Neurodiversity and the Bar – Counsel

‘An introduction to neurodiversity and why the Bar ought to embrace it – by Oliver May.’

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Counsel, March 2022

Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk

Suitability, enquiries, gender reassignment and the public sector equality duty – Nearly Legal

Posted April 5th, 2022 in disabled persons, equality, homelessness, housing, news, transgender persons by sally

‘An interesting Court of Appeal decision on the sufficiency of enquiries to establish suitability of accommodation offered in discharge of section 189B Housing Act 1986 duty where the homeless person has the protected characteristics of disability and gender reassignment.’

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Nearly Legal, 3rd April 2022

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Court of Appeal rejects appeal over sufficiency of inquiries made by housing options manager – Local Government Lawyer

Posted April 5th, 2022 in disabled persons, equality, homelessness, housing, news, transgender persons by sally

‘The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal over the sufficiency of inquiries made by a borough council to determine the suitability of accommodation offered to a homeless applicant with ‘protected characteristics’ of disability and gender reassignment.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 4th April 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

High Court finds council in contempt of court over failure to comply with mandatory injunction on placement planning for autistic young man – Local Government Lawyer

‘A High Court judge has found Cardiff City Council in contempt of court over its failure to comply with a mandatory injunction in a case concerning future placement planning for a young man with a range of diagnoses including autistic spectrum disorder and severe communication and learning difficulties.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 1st April 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

The Court of Protection and transparency – Local Government Lawyer

‘Lauren Gardner analyses a Court of Protection ruling on whether proceedings in relation to a 21-year-old woman should be open to the public and whether the judgment should be published.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 25th March 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Local authority ordered to pay 85% of costs of wasted Court of Protection hearing – Local Government Lawyer

‘A local authority that was seeking to restrict a woman’s access to social media has been ordered to pay 85% of the Official Solicitor’s costs after the council was late in submitting assessments and a position statement.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 22nd March 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Ombudsman makes two severe maladministration findings against major social landlord over handling of temporary move for resident with vulnerabilities – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Housing Ombudsman has made two severe maladministration findings for L&Q’s failure to minimise the disruption of a temporary move for a resident with physical and mental health vulnerabilities.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 15th March 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Disabled people ‘given 12 days’ to respond to human rights consultation – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Disability and human rights groups have called for a consultation on controversial human rights reforms to be extended, telling the lord chancellor that disabled people have been given less than a fortnight to respond. The Ministry of Justice has apologised for the long wait for a ‘fully accessible’ document.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 2nd March 2022

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Supreme Court to hear appeal over ruling by coroner that Article 2 ECHR not engaged where vulnerable woman died – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Supreme Court has granted permission to appeal over a coroner’s ruling that Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights (Right to life) was not engaged in a case where a vulnerable, 52-year-old woman with Down’s syndrome and learning disabilities died.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 1st March 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

DWP faces legal action over use of algorithm in decisions over fraud investigations – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People (GMCDP) and non-profit legal group Foxglove have sent the Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) a letter before action over its use of a computer algorithm when deciding on who should be investigated for fraud.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 23rd February 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Reforms to protect disabled and LGBT+ victims, criminalise extremist misogynist ‘incel’ hate material, and safeguard free speech – Family Law

‘The Law Commission has announced recommendations to reform hate crime legislation to ensure that disabled and LGBT+ victims receive the same protections as victims with other protected characteristics (race and religion). If enacted, the reforms would ensure all five characteristics are protected equally by the law.’

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Family Law, 27th January 2022

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Terminally ill benefits claimants to be exempt from work search requirements – The Independent

Posted January 25th, 2022 in benefits, disabled persons, news, unemployment by sally

‘Terminally ill benefits claimants in Britain will not have to demonstrate that they are taking measures such as looking for work in order to receive support, the Government has said.’

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The Independent, 24th January 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Care home staff jailed for degrading acts to vulnerable man – BBC News

‘Three care home workers have been jailed for 18 months for mistreating a vulnerable man.’

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BBC News, 20th January 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Should We All Have The Right To Die On Our Own Terms? – Each Other

Posted January 20th, 2022 in assisted suicide, bills, disabled persons, euthanasia, news by tracey

‘As the Assisted Dying Bill is scrutinised in parliament, the debate over whether terminally ill people should have the right to die is heating up again. So, what could a right to die look like in the UK?’

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Each Other, 20th January 2022

Source: eachother.org.uk

‘The present proceedings should never have been brought.’ ASB and disability discrimination. – Nearly Legal

‘Rosebery Housing Association Ltd v Williams & Anor (2021) EW Misc 22 (CC). Applications for injunctions under Part 1 of ASBCPA 2014 seem to be all the rage at moment, so it is refreshing to read the judgment in Rosebery Housing Association v Williams which was handed down by HHJ Luba QC late last year. The judgment provides a helpful list of what-not-to-do in situations where there are allegations of anti-social behaviour levelled at a disabled tenant, particularly where the tenant has made serious allegations of her own.’

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Nearly Legal, 16th January 2022

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Government breached duty over solicitor-judge’s disability struggles – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The government has been criticised by an employment tribunal for a “lack of coordination and pre-planning” that resulted in a solicitor-judge bringing a disability discrimination challenge against the justice secretary over her struggles to secure reasonable adjustments.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 17th January 2022

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

‘Deeply distressing’: 118,000 disabled people denied compensation after being underpaid thousands of pounds – The Independent

Posted January 13th, 2022 in benefits, compensation, disabled persons, news by tracey

‘Tens of thousands of people with disabilities and health problems are being denied the right to compensation following a government blunder over benefit payments, the health watchdog has warned.’

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The Independent, 13th January 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Court of Protection authorises vaccination of autistic boy despite parental objections – Local Government Lawyer

‘The benefits of vaccination against Covid-19 for a child with autism, severe learning disability and asthma “significantly outweigh” the possible risks, the Court of Protection has found, despite objections from the boy’s parents.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 10th January 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Ombudsman recommends county council pay nearly £7k after boy left without education for two years – Local Government Lawyer

‘A boy with special education needs who received “virtually no” education for two years should be given £6,900 in compensation by Suffolk County Council, an investigation by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has recommended.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 7th January 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Dudley mum’s legal fight over autistic son’s conviction – BBC News

‘The mother of an autistic man jailed for robbery says she is fighting to clear his name after the justice system failed to understand his disability. Joan Martin said 23-year-old Osime Brown’s autism meant he was incapable of committing the offence, and claims he was not given fair process. She is working with lawyers, who allege institutional discrimination, to overturn a “miscarriage of justice”.’

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BBC News, 10th January 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk