From 6 April a new medical 'fit note' replaces the current 'sick note'. This note gives the option of being found unfit for work or being fit for work if certain adjustments are made by an employer. See SI 2010/137.
Earnings limit for people on carer's allowance increased to £100 a week. See SI 2010/510 and SR 2010/55.
Payment arrangements for state pension and pension credit to be aligned with the arrangements for working age benefits.
People who reach pensionable age on or after 6 April 2010
will have their retirement pension and pension credit paid fortnightly in arrears and the two benefits will be paid on a payday that is allocated according to the final two digits of the claimant's National Insurance number (see SI 2009/3229).
From 6 April Class 3 insurance credits (carers credit) will be awarded to those caring for at least 20 hours a week for one or more individuals each of whom are receiving a qualifying disability benefit, or in respect of whom the Secretary of State considers that level of care to be appropriate. Credits will also be awarded to those receiving income support who are determined as regularly and substantially engaged in caring for a sick or disabled person receiving an attendance-related benefit. See SI 2010/19.
The housing benefit and council tax benefit earnings limit for those undertaking permitted work who are on contributory employment and support allowance, incapacity benefit or severe disablement allowance, will be the same as for those on income-related employment support allowance.
For more information see SI 2009/2608.
From 6 April women born on or after 6 April 1950 will no longer be
able to retire at 60. To find out your retirement date go to the DirectGov state
pension age calculator. See also The Social Security (Equalisation of State Pension Age) Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/1488).
Increase of the weekly rate of child benefit for the eldest child to £20.
Cost of prescriptions in Scotland reduced to £3. See SSI 2010/1.
Cost of prepayment certificates in Scotland goes down from £38 to £28. See SSI 2010/1.
The Scottish Government intends to give all primary school children (P1 to P3 pupils) free school meals. (See the Scottish Government press release issued 2 October 2008).
From 1 October trials begin to test the migration of existing incapacity benefits
claimants (incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance and income support on disability grounds) onto employment and support allowance. For more information see the SSAC consultation on the Employment and Support Allowance (Transitional Provisions) (Existing Awards) Regulations 2010 and The Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit (Employment and Support Allowance) Amendment Regulations 2010.
From 25 October lone parents with a youngest child aged 7 or over will no longer be entitled to income support solely on the grounds of being a lone parent. They will instead have to transfer to jobseeker’s allowance. Find out more.
National roll out of the migration of existing incapacity benefits
claimants (incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance and income support on disability grounds) onto employment and support allowance. For more information see the SSAC consultation on the Employment and Support Allowance (Transitional Provisions) (Existing Awards) Regulations 2010 and The Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit (Employment and Support Allowance) Amendment Regulations 2010.
From 3 April additional paternity leave and pay will be introduced. This gives fathers the right to take up to six months of additional paid paternity leave during the second six months of a child's life, if the mother has returned to work. See the Department for Business Innovation and Skills press release.
Benefit restrictions on A8 nationals ceases from 30 April 2011. See The Accession (Immigration and Worker Registration) (Amendment) Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/892).
Grandparents and other family members will be able to gain National Insurance credits toward the basic state pension for caring for their grandchildren or members of their family aged 12 or younger, for 20 hours a week or more.
The child element of the child tax credit will increase by £20. For
more information see the April 2009 budget.
The higher rate mobility component of DLA will be paid to people with serious sight loss. See rnib"taken for a ride" campaign.
Child Support Agency cases start transferring to Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission (C-MEC).
By April 2011, no pensioner aged 75 or over will pay any tax until their income reaches £10,000.
The proposed date for the transfer to child tax credit of claimants who receive income support/income-based jobseeker's allowance child additions is 31 December 2011. Previously the date of transfer was to have been 31 December 2008. (See
Memo
DMG 47/08).
Migration of existing incapacity benefits claimants (incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance and income support on disability grounds) onto employment and support
allowance should be completed by the end of March. Customers who receive National Insurance credits only
will be transferred to ESA "credits only" at this point. For more information see the SSAC consultation on the Employment and Support Allowance (Transitional Provisions) (Existing Awards) Regulations 2010 and The Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit (Employment and Support Allowance) Amendment Regulations 2010.
From 6 April 2020 the state pension age for women born on or after 6
April 1955 will be 65. To find out your retirement date go to the DirectGov state pension age calculator. See also The Social Security (Equalisation of State Pension Age) Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/1488).
benefits 
