Decision Makers' Guide

The current amendment package is October 2011 which affected Volumes 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, & 14.
The DMG will next be amended in February 2012 and thereafter every four months.

The actual amendment packages are also available electronically. These consist of a covering sheet giving details of the changes and the Chapters affected, plus the amended pages. These packages, which are in Adobe Acrobat format, are designed for printing and incorporation into your hard copy. Blank pages have been inserted into the packages to assist with double-sided printing.

Contents

• What's new
• Letters and Memos
• Abbreviations
• Statutes
• Statutory Instruments

• Volume 1 – Decision Making and Appeals
• Volume 2 – International Subjects
• Volume 3 – Subjects Common to all Benefits
• Volume 4 – Jobseeker's Allowance and Income Support
• Volume 5 – Jobseeker's Allowance and Income Support
• Volume 6 – Jobseeker's Allowance and Income Support
• Volume 7 – Jobseeker's Allowance and Income Support
• Volume 8 – Employment and Support Allowance
• Volume 9 – Employment and Support Allowance
• Volume 10 – Benefits for Incapacity, Disability, Maternity and Bereavement
• Volume 11 – Industrial Injuries Benefits
• Volume 12 – Widow's Benefit and Retirement Pension
• Volume 13 – State Pension Credit
• Volume 14 – State Pension Credit

What's new

Do you need to know quickly when we have updated our publications? We have a mailing list which we use to inform interested parties when any of our publications (Decisions of the Commissioner, Decision Makers Guide, The Law Volumes and Neligan's Digest) have been updated. If you are interested in joining this mailing list, please send us details of your e-mail address.

18/01/12 - Memo DMG 02/12: Flat Rate Introduction Year (18KB)

18/01/12 - Memo DMG 01/12: Flat Rate Introduction Year (14KB)

21/12/11 - Memo DMG 38/11: Changes to Pensionable Age (30KB)

21/12/11 - Memo DMG 37-11: Jobseeker’s Allowance and Income Support – Tax Credits, Changes from December 2011 (16KB)

16/12/11 - Memo DMG 36-11: Contribution conditions for partners of service personnel – JSA & ESA (20KB)

13/12/11 - Memo DMG 35-11: UT Decision on Right to Reside – Staying Lookalikes (25KB)

12/12/11 - Memo DMG 34/11: Income Support - Right to Reside – Court of Appeal Decision (106KB)

08/12/11 - Memo DMG 33/11: Applying to the First-tier Tribunal for Acceptance of Withdrawal of Appeal by Telephone (21KB)

08/12/11 - Memo DMG 32-11: JSA MWA and ESE Schemes – Further Guidance For Decision makers (76KB)

26/09/11 - Memo DMG 25/11: ESA - Payment Of WRAC (31KB)

26/09/11 - Memo DMG 24/11: Right to Reside – Amendments to Regs (17KB)

