DWP uses excessive surveillance on suspected fraudsters, report finds – The Guardian

‘Suspected benefit fraudsters in the UK are being subjected to excessive surveillance techniques such as being tailed by government officers or identified in CCTV footage, according to a report.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 14th February 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Universal Credit childcare payment system indirectly discriminates against women – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted February 9th, 2021 in benefits, human rights, judicial review, news, sex discrimination, women by tracey

‘R (Salvato) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions [2021] EWHC 102 (Admin). Ms Salvato is one such lone mother, who brought judicial review proceedings claiming that the differential method for reimbursing childcare costs constituted indirect discrimination against women contrary to Article 14 (read with Article 8 and/or Article 1 Protocol 1) ECHR and was irrational at common law. The Administrative Court agreed on both grounds.’

Full Story

UK Human Rights Blog, 8th February 2021

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Gosport hospital deaths: Families ‘need Hillsborough-style inquests’ – BBC News

‘Relatives of patients who died after receiving “dangerous” levels of painkillers at Gosport War Memorial Hospital have called for new inquests.’

Full Story

BBC News, 5th February 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Inquest finds mother took overdose after removal of disability benefits – The Guardian

Posted January 28th, 2021 in benefits, coroners, government departments, inquests, mental health, news, suicide by sally

‘A severely mentally ill young mother died from a deliberate overdose after the removal of her disability benefits left her destitute, trapped in a months-long state of high anxiety and haunted by suicidal thoughts, an inquest has concluded.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 27th January 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Errol Graham: Starved man’s family take benefits case to court – BBC News

‘The family of a mentally ill man who starved to death after his benefits were stopped will take on the government at the High Court later.’

Full Story

BBC News, 12th January 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Home Office faces legal challenge over asylum seeker payments during Covid – The Guardian

Posted December 2nd, 2020 in asylum, benefits, government departments, immigration, news by tracey

‘The Home Office is still failing to provide thousands of asylum seekers in emergency hotel accommodation with basic cash support and essentials more than a month after being instructed by the high court to fulfil their legal requirements to do so.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 1st December 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Successful insurers’ A1P1 claim concerning benefits reimbursement in asbestos claims – UK Human Rights Blog

‘R (o.t.a of Aviva & Swiss Re) v. Secretary of State for Work and Pensions [2020] EWHC 3118 (Admin). At first sight, a rather abstruse dispute, but the 63 page judgment of Henshaw J gives rise to a host of important and difficult human rights points. But his central conclusion is that a statute which was not challengeable at the time of its enactment became so, because of the subsequent evolution of the law, principally common law, to the detriment of insurers.’

Full Story

UK Human Rights Blog, 25th November 2020

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

New Act – legislation.gov.uk

Posted November 24th, 2020 in benefits, legislation, social security by tracey

Social Security (Up-rating of Benefits) Act 2020

Family of mentally ill single mother accuse DWP of failing to protect her – The Guardian

‘The family of a severely mentally ill woman who died after being without disability benefits for several months have accused the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) of failing to safeguard her.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 5th November 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Windrush man wrongly classified as illegal immigrant left destitute for a year – The Guardian

‘An electrician who was wrongly classified as being an illegal immigrant, despite living in London for more than 45 years, was destitute as he waited a year for the Windrush taskforce to decide on his application to stay in the UK, the parliamentary ombudsman has ruled.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 25th October 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Free School Meals and Governmental Responsibility — Dr Kirsteen Shields – UK Human Rights Blog

‘Questions around government responsibility for food systems, churning away during the Brexit debates, long ignored, sometimes derided, are meeting stark realities in the coronavirus pandemic. This week we are back to free school meals (FSM).’

Full Story

UK Human Rights Blog, 22nd October 2020

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Covid: ‘Perfect storm’ causing employment tribunal backlog – BBC News

Posted October 22nd, 2020 in benefits, coronavirus, delay, employment tribunals, mental health, news, redundancy by sally

‘Concerns are being raised over a Covid-related backlog of tribunal cases involving people who believe they have lost their jobs unfairly.’

Full Story

BBC News, 22nd October 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘I have nothing’: Roma people left without support and at risk of exploitation due to digital-only status – The Independent

Posted October 6th, 2020 in benefits, brexit, citizenship, EC law, immigration, news by tracey

‘People from Britain’s Roma community are being left unable to access vital support and are exposed to exploitation due to the government’s new digital-only status for EU citizens, research reveals.’

Full Story

The Independent, 5th October 2020

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Homelessness application: Interim relief, suitability and housing benefit – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 11th, 2020 in benefits, homelessness, housing, judicial review, local government, news by tracey

‘Clare Cullen considers a recent High Court decision to adjourn a case considering the suitability of interim accommodation where further information was required.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 11th September 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Disabled homeless man wins ‘no DSS’ case against estate agency – The Guardian

‘A homeless father of four with disabilities who was refused the chance to rent a private flat because he fell foul of the estate agents’ “no DSS” rules was unlawfully discriminated against, a court has ruled.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 9th September 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Government spends £120m in taxpayer money fighting disability benefit claims in two years, figures show – The Independent

Posted September 2nd, 2020 in appeals, benefits, disabled persons, government departments, news, statistics, tribunals by tracey

‘The government has spent more than £120m in taxpayers’ money fighting disability benefit claims in the last two years – despite losing three-quarters of tribunal appeals, The Independent can reveal.’

Full Story

The Independent, 1st September 2020

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Benefit claimants face landlord discrimination despite ruling – BBC News

‘Thousands of landlords are trying to avoid renting their properties to benefit claimants, despite a judge ruling a blanket ban was unlawful.’

Full Story

BBC News, 28th August 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Suitability, affordability and benefit claims – Nearly Legal

‘A interim judicial review decision from May, but judgment just out. The issue was the suitability of temporary accommodation under section 188 Housing Act 1996 (judicial review necessary, as no s.202 review option on s.188 accommodation).’

Full Story

Nearly Legal, 23rd August 2020

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Landlords in England ignoring ‘no DSS’ ban, claim private renters – The Guardian

Posted August 3rd, 2020 in benefits, charities, housing, landlord & tenant, news by sally

‘Hundreds of private renters in England in receipt of benefits are still struggling to secure accommodation despite a landmark ruling saying that landlords are not allowed to discriminate against this group.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 2nd August 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

No recourse to public funds; no recourse to dignity – 1MCB

Posted July 30th, 2020 in benefits, children, human rights, immigration, news by sally

‘Geeta Koska recently published a blog on the future impact on the protection of children’s welfare of the High Court’s decision in R (W, A Child By His Litigation Friend J) v The Secretary of State for the Home Department & Another [2020] EWHC 1299 (Admin). The blog was published in “Children and Young People Now”.’

Full Story

1MCB, July 2020

Source: 1mcb.com