New measures to tighten up the immigration system – Home Office

‘A new crackdown on immigration abuses was announced today by the Prime Minister and the Home Secretary as part of the government’s long-term economic plan to secure a better future for Britain.’

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Home Office, 29th July 2014

Source: www.gov.uk/home-office

Another “Bedroom Tax” Challenge Fails – UK Human Rights Blog

‘At the end of May, the High Court ruled that the reduction in Housing Benefit under Regulation B13 of Housing Benefit (Amendment) Regulations – commonly dubbed “the bedroom tax” – did not unlawfully discriminate against a family with a disabled child requiring an additional bedroom for overnight careers because the shortfall was covered by discretionary housing payments.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 4th July 2014

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

High Court challenges UK work schemes – BBC News

Posted July 4th, 2014 in benefits, employment, news, remuneration by sally

‘The High Court has ruled emergency laws underpinning a government back-to-work scheme are “incompatible” with the European Convention on Human Rights.’

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BBC News, 4th July 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Temporary accommodation at a peppercorn rent – NearlyLegal

Posted July 3rd, 2014 in benefits, carers, housing, immigration, local government, news, social security by sally

‘This is a fascinating judicial review case. While the specific facts might only apply to a very few people, there is an interesting principle in it which may have wider application.’

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NearlyLegal, 2nd July 2014

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Benefits Street did not breach Ofcom guidelines despite complaints – Daily Telegraph

Posted June 30th, 2014 in benefits, children, complaints, media, news, ombudsmen by sally

‘Controversial Channel 4 show Benefits Street did not breach broadcasting guidelines despite complaints, Ofcom rules.’

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Daily Telegraph, 30th June 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

St Prix v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (AIRE Centre intervening) – WLR Daily

Posted June 24th, 2014 in benefits, EC law, employment, law reports, pregnancy, social security by sally

St Prix v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (AIRE Centre intervening) (Case C-507/12; ECLI:EU:C:2014:2007; [2014] WLR (D) 275

‘A woman who gave up work, or looking for work, because of the physical constraints of the late stages of pregnancy and the aftermath of childbirth retained the status of “worker”, within the meaning of article 45FEU of the FEU Treaty, provided she returned to work or found another job within a reasonable period after the birth of her child.’

WLR Daily, 19th June 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

EU ruling goes against ministers on pregnant benefit claimant – The Guardian

Posted June 20th, 2014 in benefits, domicile, EC law, news, pregnancy, references to European Court by sally

‘A pregnant French woman, who was denied benefits in the UK because she was not considered to be “a worker”, had been entitled to the payments, the European Court of Justice has ruled. Jessy Saint Prix gave up work as a teaching assistant and was denied income support. Non-UK residents are not entitled to the benefit – unless they have acquired the status of worker in EU law. The case now returns to the Supreme Court for a final ruling.’

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The Guardian, 19th June 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Watchdog attacks the government’s handling ‘fiasco’ of disability payouts – The Guardian

Posted June 20th, 2014 in benefits, budgets, contracting out, disabled persons, news by sally

‘The government’s handling of personal independence payments (Pips) has been “nothing short of a fiasco” that has caused distress to thousands of sick and disabled people, parliament’s public spending watchdog has found.’

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The Guardian, 20th June 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Bootle benefits fraud woman ‘invented’ six children – BBC News

Posted June 17th, 2014 in benefits, fraud, news, sentencing, social security by sally

‘A woman who invented six children in order to claim extra state benefits, has been jailed for a year.’

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BBC News, 16th June 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

On the naughty step: The unacceptable face of London landlords – NearlyLegal

Posted June 13th, 2014 in benefits, housing, landlord & tenant, leases, news, rent, unfair contract terms by sally

‘Some of you, those in London at least, might have noticed Boris Johnson announce a new, and completely voluntary, no compulsion here, landlord accreditation scheme. The idea being that tenants, desperate to find somewhere in the middle of the worst accommodation shortage in London for many, many years, will choose to avoid a ‘non-Boris’ landlord. This is of dubious worth, but no matter, what concerns us here is what followed that announcement. Bear with me, because it is worth it in the end.’

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NearlyLegal, 12th June 2014

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Work capability assessment system at ‘virtual collapse’, says judge – The Guardian

Posted June 11th, 2014 in benefits, disabled persons, legal aid, news, tribunals by sally

‘The outgoing head of the tribunal which hears appeals relating to social security benefits has said that the work capability assessment (WCA) has undergone “virtual collapse” and accused the Department for Work and Pensions of being overly optimistic about the pace at which fit-for-work tests were being carried out.’

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The Guardian, 11th June 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Formerly known as – NearlyLegal

Posted June 9th, 2014 in appeals, benefits, children, disabled persons, housing, news, tribunals by sally

‘Here is an interesting FTT bedroom tax decision from Runcorn, received via RAISE who are clearly doing good work in supporting such appeals.’

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NearlyLegal, 6th June 2014

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Shanks v Unilever plc and others (No 2) – WLR Daily

Posted June 5th, 2014 in benefits, employment, inventions, law reports, patents by sally

Shanks v Unilever plc and others (No 2) [2014] EWHC 1647 (Pat); [2014] WLR (D) 242

‘The time value of money received by an employer following the vesting of an invention by an employee was not a benefit derived by the employer for the purposes of section 41(1) of the Patents Act 1977.’

WLR Daily, 23rd May 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Hines v Lambeth London Borough Council – WLR Daily

Posted June 4th, 2014 in appeals, benefits, carers, children, EC law, families, housing, immigration, law reports by sally

Hines v Lambeth London Borough Council: [2014] EWCA Civ 660; [2014] WLR (D) 238

‘A person whose right to remain in the United Kingdom had expired and who sought housing assistance under the Housing Act 1996 on the basis of a derivative right of residence as a primary carer of her son, a British citizen, would be entitled to accommodation only if her son would be effectively compelled to leave the United Kingdom if she left.’

WLR Daily, 20th May 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Family of disabled grandchild lose spare bedroom fight – BBC News

Posted June 2nd, 2014 in appeals, benefits, carers, children, disabled persons, housing, news by sally

‘A couple who care for their severely disabled grandchild have lost an appeal against cuts to their housing benefits because they have a spare bedroom.’

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BBC News, 30th May 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Curry house owner jailed after falsely claiming £41,000 benefits which wife spent on designer clothing – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 12th, 2014 in benefits, fraud, news, sentencing by sally

‘Mohammed Chowdhury claimed he only worked 16 hours a week as a waiter but owned an Essex tandoori restaurant which made £400,000 a year.’

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Daily Telegraph, 12th May 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Challenging discretionary housing payments by way of judicial review – Garden Court Chambers Blog

‘Desmond Rutledge looks at the role discretionary housing payments (DHPs) have assumed in the wake of the Government’s welfare reform programme and examines the scope for challenging DHP decisions.’

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Garden Court Chambers Blog, 7th May 2014

Source: www.gclaw.wordpress.com

Judicial review to go ahead on impact of ‘bedroom tax’ on separated families – Local Government Lawyer

Posted May 6th, 2014 in benefits, families, housing, human rights, news, social security by sally

‘Human rights campaign group Liberty has been given permission by a High Court judge to bring a judicial review claim over the impact of the Government’s spare-room subsidy or “bedroom tax” on separated families with shared custody of children.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 2nd May 2014

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Women in burial and fraud case must repay £90,000 – BBC News

‘Two women who were jailed after burying a man in a garden and claiming his benefits have been ordered to repay almost £90,000 under the Proceeds of Crime Act.’

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BBC News, 28th April 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Ignoring the Court of Appeal? – NearlyLegal

‘There has been an odd bedroom tax development, one on which details are tantalisingly still absent. Mr & Mrs Carmichael have won their appeal to the First Tier Tribunal, apparently on the basis of Mrs Carmichael’s disability, so on grounds of Article 14 read with Art 1 Protocol 1. The Tribunal apparently found that it would be unjustifiable discrimination to impose the bedroom tax.’

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NearlyLegal, 24th April 2014

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk