Department for Work and Pensions Legislation
53 statutory instruments made by the Department for Work and Pensions, newest first. Each one is explained section by section in plain English.
The Occupational Pensions (Revaluation) Order 2025
- Department: Department for Work and Pensions
- Made under: Pension Schemes Act 1993
The Order specified the higher and lower revaluation percentages for defined benefits under the final salary method for occupational pension schemes for revaluation periods concluded by 31st December 2025.
The Occupational Pensions (Revaluation) Order 2025, made by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, establishes the specific higher and lower revaluation percentages applicable to occupational pension schemes that revalue accrued benefits using the final salary method, covering revaluation periods from 1st January 1986 up to and including 31st December 2025, and applies to England, Wales, and Scotland starting 1st January 2026.
The Social Security (Residence in an EEA State or Switzerland) (Amendment) Regulations 2025
The Regulations amended provisions in the 1976, 1991, and 2013 Regulations to maintain legacy benefit rights for certain EEA/Switzerland residents post-Brexit.
The Social Security (Residence in an EEA State or Switzerland) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 modify existing social security regulations concerning Invalid Care Allowance, Disability Living Allowance (DLA) care component, and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) daily living component for individuals residing in an EEA State or Switzerland.
These Regulations allow individuals who were in receipt of the relevant benefit provision under an applicable EU Regulation on December 31, 2020, to continue receiving those specific entitlements, provided they have maintained continuous receipt since that date and have not subsequently been habitually resident in the UK.
The Welfare Reform Act 2012 (Commencement No. 35) (Abolition of Benefits) Order 2025
- Department: Department for Work and Pensions
- Made under: Welfare Reform Act 2012
The Order appointed dates for ending entitlement to Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, the income-related allowance element of old style Employment and Support Allowance, and provided a mechanism for abolishing Housing Benefit for specific working-age claimants leaving temporary accommodation.
This Order, made under the Welfare Reform Act 2012, sets out the final appointed dates for bringing into force provisions that abolish several legacy benefits, including Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, and the income-related elements of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), as claimants transition to Universal Credit (UC).
Key dates include December 1, 2025, for converting certain 'old style ESA' awards, and April 1, 2026, for the general abolition of Income Support and income-based JSA for remaining cases.
The Order also addresses the cessation of Housing Benefit for working-age claimants moving out of temporary or specified accommodation after November 14, 2025, and allows temporary administrative delay in preparing claimant commitments for converted ESA cases.
The Occupational Pension Schemes (Collective Money Purchase Schemes) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2025
- Department: Department for Work and Pensions
- Made under: Pension Schemes Act 1993, Pensions Act 1995, Pensions Act 2004, Pension Schemes Act 2021
The Secretary of State exercised powers under various Pension Acts to make miscellaneous amendments correcting errors, adding definitions (like 'actuarial valuation'), and removing disclosure requirements from several occupational pension scheme regulations, effective December 2025.
The Occupational Pension Schemes (Collective Money Purchase Schemes) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2025 enact several technical changes to existing pension legislation, primarily by correcting errors in previous amendments related to collective money purchase schemes and by updating terminology, such as defining 'actuarial valuation' consistently throughout related instruments; these regulations also remove certain information disclosure requirements deemed no longer necessary and apply to England, Wales, and Scotland, coming into force on 4th December 2025.
The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2025
- Department: Department for Work and Pensions
- Made under: Social Security Administration Act 1992
The Order amended the 1998 Order to update HBAP deadlines, introduce flexibility in overpayment deductions, substitute subsidy calculation sums for 2024-2025, revise incentive payments for accuracy initiatives, and update Welsh rent rebate deduction factors for 2025/2026.
This Order, made by the Secretary of State with the consent of the Treasury, amends the Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Order 1998 to revise how housing benefit subsidy is calculated and paid to local authorities in England, Wales, and Scotland.
Key changes include updating the Housing Benefit Assurance Process deadline, allowing local authorities flexibility in limiting deductions for historic overpayments, substituting the schedules detailing administration subsidy sums for the 2024-2025 relevant year, adjusting incentive payments for verification schemes, and setting specific deduction figures for Welsh authorities for the 2025/2026 relevant year.
The Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme (Amendment) Regulations 2025
- Department: Department for Work and Pensions
- Made under: Mesothelioma Act 2014
* The statutory instrument increased scheme payment amounts under the Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme by 49% for diagnoses occurring on or after 4th November 2025.
The Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme (Amendment) Regulations 2025, made by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions using powers under the Mesothelioma Act 2014, fundamentally updates the compensation framework for diffuse mesothelioma sufferers.
These regulations specifically substitute Table 1 in Schedule 4 of the 2014 Regulations, resulting in a 49% increase for all scheme payment amounts based on the age of the individual when first diagnosed.
These revised, higher payment amounts apply to any person first diagnosed with diffuse mesothelioma on or after 4th November 2025, or to their eligible dependants if the person has died without applying.
The Housing Benefit (Habitual Residence) (Amendment) Regulations 2025
The 2025 regulations amended the Housing Benefit Regulations 2006 to simplify the habitual residence assessment for housing benefit claimants already receiving universal credit.
The Housing Benefit (Habitual Residence) (Amendment) Regulations 2025, effective October 21, 2025, amend the 2006 Housing Benefit Regulations.
Specifically, they remove the habitual residence assessment for housing benefit applicants already receiving Universal Credit.
This simplification streamlines the application process by relying on the existing Universal Credit determination of habitual residence.
The Social Fund Winter Fuel Payment Regulations 2025
The Social Fund Winter Fuel Payment Regulations 2025 were enacted, setting payment amounts and eligibility criteria for a winter fuel payment to eligible pensioners in England and Wales, and revoking prior regulations.
These regulations outline the rules for the 2025 Winter Fuel Payment in England and Wales.
Eligibility is determined by reaching pensionable age and ordinary residency, with payment amounts varying based on age and receipt of other benefits.
Those in residential care or receiving free inpatient treatment for over a year are subject to different rules.
The regulations also revoke previous versions and codify automatic payments in certain cases.