Letters and Memos

DMA General Bulletins

There are currently no live DMA Bulletins

DMG Memos 2007 onwards

• 01/07: Jobseeker's Allowance and Income Support – Tax Credits, Changes From December 2006 (10KB)
• 26/08: Obtaining Legal Advice and Guidance from DMA Leeds (15KB)
• 47/08: Jobseeker's Allowance and Income Support – Tax Credits, Changes (KB)
• 21/09: Housing Costs – Leasehold Major Works (45KB)
• 43/09: JSA, ESA and SPC – Housing Costs Special Arrangements (67 KB)
• 1/10: IS/JSA/ESA – Abolition of Urgent Case and Disabled Worker Payments (20KB)
• 25/10: Alternative Means of Notifying Changes of Circumstances and the Effect on Overpayment Decision Making (20KB)
• 29/10: JSA and Skills Training Conditionality Pilot (30KB)
• 32/10: New EU Legislation – Regulation (EC) 883/04 (30KB)
• 41/10: Housing Costs SIR Amendments IS/JSA/ESA/SPC (66KB)
• 42/10: Changes to the Learning and Skills Council For England (IS/JSA/ESA and Overlapping Benefits) and to the Connexions Service (JSA) (13KB)
• 44/10: Changes to definition of "Independent Hospital" in England - IS, JSA, ESA, SPC, SFWFP and SFCWP (12KB)
• 46/10: Higher Rate of DLA Mobility Component for Severely Visually Impaired People (20KB)
• 13/11: A8 Nationals - Ending of Restrictions on Right to Reside (31KB)
• 21/11: The Social Security Miscellaneous Amendments – August 2011 (40KB)
• 22/11: Incapacity for Work, Limited Capability for Work and Limited Capability for work-related Activity – Exceptional Circumstances (43KB)
• 23/11: Permanent Right to Reside – Recent CJEU decision (24KB)
• 24/11: Right to Reside – Amendments to Regs (17KB)
• 25/11: ESA - Payment Of WRAC (31KB)
• 26/11: Request for Strike-out where the Decision Maker Considers there is no Reasonable Prospect of Success (42KB)
• 27/11: Export of AA, DLA (Care Component) and CA – New Regulations (21KB)
• 28/11: Social Fund Cold Weather Payments – Changes From 1.11.11 (23KB)
• 29/11: October 2011 Miscellaneous Amendments (101KB)
• 30/11: Work-Focused Interviews: Lone Parents And Partners (62KB)
• 31/11: Exemption from claiming CAT A or CAT B Retirement Pension (24KB)
• 32/11: JSA MWA and ESE Schemes – Further Guidance For Decision makers (76KB)
• 33/11: Applying to the First-tier Tribunal for Acceptance of Withdrawal of Appeal by Telephone (21KB)
• 34/11: Income Support - Right to Reside – Court of Appeal Decision (106KB)
• 35/11: UT Decision on Right to Reside  – Staying Lookalikes (25KB)
• 36/11: Contribution conditions for partners of service personnel – JSA & ESA (20KB)
• 37/11: Jobseeker’s Allowance and Income Support – Tax Credits, Changes from December 2011 (16KB)
• 38/11: Changes to Pensionable Age (30KB)
• 01/12: Flat Rate Introduction Year (14KB)
• 02/12: Flat Rate Introduction Year (18KB)

Pre-2007 DMG memos - JSA/IS

• 06 Payment restrictions - due to a breach of a Community Sentence (28KB)
• 44 Jobseekers Allowance and Income Support - New Tax Credits - Miscellaneous Amendments (25KB)
• 64 Jobseeker's Allowance and Income Support - Tax Credit - Change From April 2004 (78KB)
• 106 Jobseekers Allowance and Income Support - Tax Credits, Changes from September 2005 (14KB)

Pre-2007 DMG memos - SPC

• 53 SPC - Housing Costs - Service Charges (42KB)

Abbreviations

• Abbreviations (28KB)

Statutes

• Statutes (15KB)

Statutory Instruments

• Statutory Instruments (32KB)

Volume 1 – Decision Making and Appeals

• Volume 1 – Consolidated version (contains all amendments up to and including July 2011) (2.5MB)

• Chapter 01 – Principles of decision making and evidence (214KB)
• Chapter 02 – Claims and applications (387KB)
• Chapter 03 – Revision (167KB)
• Chapter 04 – Supersession, suspension and termination (349KB)
• Chapter 05 – Work-focused interviews (505KB)
• Chapter 06 – Making appeals and staying (282KB)
• Volume 1 – Annexes A–M (105KB)

Amendments

• Amendment 34 – June 2010 (813KB)
• Amendment 35 – October 2010 (1.2MB)
• Amendment 36 – February 2011 (513KB)
• Amendment 37 – July 2011 (455KB)
• Amendment 38 – October 2011 (208KB)

Volume 2 – International Subjects

• Volume 2 – Consolidated version (contains all amendments up to and including July 2011) (2.4MB)

Chapter 7

• Part 1 Common Subjects [070000 - 070899] (321KB)
• Part 2 AA/DLA/CA to Dependency Increases [070900 - 071179] (81KB)
• Part 3 Habitual Residence & Right to Reside IS/JSA/SPC[071180 - 071379] (107KB)
• Part 4 Incapacity Benefit to Industrial Injuries Benefit[071380 - 072129] (256KB)
• Part 5 JSA to Retirement Pension[072130 - 072959] (328KB)
• Part 6 SDA, SPC, WB/Bereavement Benefit and Winter Fuel Payments [072960 - 073259] (123KB)
• Part 7 Offshore Workers & Her Majesty's Forces[073260 - 079999] (52KB)
• Annex 1 (392KB)
• Annex 2 (130KB)
• Annex 3 (158KB)

Amendments

• Amendment 19 – October 2009 (390KB)
• Amendment 20 – February 2010 (90KB)
• Amendment 21 – July 2011 (738KB)

Volume 3 – Subjects Common to all Benefits

• Volume 3 – Consolidated version (contains all amendments up to and including July 2011) (3.3MB)

