Families win supreme court appeals over ‘unfair’ bedroom tax – The Guardian

‘Two families who claimed that the bedroom tax, which restricts housing subsidies, was unfair have won their appeals against the UK government at the supreme court.’

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The Guardian, 9th November 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Seven charts which show how the UK is failing domestic violence victims – The Independent

Posted September 5th, 2016 in benefits, domestic violence, news, statistics, women by sally

‘Research by Women’s Aid has revealed that two-thirds of domestic violence shelters face closure under Government welfare cuts.’

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The Independent, 5th September 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Two-thirds of domestic violence shelters facing closure due to welfare cuts, research suggests – The Independent

Posted September 5th, 2016 in benefits, domestic violence, news by sally

‘Two-thirds of domestic violence shelters in England and Wales are facing closure due to welfare reforms, research has found.’

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The Independent, 5th September 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Mother jailed for making children have surgery so she could claim benefits – The Guardian

Posted August 16th, 2016 in benefits, child abuse, medical treatment, news, sentencing, social security by sally

‘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.’

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The Guardian, 15th August 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Trans women are being forced to get divorced just to claim their pension – The Independent

‘Where an individual is recognised by the state in her passport and driving licence as a woman, why should she be required to end her marriage just to claim the pension that is rightfully hers?’

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The Independent, 11th August 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Anger over legal aid bill for Ellie Butler’s parents – The Guardian

‘The grandfather of murdered six-year-old Ellie Butler has condemned the legal aid granted to her killer father, amid reports the taxpayer picked up a bill of more than £1.5m for his legal expenses.’

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The Guardian, 6th August 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Ellie Butler murder: Father displayed ‘pattern of impulsive violence’ – BBC News

‘A man who murdered his six-year-old daughter was described as displaying a “pattern of impulsive violence” months before she died, it has been revealed.’

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BBC News, 30th July 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

iPhone evidence ‘could be more effective than court hearing’ – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Resolving neighbour disputes using iPhone evidence and a video hearing might be more effective than the parties travelling several miles to court, a senior government official has said, outlining significant developments to modernise the justice system.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 21st July 2016

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Mother forced her children to undergo serious operations they did not need to claim £375,000 benefits – The Independent

Posted July 20th, 2016 in benefits, child cruelty, children, families, medical treatment, news by tracey

‘A mother has been convicted of child cruelty after forcing her children to undergo gastric surgery they didn’t need in order to claim £375,000 in benefits.’

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The Independent, 20th July 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Court of Appeal: no room for “grandiloquent, rhetorical” advocacy in modern trials – Legal Futures

Posted July 8th, 2016 in advocacy, appeals, barristers, benefits, fraud, news by sally

‘The “grandiloquent, rhetorical and at times almost facetious” advocacy style of a criminal defence barrister has no place in modern trials, the Court of Appeal has said.’

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Legal Futures, 8th July 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Landlord sentenced after admitting conspiring to defraud council – Local Government Lawyer

‘A landlord has been sentenced to 17 months in prison suspended for 12 months after she admitted conspiring to defraud a district council.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 17th June 2016

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

EU court rejects child benefits challenge – BBC News

Posted June 14th, 2016 in benefits, children, EC law, immigration, news, social services, tax credits by sally

‘A challenge to the UK’s right to deny some EU migrants child benefit and child tax credits has been rejected by European judges.’

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BBC News, 15th June 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

From the County Courts – deposits, evictions and introductory tenancies – Nearly Legal

‘Some county court cases reported in the indispensable ‘Housing: Recent Developments’ in Legal Action for May 2016. Cases involve introductory tenancies, deposits, harassment and illegal eviction.’

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Nearly Legal, 12th June 2016

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Refusnik rev: the vicar ​whose council tax protest could put him in jail – The Guardian

‘Retired clergyman Paul Nicolson, who is refusing to pay council tax in solidarity with those hit by benefit cuts, explains why he’s happy to take the consequences.’

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The Guardian, 8th June 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

What happens when you’re deported to Britain? – BBC News

‘A widowed mother-of-five who has lived in Australia for most of her life is facing deportation to the UK. What awaits her when she gets off the plane, asks Claire Bates.’

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BBC News, 24th May 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Benefit sanctions lead claimants to suicide, crime and destitution, warns damning report – The Independent

Posted May 25th, 2016 in benefits, delay, local government, mental health, news, sanctions, self-harm, suicide by sally

‘Benefit sanctions are “devastating” for claimants and can lead to destitution, crime, suicide, and throw up barriers to employment, a wide-ranging report probing the effects of removing payments from Salford’s residents has claimed.’

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The Independent, 25th May 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Suicides of benefit claimants reveal DWP flaws, says inquiry – The Guardian

‘A series of secret internal inquiries into the deaths of people claiming social security reveal that ministers were repeatedly warned of shortcomings in the treatment of vulnerable claimants facing potentially traumatic cuts to their benefits entitlements.’

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The Guardian, 13th May 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Childcare vouchers and maternity leave – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Employment Appeal Tribunal ruling on childcare vouchers is at odds with the approach taken by most employers.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 9th May 2016

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Misc on taxes – council and bedroom – Nearly Legal

Posted April 20th, 2016 in benefits, council tax, housing, news by sally

‘Council tax – how do you go about setting aside and/or appealing a council tax liability order? It turns out to be far from straightforward (you might already have known this. I didn’t!). In Okon v London Borough Of Lewisham [2016] EWHC 864 (Ch) – quite astonishingly, an appeal against a making of a bankruptcy order – Mr. Robin Hollington QC addressed the issue. The bankruptcy petition was founded on a number of council tax liability orders and the efforts of Ms Okon to set aside those orders were at issue.’

Full story

Nearly Legal, 19th April 2016

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Ten new laws that come into force in April 2016 – and how they affect you – The Independent

‘April 2016 is a month of big changes for people living and working in the UK. A number of new laws and policies are coming into force, affecting just about everyone from public sector workers to dog owners. Here’s what the new laws could mean for you.’

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The Independent, 3rd April 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk