Changes which will make some benefits claimants exempt from certain rules are set to come into effect next month.
The UK government has confirmed that terminally ill benefits claimants in the UK will not have to show that they are taking measures such as looking for work in order to receive financial support from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Chloe Smith, minister for disabled people, health and work, said the government would now exempt people who are terminally ill from the requirement to accept a claimant commitment to be eligible for benefits.
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A claimant commitment means claimants must agree to take certain steps in exchange for receiving benefits. This can include an individual agreeing to look for work, increase their earnings or report any change in their circumstances.
Currently anyone claiming benefits under the Special Rules for Terminal Illness is exempt from needing to search for work, but there is no blanket exemption for terminally ill people to accept a claimant commitment more generally.
However, this is now changing as Ms Smith said in a statement in the House of Commons on Monday, January 24, that the DWP was introducing an amendment to the Universal Credit Regulations 2013 and the Employment and Support Allowance Regulations 2013. This will exempt people who are terminally ill from the requirement to accept a claimant commitment to be eligible for benefits.
"To streamline the process and provide certainty to those approaching the end of their lives, the statutory instrument laid will therefore create a specific exemption from claimant commitments for terminally ill people," she added.
The regulations will come into force on February 15, 2022.
Ms Smith said the government would also be bringing forward regulations shortly to replace the current six-month rule for determining eligibility for the special rules for terminal illness with a 12-month, end of life approach in universal credit and employment and support allowance (ESA) benefits.
Changes to personal independence payment, disability living allowance and attendance allowance will be made when parliamentary time allows, Ms Smith added.
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