• Chapter 08 – Payment of benefit/Deductions from benefit (142KB)
• Chapter 09 – Overpayments, offsets and recoverability (389KB)
• Chapter 10 – Evidence of age, marriage and death (371KB)
• Chapter 11 – Living together as husband and wife or as civil partners (88KB)
• Chapter 12 – Imprisonment (57KB)
• Chapter 13 – Incapacity for work (258KB)
• Chapter 14 – Welfare to Work (221KB)
• Chapter 15 – Earnings (540KB)
• Chapter 16 – Dependency increases (333KB)
• Chapter 17 – Overlapping benefits (133KB)
• Chapter 18 – Hospital In-Patients (100KB)
• Chapter 19 – This chapter is spare

Amendments

• Amendment 34 – October 2010 (898KB)
• Amendment 35 – February 2011 (423KB)
• Amendment 36 – July 2011 (2MB)
• Amendment 37 – October 2011 (2MB)

Volume 4 – Jobseeker's Allowance and Income Support

• Volume 4 – Consolidated version (contains all amendments up to and including July 2011) (3.3MB)

• Chapter 20 – JSA and IS - conditions of entitlement (528KB)
• Chapter 21 – JSA - Labour market questions (647KB)
• Chapter 22 – Membership of the family (80KB)
• Chapter 23 – Normal amount payable (595KB)
• Chapter 24 – Special cases (734KB)

Amendments

• Amendment 32 – October 2010 (413KB)
• Amendment 33 – February 2011 (756KB)
• Amendment 34 – July 2011 (363KB)
• Amendment 35 – October 2011 (983KB)

Volume 5 – Jobseeker's Allowance and Income Support

• Volume 5 – Consolidated version (contains all amendments up to and including July 2011) (3.0MB)

• Chapter 25 – General rules on income (89KB)
• Chapter 26 – Employed earners (449KB)
• Chapter 27 – Self-employed earners and share fishermen (404KB)
• Chapter 28 – Income other than earnings (606KB)
• Chapter 29 – Capital (568KB)

Amendments

• Amendment 32 – October 2010 (550KB)
• Amendment 33 – February 2011 (671KB)
• Amendment 34 – July 2011 (769KB)
• Amendment 35 – October 2011 (461KB)

Volume 6 – Jobseeker's Allowance and Income Support

• Volume 6 – Consolidated version (contains all amendments up to and including July 2011) (610KB)

• Chapter 30 – Students, young claimants and their partners (458KB)
• Chapter 31 – Urgent case payments (214KB)
• Chapter 32 – Trade disputes (238KB)
• Chapter 33 – Payment questions (367KB)
• Chapter 34 – Sanctions (606KB)
• Chapter 35 – Hardship (390KB)

Amendments

• Amendment 32 – October 2010 (314KB)
• Amendment 33 – February 2011 (816KB)
• Amendment 34 – July 2011 (1MB)
• Amendment 35 – October 2011 (202KB)

Volume 7 – Jobseeker's Allowance and Income Support

• Volume 7 – Consolidated version (contains all amendments up to and including July 2011) (1.4MB)

• Chapter 36 – Transitional protection from Supp B to IS and Supp B to IS to JSA(IB) (116KB)
• Chapter 37 – Transitional protection from UB and IS to JSA (368KB)
• Chapter 38 – This chapter is spare
• Chapter 39 – Social Fund payments (273KB)
• Chapter 40 – This chapter is spare

Amendments

• Amendment 29 – October 2010 (63KB)
• Amendment 30 – February 2011 (468KB)
• Amendment 31 – July 2011 (376KB)
• Amendment 32 – October 2011 (68KB)

Volume 8 – Employment and Support Allowance

• Volume 8 – Consolidated version (contains all amendments up to and including July 2011) (2.6MB)

• Chapter 41 – ESA conditions of entitlement (316KB)
• Chapter 42 – Limited Capability for Work and Limited Capability for Work-Related Activity (201KB)
• Chapter 43 – Membership of the household (84KB)
• Chapter 44 – Normal amount payable & Components (611KB)
• Chapter 45 – Advance awards of ESA(IR), transitional issues and migration (41KB)
• Chapter 46 – ESA - Payment questions (305KB)
• Chapter 47 – This Chapter is spare

Amendments

• Amendment 6 – October 2010 (1.6MB)
• Amendment 7 – February 2011 (700KB)
• Amendment 8 – July 2011 (1.2MB)
• Amendment 9 – October 2011 (735KB)

