Judges to explain benefit assessment decisions – BBC News

Posted June 21st, 2013 in appeals, benefits, disabled persons, judiciary, news, social services, tribunals by tracey

“Judges in England and Scotland are being asked to explain why they believe someone is unfit to work, in a move ministers hope will improve the decision-making process on benefits.”

Full story

BBC News, 21st June 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Johnson v. Old, deposits and rent paid by housing benefit – The Barristers’ Hub

Posted June 13th, 2013 in appeals, benefits, deposits, housing, landlord & tenant, news, rent by sally

“We’ve all seen the ubiquitous scene from the American court-room drama where the bespectacled and previously underrated legal assistant/student/intern etc. bursts into the back of the crowded court, and shouts ‘State v. Jones’ whilst waving the paper judgment triumphantly at the judge. The judge is thereby stopped from making the patently unjust ruling he was about to make, changing his mind in favour of the film’s protagonist. This doesn’t happen in real life, so it was with much anticipation that I awaited the case of Johnson v Old [2013] EWCA Civ 415, which I used in court less than 24 hours after it was handed down. My thanks go to Karen Reid, one of our pupils at 1 Gray’s Inn Square, who rushed from the RCJ, clutching the judgment, ink still drying from Sir John Chadwick’s quill (well, printer at least).”

Full story

The Barristers’ Hub, 12th June 2013

Source: www.barristershub.co.uk

Jobseekers try to overturn law denying them benefit rebates – The Guardian

“Iain Duncan Smith and parliament have conspired to undermine the basic rights of hundreds of thousands of jobseekers by enacting retrospective emergency legislation, according to the contents of a legal filing sent to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).”

Full story

The Guardian, 11th June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Legal aid residency tests ‘will leave migrant children destitute’ – The Guardian

“Abandoned migrant and trafficked children will be left destitute and at risk of exploitation if the government goes ahead with a plan to introduce residency tests to determine whether they qualify for legal aid, child protection experts are warning.”

Full story

The Guardian, 2nd June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Regina v Jawad – WLR Daily

Regina v Jawad [2013] EWCA Crim 644; [2013] WLR (D) 209

“There was no mandatory duty to take the confiscation order made under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 into account when deciding on a compensation order, but the question of compensation might have been relevant to disproportion, if compensation meant that money restored to the loser would have been counted again in the confiscation order, so it was necessary to consider both issues together.”

WLR Daily, 3rd May 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

European Union takes UK to court over migrants’ entitlement to benefits – The Independent

Posted May 30th, 2013 in benefits, EC law, immigration, news, social security by sally

“The EU is taking Britain to court over migrants’ entitlement to benefits.”

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The Independent, 30th May 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Run down on recent and anticipated welfare benefit changes – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted May 29th, 2013 in benefits, disabled persons, housing, news, taxation by sally

“In April 2013, the so called ‘bedroom tax’ was introduced, meaning that a single person or couple with no children will have their housing benefit reduced by 14% where they occupy two bedroom accommodation and 25% if they occupy three or more beds.”

Full story

Hardwicke Chambers, 24th May 2013

Source: www.hardwicke.co.uk

Domestic violence victim seeks bedroom tax judicial review – The Guardian

“A victim of domestic violence who faces losing her council home which has a secure ‘panic room’ is to challenge the government’s so-called bedroom tax.”

Full story

The Guardian, 24th May 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Talent show mum Amanda Webber jailed for benefit fraud – BBC News

Posted May 24th, 2013 in benefits, fraud, news, obtaining property by deception, sentencing by tracey

“A mother of eight who fraudulently received £350,000 in benefits and tax credits has been jailed for four years.”

Full story

BBC News, 24th May 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Benefits cap will have catastrophic effect on families, court will hear – The Guardian

Posted May 24th, 2013 in benefits, domestic violence, families, judicial review, news by tracey

“Families will suffer catastrophic effects and victims of domestic violence may be forced to return to their abusers, it will be argued in the first test cases challenging the government’s imposition of a £500-a-week cap on benefits. A judge has already given permission for a full judicial review of claims that involve four vulnerable families relying on welfare payments. One household is facing imminent eviction, according to documents filed at the high court.”

Full story

The Guardian, 23rd May 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Talent show mum Amanda Webber guilty of £350,000 benefit fraud – BBC News

Posted May 24th, 2013 in benefits, fraud, news, obtaining property by deception by tracey

“A mother of eight has been found guilty of fraudulently receiving more than £350,000 in benefits and tax credits.”

Full story

BBC News, 23rd May 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Two win sickness benefit test legal challenge – BBC News

“Two people with mental health problems, who claimed the test for sickness benefit would discriminate against them, have won their legal challenge.”

Full story

BBC News, 22nd May 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Workfare placements must be made public, tribunal rules – The Guardian

“The Department for Work and Pensions has lost a major court battle to keep the locations of thousands of workfare placements secret.”

Full story

The Guardian, 19th May 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Night Shelters, dwellings and housing benefit – NearlyLegal

Posted May 20th, 2013 in benefits, homelessness, hotels, housing, local government, news, tribunals by sally

“This a late note on OR -v- Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and Isle of Anglesey CC [2013] UKUT 065 (AAC) because, bluntly, I had read it quickly at the time and overlooked its broader significance.”

Full story

NearlyLegal, 19th May 2013

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Housing benefit changes legal test to begin at High Court – BBC News

“A legal test is set to begin into the government’s decision to cut housing benefit for recipients living in properties that have a spare room.”

Full story

BBC News, 15th May 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Finance and Divorce May 2013 update – Family Law Week

“Anna Heenan, solicitor and David Salter, Joint Head of Family Law at Mills & Reeve LLP analyse the April financial remedies and divorce news and cases.”

Full story

Family Law Week, 12th May 2013

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Deal or No Deal winner Caroline Banana sentenced for fraud – BBC News

Posted April 29th, 2013 in benefits, fraud, news, sentencing by tracey

“A woman who won £95,000 on the TV show Deal or No Deal has been ordered to carry
out 215 hours of unpaid work after admitting benefit fraud.”

Full story

BBC News, 29th April 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Five disabled people lose challenge over scrapped scheme that gave them independence – The Independent

Posted April 24th, 2013 in benefits, budgets, consultations, disabled persons, judicial review, news by sally

“Five disabled people have lost their High Court challenge over the Government’s decision to abolish a scheme that helps them live independently.”

Full story

The Independent, 24th April 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Fourth pillar of the welfare state – Garden Court Chambers Blog

Posted April 17th, 2013 in benefits, budgets, legal aid, news by sally

“On April 1 cuts of £350 million from the legal aid budget of £2.1 billion came into effect.”

Full story

Garden Court Chambers Blog, 16th April 2013

Source: www.gclaw.wordpress.com

Couple jailed for £900,000 car insurance fraud – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 11th, 2013 in benefits, fraud, insurance, news, sentencing, tax evasion by sally

“A couple who carried out a fraudulent insurance scheme worth £900,000 used the money to put one of their children through a top public school.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph,

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

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