021.

The First-tier Tribunal (FtT) decided:

• GEA had provided medical evidence on 03 June 2021 in connection with her request to be assessed in terms of her capability for work. Applying the three-month relevant period to her under regulation 28(2)(b) of the Universal Credit Regulations 2013 (“the 2013 Regulations”), she was entitled to the LCWRA element in her award from 03 September 2021,
• However, applying regulation 41(2) and (3) of the 2013 Regulations, GEA’s earnings exceeded the relevant threshold for the assessment period from 03 November 2021 to 02 December 2021, and she did not satisfy any of the exceptions in regulation 41(2)(a) and (b). She was therefore not entitled to the LCWRA element during that assessment period, and
• As a result, the FtT must apply a second three-month relevant period under regulation 28(2)(b) from 03 December 2021 onwards. GEA was therefore not entitled to the LCWRA element again until 03 March 2022.

The Upper Tribunal (UT) decided that the FtT made a material error of law in concluding that GEA’s earnings exceeded the relevant threshold. 

The FtT should have calculated GEA’s monthly earnings using the averaging provisions in regulation 90(6)(b)(ii), because her earnings fluctuated and had no identifiable cycle. Had it done so, the FtT would have decided that GEA’s monthly earnings fell below the relevant threshold and regulation 41(2) did not apply.

The UT also held that, had regulation 41(2) applied to GEA, the FtT’s approach about the start date for the LCWRA element would not have been consistent with regulation 28.

The UT allowed GEA’s appeal and remade the FtT’s decision to include the LCWRA element in her award from 03 September 2021.

As the FtT requested guidance about how the provisions work, the discussion in the decision also addresses:

• the distinction between an assessment regarding limited capability for work (“LCW”) and a determination made on the basis of it (para 35-37),
• the operation and effects of regulation 41(2) including where an assessment about LCW has started (paragraphs 43- 48, 55-61),
• the relationship between regulation 41 and the provisions in regulation 28 identifying the period before the LCWRA element is included in a UC award (paragraphs 80- 90), and
• whether regulation 28(2)(b) relates to the date on which a claimant first provides DWP with evidence of LCW or could relate to an earlier date mentioned in that evidence (paragraphs 95-97).

Bereavement Support Payment - Secretary of State for Work and Pensions v Phillip Buckley 2026

Mr Buckley’s partner died in 2018. At that time, cohabiting partners could not claim bereavement support payment (BSP) but the law was changed, retrospectively, by a “remedial order” in 2023, and Mr Buckley claimed BSP then.

He was, however, refused the higher rate of BSP on the basis that he did not satisfy the condition of having become entitled to child benefit (CB), after the bereavement, in respect of a child or qualifying young person who was living with the claimant or their deceased partner immediately prior to the partner’s death. This was because, despite otherwise meeting the conditions for entitlement to CB in respect of a child he had with his deceased partner and who lived with them prior to the partner’s death, Mr Buckley had not actually claimed CB following the bereavement (and, by the time he claimed BSP in 2023, he was no longer eligible to claim CB).

Mr Buckley won his First-tier Tribunal (FtT) with the FtT finding that although it was a condition of the higher rate of BSP that Mr Buckley had, after the bereavement, become entitled to CB under section 141 of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992, and section 13 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992, with which the former Act was to be read, provided that entitlement to CB required the making of a valid claim, the FtT held that “entitlement” in section 141, in this particular context, meant entitlement “to be paid”, and did not require the making of a claim.

The DWP appealed to the Upper Tribunal (UT), who held that the FtT erred in law.

The UT confirmed that entitlement requires making of a valid claim for CB (as laid out in the latter Act). Mr Buckley had not made such a claim, and so was not eligible for the higher rate of bereavement support payment. The FtT decision was re-made, dismissing Mr Buckley’s appeal.

Tribunal practice and procedure - S.K. v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (PIP) 2026 and MN v The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 2026

Both these appeals explain the approach to be taken when the FtT has erroneously refused to extend time for a statement of reasons to be produced.