Volume 9 – Employment and Support Allowance

• Volume 9 – Consolidated version (contains all amendments up to and including July 2011) (2.7MB)

• Chapter 48 – General rules on income (80KB)
• Chapter 49 – Earnings of employed earners (644KB)
• Chapter 50 – Self-employed earners (180KB)
• Chapter 51 – Income other than earnings (604KB)
• Chapter 52 – Capital (413KB)
• Chapter 53 – WFHRA, WfI and Disqualification (82KB)
• Chapter 54 – Special cases & Urgent Case Payments (130KB)

Amendments

• Amendment 6 – October 2010 (679KB)
• Amendment 7 – February 2011 (585KB)
• Amendment 8 – July 2011 (835KB)
• Amendment 9 – October 2011 (738KB)

Volume 10 – Benefits for Incapacity, Disability, Maternity and Bereavement

• Volume 10 – Consolidated version (contains all amendments up to and including July 2011) (1.5MB)

• Chapter 55 – Transitional provisions or the introduction of Incapacity Benefit (81KB)
• Chapter 56 – Incapacity benefit (168KB)
• Chapter 57 – Severe Disablement Allowance (103KB)
• Chapter 58 – Widows Benefits (68KB)
• Chapter 59 – This chapter is spare
• Chapter 60 – Carer’s Allowance (74KB)
• Chapter 61 – Attendance Allowance and Disability Living Allowance (398KB)
• Chapter 62 – Maternity benefits (79KB)
• Chapter 63 – Bereavement Benefit (48KB)

Amendments

• Amendment 29 – October 2010 (1.1MB)
• Amendment 30 – February 2010 (356KB)
• Amendment 31 – July 2011 (1.2MB)
• Amendment 32 – October 2011 (263KB)

Volume 11 – Industrial Injuries Benefits

• Volume 11 – Consolidated version (contains all amendments up to and including July 2011) (1.7MB)

• Chapter 64 – Background to the Industrial Injuries Scheme (24KB)
• Chapter 65 – This chapter is spare
• Chapter 66 – Industrial accidents (340KB)
• Chapter 67 – Prescribed diseases (591KB)
• Chapter 68 – This chapter is spare
• Chapter 69 – Disablement Benefits (189KB)
• Chapter 70 – This chapter is spare
• Chapter 71 – Reduced earnings allowance (450KB)
• Chapter 72 – Unemployability Supplement (49KB)
• Chapter 73 – Old cases (188KB)

Amendments

• Amendment 25 – October 2010 (770KB)
• Amendment 26 – February 2011 (339KB)
• Amendment 27 – July 2011 (1.6MB)
• Amendment 28 – October 2011 (615KB)

Volume 12 – Widow's Benefit and Retirement Pension

• Volume 12 – Consolidated version (contains all amendments up to and including July 2011) (742KB)

• Chapter 74 – This chapter is spare
• Chapter 75 – Retirement Pension (368KB)
• Chapter 76 – Forfeiture Act 1982 (29KB)

Amendments

• Amendment 21 – October 2010 (261KB)
• Amendment 22 – February 2011 (341KB)
• Amendment 23 – July 2011 (726KB)
• Amendment 24 – October 2011 (203KB)

Volume 13 – State Pension Credit

• Volume 13 – Consolidated version (contains all amendments up to and including July 2011) (1.6MB)

• Chapter 77 – Conditions of entitlement, membership of the household and normal amount payable (155KB)
• Chapter 78 – State pension credit: additional amounts and special groups (643KB)
• Chapter 79 – Payment questions (206KB)
• Chapter 80 – Transitional provisions (38KB)
• Chapter 81 – This chapter is spare
• Chapter 82 – This chapter is spare

Amendments

• Amendment 23 – October 2010 (644KB)
• Amendment 24 – February 2011 (160KB)
• Amendment 25 – July 2011 (225KB)

Volume 14 – State Pension Credit

• Volume 14 – Consolidated version (contains all amendments up to and including July 2011) (4.0MB)

• Chapter 83 – Assessed income periods (78KB)
• Chapter 84 – Deemed weekly income from capital (275KB)
• Chapter 85 – Income other than earnings (206KB)
• Chapter 86 – Earnings (311KB)

Amendments

• Amendment 23 – October 2010 (486KB)
• Amendment 24 – February 2011 (298KB)
• Amendment 25 – July 2011 (229KB)
• Amendment 26 – October 2011 (70KB)