Benefit Changes Timetable 2020
Please note that information about some of these changes may be limited at present and also subject to further change. Although some will happen quickly, others may be introduced gradually over several years.
If you are worried about how you may be affected you should discuss this with a benefits adviser. You can use our Find an Adviser tool to find one in your area.
2020
April 2020
Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay
The government will introduce a new legal entitlement to two weeks’ leave for employees who suffer the death of a child under 18, or a stillbirth after 24 weeks of pregnancy. Employed parents will also be able to claim pay for this period if they meet the qualifying conditions. However, we are awaiting further announcements on what the qualifying criteria is going to be.
July 2020
Claimants will receive an additional fortnight’s worth of Income-based Jobseekers’ allowance, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance or Income Support if they are on one of these benefits when they move over to Universal Credit
September 2020
Self-employed Minimum Income Floor Grace Period
Self-employed people, whose earnings are low, may have their Universal Credit worked out on higher earnings than they have. This is called the Minimum Income Floor. If you have started your business within the last 12 months then the minimum income floor does not affect you for the first 12 months of your Universal Credit claim. The government have announced that they will extend this 12-month ‘grace period’ to all people that are gainfully self-employed.
Although this will be available to a few claimants that the government will transfer over to Universal Credit from July 2019; it will be fully implemented from September 2020.
Updated: November 2018