Snorkelling benefits cheat sentenced for ‘barefaced lies’ – BBC News
‘A benefits cheat caught out by holiday photos showing her snorkelling has been given an 18-month suspended jail term.’
BBC News, 25th September 2017
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Category: social security
Judge told shoplifter: “I didn’t know that people who were on benefits were into Champagne?” – Daily Telegraph
‘A judge told shoplifter: “I didn’t know that people who were on benefits were into Champagne?”‘
Daily Telegraph, 4th September 2017
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
DWP spends £39m defending decisions to strip benefits from sick and disabled people – The Independent
‘Freedom of Information requests have exposed how taxpayers’ money has been spent on futile legal battles to prevent vulnerable people receiving help.’
The Independent, 29th August 2017
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Illegal subletting – an ‘elaborate farrago of lies’ – Nearly Legal
‘Ms Afsana Begum and Mr Mohammed Rohim were the joint assured tenants of Poplar Housing from October 2014. The property was a two bed flat. The rent was paid in full by housing benefit. In August 2015, Poplar received a tip off that the property was being sub let. On investigation, Ms B had financial links to another flat nearby, her mother’s.’
Nearly Legal, 13th August 2017
Source: nearlylegal.co.uk
What is the no recourse to public funds condition? – Free Movement
‘The “no recourse to public funds” condition is imposed on grants of limited leave to enter or remain with the effect of prohibiting the person holding that leave from accessing certain defined public funds. A person who claims public funds despite such a condition is committing a criminal offence and there may well be future immigration consequences as well, as any existing leave can be curtailed or a future application refused.’
Free Movement, 21st February 2017
Source: www.freemovement.org.uk
Housing benefit – Local Government Law
‘Housing benefit is “a means tested benefit provided under section 130 of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 and subordinate regulations”. Its “purpose is to help claimants with their rental costs”. There is “a prescribed mechanism for determining in each case the appropriate maximum housing benefit”.’
Local Government Law, 5th December 2016
Mother jailed for making children have surgery so she could claim benefits – The Guardian
‘A mother who lied about her children being ill, forcing them to have surgery as part of a plan to falsely claim benefits, has been jailed for seven-and-a-half years.’
The Guardian, 15th August 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Bill-by-bill summary: Queen’s Speech at-a-glance – BBC News
‘The Queen has announced the government’s legislation for the year ahead, at the state opening of Parliament. Here is a bill-by-bill guide to what is in the 2016 Queen’s Speech.’
BBC News, 18th May 2016
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Government spends £100,000 on lawyers to defend the bedroom tax – The Independent
‘The Department for Work and Pensions has spent over £100,000 on lawyers fighting a court battle to save its controversial “bedroom tax” policy.’
The Independent, 28th March 2016
Source: www.independent.co.uk
New Acts – legislation.gov.uk
Council to share intelligence after discovery of £1.4m housing benefit fraud – Local Government Lawyer
‘The London Borough of Redbridge is to share information and intelligence with other councils and HM Revenue and Customs, after three people were found guilty of a £1.4m housing benefit fraud.’
Local Government Lawyer, 15th March 2016
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
Peers inflict second government defeat on disability benefit cuts – BBC News
‘The government has been defeated in the House of Lords for a second time over plans to cut some disabled people’s benefits by £30 a week.’
BBC News, 29th February 2016
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Preferring Burnip: Discrimination without justification – Nearly Legal
‘The Court of Appeal tackles the bedroom tax and discrimination again, and, a year on from MA & Ors, there is quite a difference.’
Nearly Legal, 31st January 2016
Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk
The DWP is forcing a rape victim to pay the Bedroom Tax on her police-installed panic room – The Independent
‘The Department for Work and Pensions is trying to force a rape victim to pay the so-called “Bedroom Tax” on her police-installed panic room, it has emerged.’
The Independent, 27th January 2016
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Lords defeat for ministers over disability benefit cuts – BBC News
‘The government has been defeated in the Lords over plans to cut the benefits of people with illness and disabilities.’
BBC News, 27th January 2016
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Money, money, money – LAG Housing Law
‘Sam Madge-Wyld considers the Autumn Statement and its implications for housing.’
LAG Housing Law, 10th December 2015
Source: www.laghousinglaw.com
Council criticised over refusal of direct payments based on Working Time Regulations – Local Government Lawyer
‘A council has admitted wrongly using the Working Time Regulations to refuse the direct payments they assessed a young man as needing, following an investigation by the Local Government Ombudsman.’
Local Government Lawyer, 6th August 2015
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
A rape test for welfare is a chilling way to save money – The Guardian
‘Rape that results in pregnancy is one circumstance that defies the chancellor’s notion of choice about family size.’
Full story
The Guardian, 29th July 2015
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Tenants who lack mental capacity to make decisions – Tanfield Chambers
‘In Wychavon District Council v EM (HB) [2011] UKUT 144 (AAC), the claimant, who was profoundly physically and mentally disabled, appealed from a decision that she was not entitled to housing benefit in respect of the sums payable under a tenancy agreement which, in the space for the tenant’s signature, stated that she was “profoundly disabled and cannot communicate at all.”’
Tanfield Chambers, 18th June 2015
Source: www.tanfieldchambers.co.uk
The legal challenge to the ‘bedroom tax’ – a new hope – Garden Court Chambers Blog
‘Desmond Rutledge reviews the prospects of the bedroom tax litigation succeeding in the light of the recent Supreme Court judgment in the household benefit cap case.’
Garden Court Chambers Blog, 6th July 2015
Source: www.gclaw.wordpress.com
