Welfare Rights Bulletin articles

Three single-parent families lost their judicial review challenge to the regulations implementing the £500 weekly cap on benefits in R(JS and others) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions [2013] EWHC 3350 (QB). Mike Spencer discusses the ruling and the implications for other families affected by the benefit cap.

Simon Osborne describes a current split in the caselaw on the question of whether someone’s ability to ‘mobilise’ with a manual wheelchair refers only to functional limitations, or to wider personal factors such as the ability to store the chair. The split will hopefully be resolved in a forthcoming decision of a three-judge panel of the Upper Tribunal.

David Simmons looks at the rules and recent caselaw relating to the determination of appeals in the absence of claimants.

There have been several recent challenges to the much criticised bedroom tax/removal of the spare room subsidy. CPAG’s Legal Officer Mike Spencer gives an update and advice on how affected tenants can appeal.

Martin Williams discusses the implications of the recent judgment of the European Court of Justice in Brey, and whether it can be of assistance to European Union (EU) nationals who would otherwise fail to establish a right to reside in the UK.

Tom Royston from Garden Court North Chambers provides some ideas on how to cope with delays in getting appeals listed before a Tribunal.

New rules about appeal rights and making appeals against benefit decisions are due for widespread implementation from 28 October. Simon Osborne describes what is happening

Jennie Hammond, tax and benefits adviser at Advice NI, provides an update on HMRC investigations on the legitimacy of single tax credit claims, often based on data supplied by credit reference agencies.

On 1 July 2013 Croatia became the newest member of the European Union (EU). Henri Krishna outlines the changes.

A recent decision of the Upper Tribunal has decided there is no possibility of making a late appeal in tax credits cases. Martin Williams considers the case.