Kelly Jones
@kmjones.bsky.social
Editor at Rightsnet | Advised on social security since 2010 | Life experience includes poverty & parenthood | Love reading stories, enjoy little adventures & genuinely curious about how aaaaanything works
Want to know more about automation in the DWP? Check out @annadent.bsky.social's latest newsletter and consider doing an FOI to add to what we know so far. I'm hoping we can pool our knowledge in the rightsnet forum so as not to duplicate efforts! www.rightsnet.org.uk/forums/viewt...
November 19, 2025 at 2:17 PM
Want to know more about automation in the DWP? Check out @annadent.bsky.social's latest newsletter and consider doing an FOI to add to what we know so far. I'm hoping we can pool our knowledge in the rightsnet forum so as not to duplicate efforts! www.rightsnet.org.uk/forums/viewt...
Reposted by Kelly Jones
Apologies ... looks like we're having server problems at the moment .. however we're working on it and hope to be back soon ...
Hi @rightsnet.org.uk having problems getting onto the website this morning? Any idea what's up?
September 29, 2025 at 11:34 AM
Apologies ... looks like we're having server problems at the moment .. however we're working on it and hope to be back soon ...
Heartened to see these charities working together to oppose the UC and PIP bill - www.ucpipbill.co.uk
Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill -
On Tuesday 1st July, MPs will be asked to vote on the UC & PIP Bill, which contains the biggest cuts to social security in a decade. This briefing from ten organisations including Scope, Citizens Advi...
www.ucpipbill.co.uk
June 25, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Heartened to see these charities working together to oppose the UC and PIP bill - www.ucpipbill.co.uk
Easy to read breakdown of the proposed changes to UC and PIP that MPs will be voting on soon
Thread: The Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill. Here’s a breakdown of what it does.
June 20, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Easy to read breakdown of the proposed changes to UC and PIP that MPs will be voting on soon
Reposted by Kelly Jones
TfL has banned what it calls a 'controversial' advert from Save the Children. The ad is part of a campaign calling for the two-child limit on Universal Credit to be scrapped. I kinda 'get' the rationale, but then... ahh no, I don't. Daft decision in my view.
June 10, 2025 at 1:04 PM
TfL has banned what it calls a 'controversial' advert from Save the Children. The ad is part of a campaign calling for the two-child limit on Universal Credit to be scrapped. I kinda 'get' the rationale, but then... ahh no, I don't. Daft decision in my view.
10% reduction in second homes in Scotland following introduction of new Council Tax rules - having intended effect on housing supply issues? www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-... Backstory: www.rightsnet.org.uk/housing/news...
*
www.parliament.scot
May 12, 2025 at 10:11 AM
10% reduction in second homes in Scotland following introduction of new Council Tax rules - having intended effect on housing supply issues? www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-... Backstory: www.rightsnet.org.uk/housing/news...
Sad news of another suicide linked to benefit problems
www.rightsnet.org.uk/now/post/62942
www.rightsnet.org.uk/now/post/62942
rightsnet: now: Coroner finds that DWP failings contributed to decline in mental state of disabled claimant before she took her own life - Rightsnet
www.rightsnet.org.uk
May 8, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Sad news of another suicide linked to benefit problems
www.rightsnet.org.uk/now/post/62942
www.rightsnet.org.uk/now/post/62942
I don't envy the DWP staff arranging the Green Paper consultation events 😆
* DWP shares email addresses of event participants www.rightsnet.org.uk/forums/viewt...
* Manchester DPAC 'gatecrashed' one of the events bsky.app/profile/mdpa...
* DWP shares email addresses of event participants www.rightsnet.org.uk/forums/viewt...
* Manchester DPAC 'gatecrashed' one of the events bsky.app/profile/mdpa...
May 8, 2025 at 11:53 AM
I don't envy the DWP staff arranging the Green Paper consultation events 😆
* DWP shares email addresses of event participants www.rightsnet.org.uk/forums/viewt...
* Manchester DPAC 'gatecrashed' one of the events bsky.app/profile/mdpa...
* DWP shares email addresses of event participants www.rightsnet.org.uk/forums/viewt...
* Manchester DPAC 'gatecrashed' one of the events bsky.app/profile/mdpa...
Interesting presentation of stats on no. people likely to lose daily living component of PIP under proposed '4 point rule'... tinyurl.com/532mt4sa
Another FOI response confirming
87% on standard rate score < 4 points on all activities
13% on enhanced rate score < 4 points in each activity
Another FOI response confirming
87% on standard rate score < 4 points on all activities
13% on enhanced rate score < 4 points in each activity
tinyurl.com
April 24, 2025 at 10:39 AM
Interesting presentation of stats on no. people likely to lose daily living component of PIP under proposed '4 point rule'... tinyurl.com/532mt4sa
Another FOI response confirming
87% on standard rate score < 4 points on all activities
13% on enhanced rate score < 4 points in each activity
Another FOI response confirming
87% on standard rate score < 4 points on all activities
13% on enhanced rate score < 4 points in each activity
I'm yet to ascertain what criteria must be met before government departments are compelled to publish algorithms on the Algorithmic Transparency Record www.gov.uk/algorithmic-... - seems piecemeal so far
2 wks ago, DWP perm sec Schofield told Work & Pensions committee that DWP has 'only one machine-learning system model in live running at the moment, and that is for universal credit advances... so we can identify risky transactions before they get paid.' committees.parliament.uk/event/23056/...
February 11, 2025 at 2:34 PM
I'm yet to ascertain what criteria must be met before government departments are compelled to publish algorithms on the Algorithmic Transparency Record www.gov.uk/algorithmic-... - seems piecemeal so far
DWP's abstract of benefit rate stats shows that UC amounts have remained stubbornly below 15% of median income since its inception (with exception of covid top-up) and is worth less now than in 2013, cf state pension - above 20% in same period and rising in value www.gov.uk/government/s...
Abstract of DWP benefit rate statistics 2024
www.gov.uk
January 22, 2025 at 12:49 PM
DWP's abstract of benefit rate stats shows that UC amounts have remained stubbornly below 15% of median income since its inception (with exception of covid top-up) and is worth less now than in 2013, cf state pension - above 20% in same period and rising in value www.gov.uk/government/s...
Great outcome in @tomroyston.bsky.social's case challenging unilateral application of UC deductions for ongoing rent and rent arrears. It'll be interesting to see how the DWP adjusts its processes in response
[NEW] #EWHC at #BAILII: Roberts v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions [2025] EWHC 51 (Admin) (16 January 2025) https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Admin/2025/51.html
January 21, 2025 at 3:06 PM
Great outcome in @tomroyston.bsky.social's case challenging unilateral application of UC deductions for ongoing rent and rent arrears. It'll be interesting to see how the DWP adjusts its processes in response
ICYMI - National Audit Office report shows DWP's UC digital project exceeded budget by nearly £1 billion. With report showing that digital projects frequently run over budget, will the gov's AI and tech-drive ultimately save costs? www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/u...
www.nao.org.uk
January 21, 2025 at 2:57 PM
ICYMI - National Audit Office report shows DWP's UC digital project exceeded budget by nearly £1 billion. With report showing that digital projects frequently run over budget, will the gov's AI and tech-drive ultimately save costs? www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/u...
Reposted by Kelly Jones
Here are some of the things you can already be sanctioned for as a young person claiming universal credit:
~ Not looking for - or taking up- paid work, more paid work or better-paid work
~ Quitting a job
~ Not doing work preparation activities, inc some under the DWP’s existing Youth Offer
~ Not looking for - or taking up- paid work, more paid work or better-paid work
~ Quitting a job
~ Not doing work preparation activities, inc some under the DWP’s existing Youth Offer
UK jobcentres not fit for purpose, says Liz Kendall ahead of major reforms | Unemployment | The Guardian
The work and pensions secretary is to overhaul benefits system, pushing young people into work or education
amp.theguardian.com
November 24, 2024 at 7:42 PM
Here are some of the things you can already be sanctioned for as a young person claiming universal credit:
~ Not looking for - or taking up- paid work, more paid work or better-paid work
~ Quitting a job
~ Not doing work preparation activities, inc some under the DWP’s existing Youth Offer
~ Not looking for - or taking up- paid work, more paid work or better-paid work
~ Quitting a job
~ Not doing work preparation activities, inc some under the DWP’s existing Youth Offer
Aaaand an ICYMI Employment thread -
November 21, 2024 at 3:48 PM
Aaaand an ICYMI Employment thread -
Here's my ICYMI Housing thread -
November 21, 2024 at 3:33 PM
Here's my ICYMI Housing thread -
My ICYMI thread on state pension age, which I'll update with developments in due course -
November 20, 2024 at 2:50 PM
My ICYMI thread on state pension age, which I'll update with developments in due course -
Reposted by Kelly Jones
Thanks @kmjones.bsky.social for sharing this recent #ICO decision, ref IC-307422-W5Y0 regarding DWP data holding
Key takeaways:
Data destroyed
• Briefings – internal 1 year
• Internal memos 1 year
• Meeting papers 1 year
And DWP intranet has no record of historic edits
#FOI
Key takeaways:
Data destroyed
• Briefings – internal 1 year
• Internal memos 1 year
• Meeting papers 1 year
And DWP intranet has no record of historic edits
#FOI
ICO accepts that DWP does not have its April 2021 Internal Process Review policy (when criteria to trigger review was changed). This decision notice shows DWP deletes correspondence after a year, and uses live policy docs that prevent them from accessing previous versions ico.org.uk/media/action...
November 19, 2024 at 8:41 PM
Thanks @kmjones.bsky.social for sharing this recent #ICO decision, ref IC-307422-W5Y0 regarding DWP data holding
Key takeaways:
Data destroyed
• Briefings – internal 1 year
• Internal memos 1 year
• Meeting papers 1 year
And DWP intranet has no record of historic edits
#FOI
Key takeaways:
Data destroyed
• Briefings – internal 1 year
• Internal memos 1 year
• Meeting papers 1 year
And DWP intranet has no record of historic edits
#FOI
Random thread of items that give insight into DWP processes:
November 19, 2024 at 8:23 PM
Random thread of items that give insight into DWP processes:
Digitisation, data and AI in the social security system - a thread of ICYMI tidbits
November 19, 2024 at 7:56 PM
Digitisation, data and AI in the social security system - a thread of ICYMI tidbits
Reposted by Kelly Jones
A qulck reminder of what the benefit cap is. It's the government saying "we've worked out what the mimimum you need to live on is, and we're deliberately going to give you less".
November 11, 2024 at 11:29 PM
A qulck reminder of what the benefit cap is. It's the government saying "we've worked out what the mimimum you need to live on is, and we're deliberately going to give you less".
My first ICYMI thread for a while after a busy couple of weeks. Some tidbits that may be of interest to fellow welfare bods:
November 8, 2024 at 1:30 PM
My first ICYMI thread for a while after a busy couple of weeks. Some tidbits that may be of interest to fellow welfare bods:
Some more ICYMI, not-quite-news from @rightsnet.bsky.social
October 25, 2024 at 2:23 PM
Some more ICYMI, not-quite-news from @rightsnet.bsky.social
More not-quite-news @rightsnet.bsky.social has picked up, this time re employment:
October 18, 2024 at 1:19 PM
More not-quite-news @rightsnet.bsky.social has picked up, this time re employment: