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Asked what they look for in an ideal employer, 62 per cent of employees said they wanted the opportunity to shape the future of their organisation in a meaningful way and work with a greater sense of purpose (Edelman Trust Barometer).

The Department of Works & Pensions (DWP) has issued new guidance in relation to amendments to the residence tests for benefit entitlement for certain persons arriving from Israel, the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) or Lebanon.

An individual with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) challenged his local authority’s decision not to treat the costs associated with his attendance at a local support group as disability related expenditure (DRE).

The purpose of the Act is to prevent and deter unlawful migration; in particular by unsafe and illegal routes.

The TUC is to report the government to the International Labour Organization (ILO) over new provisions under the Strikes (Minimum Service Level) Act 2023.

In March 2020 a claimant with autism spectrum disorder and learning difficulties (among other disabilities) left a specialist college and returned to live with her parents. Croydon Council assessed her needs in October 2021 and concluded that she needed an indicative support budget of £1,200 a week to meet her support needs (representing 96 hours of support a week).

A complaint was made to the Ombudsman about care workers not staying the allocated time to meet the assessed needs of an elderly claimant with dementia.

Universal Credit (UC) claimants responsible for young children are now required to have more frequent meetings with their work coach.

Five claimants who were asylum seekers brought judicial review claims in relation to the provision of accommodation and support to meet their essential living needs that they were entitled to under section 95 while their claims for asylum were being considered.

In April 2022 Medway council issued judicial proceedings against the new mandatory scheme introduced by the Home Office and the Department for Education to transfer unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC) to other local authorities across the UK.

A private members Bill to enhance the regulation and oversight of supported housing has received Royal Assent. The main aims of the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Bill are to regulate accommodation services which are the subject of housing benefit legislation that has the effect of exempting residents from the benefit cap and maintains housing benefit as the source of housing support for them in welfare benefits.

Four years ago the Department of Works and Pensions (DWP) announced the formation of the Health Transformation Programme designed to merge the medical assessments for Employment Support Allowance, Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment into one unified service.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has confirmed that it is testing a new framework in three pilot areas for assessing how well councils are performing their Care Act 2014 duties. The pilot areas are Birmingham City Council, Lincolnshire County Council and Nottingham City Council.

The appellant applied to the London Borough of Ealing Council in March 2020 for homelessness assistance.

The DWP has confirmed plans for the roll out of Universal Credit managed migration in Greater Manchester, East Yorkshire and Humber.

Recent legal changes mean that there is now a legal obligation on employers in Great Britain to allocate all tips, gratuities and service charges which they are paid or which they exercise control or significant influence over (qualifying tips) to workers without any deductions.

The Department of Works and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed that the Universal Credit (UC) managed migration programme will be expanded to tax credits only claimants across the whole of Great Britain in 2023/2024.

In January, the government introduced legislation that would allow it to set minimum levels of service during public services strikes. The Strikes (minimum service levels) Bill will seek to ensure that minimum service levels are maintained during strikes in the following sectors

The DWP has issued new guidance on a requirement for local authorities to carry out a review of their whole housing benefit caseload to identify where people are living in supported housing or temporary accommodation.

The Divisional Court recently gave judgement in a challenge raised both by a number of individuals and various organisations against the intended removal of those asylum seekers to Rwanda.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) has published new statutory guidance on providing homelessness services to victims of violence that sets out the following requirements:

The government has announced plans for new a statutory code to crack down on unscrupulous employers that use fire and rehire dismissal tactics.

The government has announced its schedule for issuing the 2023 to 2024 cost of living payments.

New regulations have been issued in relation to the eligibility of confirmed victims of human trafficking or slavery for housing and homelessness assistance and housing authority accommodation

The Chancellor confirmed that benefits, state pension and the benefit cap will all be increased by 10.1 per cent from April 2023.

The government has announced that it is to introduce legislation making the right to request flexible working a day one entitlement, removing the current 26-week qualifying period before employees can request flexible working.

The government has issued updated guidance in England in relation to the extension of the Household Support Fund to 31 March 2023.

Millions of people across the UK who are currently providing unpaid care to dependant family members or friends will be entitled to unpaid leave under the Carers Leave Bill which had its second reading in the House of Commons on the 21 October.

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has highlighted that there is are a growing number of cases where councils or independent care providers are limiting care or failing to provide it, using cost pressures as justification.

New regulations provide that in order to qualify for the £324 payment, claimants must have been entitled to a relevant benefit on 25 September 2022

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has warned councils that they must not allow care providers they work with to have subsidiary contracts with clients after Leeds City Council were found to be at fault for allowing a care provider to have contract with a woman to make up the difference between what it received from council and its private rate.

The Public Law Project (PLP) has called for greater transparency around the increased use of algorithms to stop Universal Credit (UC) claims when fraud is suspected.

The government has set out further details on the £400 payments under the Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS) announced in May 2022.

A Bill to repeal and replace the Human Rights Act 1998 has received its first reading in the House of Commons.

Introducing the Bill of Rights to the House of Commons, the Lord Chancellor confirmed that the UK intends to remain a state party to the European Convention on Human Rights, but added that problems have stemmed from its elastic interpretation and expansion.

New regulations have been issued in relation to the treatment of cost of living payments by local authorities in England in their assessment of the amounts individuals are required to contribute towards their care and support.

New regulations have been issued to amend eligibility rules for housing and homelessness assistance for people who have limited leave to remain granted under the Ukraine Scheme Appendix to the Immigration Rules following an application for leave that was made in the UK.

The DWP has published new guidance on the cost of living support to be delivered through the benefits system following an announcement by the Chancellor.

The government has issued new guidance to help people find a sponsor in the UK under the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

New guidance has been issued in relation to regulations that provide for a temporary pause on energy suppliers being able to make requests for Fuel Direct deductions from benefits.

The government has committed to introducing a statutory code of practice on fire and rehire tactics used by some employers.

The government has announced that it is permanently extending eligibility for free school meals to children from families with no recourse to public funds (NRPF), subject to the following income and capital thresholds.

The Chancellor has announced an extra £500 million for the discretionary Household Support Fund to support the most vulnerable families with their essentials.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has issued new guidance on social care charging arrangements for local authorities in England for 2022/2023.

New regulations have been issued that extend the Restart Scheme to include income-based jobseekers allowance (JSA) claimants.In force from 14 March 2022, the Restart Scheme will be added to the list of schemes designed to assist claimants to obtain employment that they can be required to participate in as a condition of receiving benefit.

The Department of Works and Pensions (DWP) has announced that Universal Credit (UC) claimants are to be required to widen their job search outside of their preferred sector after just four weeks of jobseeking or face sanctions if they fail to comply.

The Department of Works and Pensions (DWP) has conducted a review relating to activity 9 – engaging with other people face to face- and have found that up to 40,000 claimants could gain entitlement to Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

The service user had a diagnosis of treatment-resistant schizoaffective disorder and had been detained in hospital in 2014 and 2015. Between these two periods of detention, they were provided with aftercare services pursuant funded by Worcestershire County Council. These services included the provision of accommodation in the Swindon Borough Council area (Swindon). A dispute then arose between the two local authorities about which should fund the services.

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has called for new proactive investigation powers to enable it to look into issues on behalf of people who are unable to complain about their care themselves.

The Supreme Court has unanimously allowed the appeal by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) against the Court of Appeal ruling that the government acted unlawfully in barring EU citizens from relying on pre-settled status to access universal credit (see earlier article in April of this year).

The government announced a number of changes in the Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021. Below is a summary of the key welfare proposals.

The government has published statutory guidance on the duty on local authorities in England from 1 October 2021 to provide support in safe accommodation for victims of domestic abuse.

As the furlough scheme and £20 uplift to Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit come to an end, the government has launched a £500 million support fund to help vulnerable households with essentials over winter.

Firstly, using National Insurance to raise revenue - there are concerns that the increase will have a higher impact on the lower-paid.

As many will have already heard, the government has announced plans to reform the social care system in England. Currently, to be eligible for assistance with the costs of residential care, a person must meet the threshold for care and have savings and assets - which may include their home - worth less than £23,250.

The government has announced that Universal Credit (UC) claimants will be notified via their online journal account about the end of the £20 uplift from October 2021.

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found a local authority acted outside statutory guidance in applying a blanket charge to cover its administration costs for managing a care package.

Back in May, both the DWP and HMRC sent letters to people that, based on a data matching exercise with the Home Office, they believe may need to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS), before the deadline of 30 June 2021.

In last year’s budget the government announced measures to exempt care leavers aged between 22 and 24, rough sleepers under 25 years old and victims of domestic violence and modern slavery under 35 from restrictions in Local Housing Allowance and Universal Credit that limit support to the cost of a room in a shared house.

In a recent Employment Tribunal case, the claimant was awarded substantial damages resulting from both race and age discrimination.

The Department of Works and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed that Housing Benefit claimants that could benefit from the updated care leaver and homeless hostel local housing allowance (LHA) shared accommodation rate (SAR) exemptions that come into force from 31 May 2021, will have to self-identify.

In a new judgment, the High Court has ruled that the No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) policy unlawfully fails to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

The government has launched a consultation which includes a temporary protection status for asylum seekers who are deemed to have entered the UK illegally.

Although free movement rights have in general been ended in UK law, some EEA nationals are protected and can continue to benefit from these provisions – particularly when claiming a benefit that requires a right to reside.

The government has confirmed that it will continue to pay the former Independent Living Fund (ILF) recipient grant to local authorities in England in 2021/2022.

The free early years nursery scheme that gives eligible children 15 hours a week free nursery placements to two year olds has been extended to include children whose parents have no recourse to public funds (NRPF).

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has criticised Cornwall County Council after it stopped making direct payments to a disabled woman which were used to pay her live-in carer daughter, then failed to organise alternative care.

New immigration rules that target people sleeping rough for deportation will only be used in limited circumstances, according to the government.

The Department of Works & Pensions has issued new guidance in relation to changes to Housing Benefit (HB) for claimants in receipt of the Severe Disability Premium (SDP).

The claimants were Romanian nationals who had been refused Universal Credit (UC) on the grounds that they could not meet the required residence test. They claimed this amounted to direct discrimination on grounds of nationality, contrary to EU law.

It is common for private landlords and letting agents to advertise properties to let stating that they will not accept applications from people who rely on Housing Benefit (HB) to pay their rent – usually referred to in adverts as No DSS (referring to when benefits were administered by the Department of Social Security).

The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has confirmed that the increase in local housing allowance rates - introduced at the start of the coronavirus pandemic - will be frozen in cash terms from next year.

New regulations have been issued to ensure that family members of EEA Citizens who have been granted limited leave to enter UK under an EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) family permit continue to be able to access benefits and housing after Brexit.

The government has issued new good practice guidance to support local authorities to meet the accommodation needs of care leavers.

In July 2020, the Chancellor announced a Job Retention Bonus that will pay employers a one-off bonus of £1,000 for each of their furloughed workers who is still employed at 31 January 2021.

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found numerous failings in the assessment process used by the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham for its Blue Badge parking scheme.

The DWP has issued new guidance to decision-makers in relation to whether the daily living component of personal independence payment (PIP) or the care component of disability living allowance (DLA), attendance allowance or carers allowance can be paid to a claimant habitually resident in another EEA Member State or Switzerland.

Last month conditionality and benefit sanctions were reintroduced following their temporary suspension as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

In 2016, a First-tier Tribunal awarded the claimant personal independence payment (PIP) consisting of the standard rate daily living component from January 2016 to January 2019.

The DWP has announced that it is to roll out a new system under which social landlords will receive managed payments of housing costs at the same time tenants receive their benefit payments.

A new Bill has been introduced designed to give unpaid carers more rights to flexible working by extending the current requirement to make reasonable adjustments for people with disabilities to include carers to help them balance employment with their caring responsibilities.

The Department of Work & Pensions (DWP) has issued new guidance to local authority housing benefit staff in relation to further changes being made to the Severe Disability premium (SDP) process from 2 March 2020.

As everyone will be aware, the UK left the European Union on the 31 January 2020. However, general EU law including the Residence Directive (and the UK rules implementing the Directive) will continue to apply for a transition period due to last until 31 December 2020.

The Work and Pensions Secretary has confirmed that the full roll-out of universal credit has been delayed until September 2024.

More than two thirds of council homelessness services are having to spend more than they budgeted on homelessness support, according to new analysis from the Local Government Association (LGA).

The government has said that it plans to introduce a minimum award length for personal independence payment (PIP).

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has criticised a care home for increasing its fees by 25 per cent and threatening to evict a resident if the fees were not paid

The Supreme Court recently considered two questions regarding EU provisions regarding the right to reside in the UK.

At present, it is by no means clear whether the UK will leave the EU, whether this will be dependent on a second referendum or if the UK is to leave, when that will be. On the basis that the UK will leave the EU, new legislation has been issued that amends social security and tax credit regulations to protect the rights of certain third country nationals. These regulations reflect the UKs transition from association agreements to trade and partnership agreements (TPAs) after it exits from the European Union (EU).

The government must act urgently to tackle the use of Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) in covering up cases of discrimination and harassment at work, a Select Committee has stated.

The European Court has ruled that the bedroom tax unlawfully discriminates against woman living in a Sanctuary Scheme home.


The government is to write next week to more than 350,000 state pension recipients living in the EU to reassure them that they will continue to be paid in the event of Brexit.

The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has ruled that an EU national who ceases self-employed activity in the late stage of pregnancy retains self-employed status as long as she starts to work again within a reasonable period after the birth of her child.

The government has committed to uprating the UK state pension for claimants living in the European Union (EU) for three years in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

The DWP has backtracked on earlier proposals to provide Severe Disability Premium (SDP) transitional payments to Universal Credit (UC) claimants formerly entitled to the premium only through housing benefit.

As many of you will have seen on the news, many claimants have been targeted by fraudsters claiming to be able to access grants for people that actually turned out to be advance loans for Universal Credit (UC). So far 1,400 people who have been moved onto UC by virtue of suspected fraud have been interviewed under caution, according to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.

In a new Personal Independence Payment (PIP) judgment, the Supreme Court has ruled that social support may be given before or during an activity that requires engaging with people face to face, but that careful scrutiny is required to establish whether a person is trained or experienced in giving that support.

From August 2019, new criteria will be introduced to cover people with hidden disabilities.

Somerset County Council reassessed the care needs of a disabled woman seeking support to remain living independently in sheltered housing after she complained to the Ombudsman but then failed to decide eligibility for financial support as part of the reassessment.  

For some disability benefits, claimants must show that they have been present in the UK for a specified period of time prior to the claim in order to qualify. This provision is known as the past presence test.

The Supreme Court has upheld the appeal from Mr & Mrs McArthur (who ran Ashers Baking Company) against a finding of direct discrimination on the grounds of sexuality and religious or political belief when they refused an order for a cake bearing the statement Support Gay Marriage, placed by Mr Lee (a volunteer at an organisation called QueerSpace).

The Department for Works & Pensions (DWP) is aiming to recover £150 million in overpaid carers allowance from almost 80,000 carers, according to the National Audit Office (NAO).

The High Court recently ruled on a number of cases challenging the way that income is assessed for Universal Credit (UC) – in particular the period over which earnings are calculated.

While the complex and often chaotic rollout of Universal Credit (UC) continues, special provisions now apply to people with severe disabilities.

The UK and Switzerland have signed an agreement on citizen rights following UK exit from the EU.

According to research from the University of York, mental health claimants are 2.4 times as likely to lose their benefit on transfer from Disability Living Allowance (DLA) to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) compared to claimants with a non-psychiatric condition.

A Turkish Kurd claimed asylum and was placed in the London Borough of Hillingdon. In 2013 he was awarded refugee status and applied for housing support from Hillingdon when his accommodation was withdrawn by the Home Office.

In a new judgment, the High Court has considered a challenge to alleged ongoing failures of Newham Council to provide adequate accommodation to a disabled child of parents who did not have valid leave to remain in the UK and to carry out a lawful assessment under section 17 of the Children Act 1989 Act and section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970.

Two separate claimants brought a challenge to the Universal Credit regulations on the basis that they were discriminatory and in breach of the Equality Act 2010.

In two recent cases, the Upper Tribunal considered whether a person retained their right to reside as family members when that relationship came to an end.

In general, no additional child element is included in Child Tax Credit for a third or subsequent child born after 6 April 2017 (although there are specific exceptions – see article February 2017).

Where universal credit claimants have dependent children, the monthly payment should be made to the main carer, the Work and Pensions Select Committee has said.

There have been two important cases examining Article 3 rights and the right to treatment – specifically the need for a transplant.

The government has announced an end to unnecessary reviews of personal independence payment (PIP) for those with the most severe or progressive health conditions.

The Department of Works & Pensions (DWP) has issued new guidance in relation to supporting undocumented Windrush generation and other Commonwealth citizens to claim income-related benefits.

The DWP has issued new guidance to local authorities in relation to the transition to universal credit housing payments.

The government has established a fast-track process for confirming the status of Windrush benefit claimants and confirming that Department of Work & Pensions (DWP) officials are working with the Home Office and other Government bodies to help individuals to confirm quickly their residency in the UK and ensure that they receive the support to which they are entitled.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has taken the first steps in judicial review proceedings by writing to thirteen clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) about NHS Continuing Healthcare (NHS CHC) policies being unlawful and breaching the human rights of patients.

The National Institute for Health & Care Excellence (NICE) have issued new guidelines covering the care and support of adults receiving social care in their own homes, residential care and community settings.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government gave an oral statement to Parliament confirming that funding for sheltered and extra-care housing will stay in the welfare system, with the introduction of a sheltered rent that will cap the amount that providers of such housing can charge for gross rent.

The government has launched a ten-year disability employment strategy.

It sets out the steps it will take to get more disabled people into work including:

The claimant, a Swedish national, had come to the UK in 2004 with her Swedish mother and stepfather. She had significant learning difficulties requiring full time care and support and successfully claimed disability living allowance.

In one of the first challenges of its kind, the Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal brought on behalf of an applicant with severe neurological and physical disabilities against the decision of Oxfordshire County Council to reduce his personal budget from £1,651 per week to £950.

The government has published proposals for the post-Brexit benefit rights of European Union (EU) nationals living in the UK.

In a new judgment, the High Court has considered whether a decision by the London Borough of Merton to change the residential provision of an adult (JF) with Autism Spectrum Disorder and severe learning difficulties was lawful.

There have been a number of challenges to the genuine prospect of work test applied to EU nationals seeking employment in the UK in relation to their right to reside here.

Way back in July 2006 I wrote the following article on the Human Rights Act. Given the latest announcements from Theresa May this week, I thought it timely to reprint that article. 

The government has announced a rapid reclaim process for personal independence payment (PIP) for claimants returning from a temporary absence abroad of less than 12 months.

The government has announced measures to provide additional support to those in the work-related activity group following the removal of the employment and support allowance (ESA) work-related activity component and universal credit limited capability for work element for new claimants from 3 April 2017.

While amending regulations prevent someone acquiring entitlement to the enhanced rate of mobility because of the effects of psychological distress, the change does not entirely negate the effect of the reference to a mental condition which gives entitlement to the mobility component at the enhanced rate if the persons ability to carry out mobility activities is severely limited by the persons physical or mental condition.

From 1 April 2017 there will be no entitlement to the housing costs element of universal credit for new universal credit claimants aged under 22 subject to specified exemptions, savings and transitional protection for some claimants.

The government has published its response to the consultation exercise on planned exceptions to the two-child limit in universal credit and child tax credit.

The DWP will extend its home visiting service to all disabled claimants who ask for it, according to Minister for Welfare Delivery Caroline Nokes.

The government has issued new Care Act guidance in response to the Supreme Courts July 2015 judgment in Cornwall Council v Secretary of State for Health and Others (Cornwall).

The local housing allowance (LHA) cap for tenants living in general needs social housing has been deferred until 2019/2020, the Work and Pensions Secretary has announced.

In a written statement he said that the government proposes to defer the changes, which were due to commence from April 2018, so they align with changes to supported housing funding in April 2019.

People who require immigration leave to enter or remain in the UK and do not have it are disqualified from occupying premises under a residential tenancy agreement unless they have been granted permission to rent by the Home Office.

Minimum room sizes are to apply to shared homes to clamp down on overcrowding under proposals announced by Housing Minister Gavin Barwell.

In a recent case (Alhashem v Secretary of State for Works & Pensions EWCA Civ 395 2016) a Dutch national was refused income based Employment Support Allowance (ESA) on the grounds that they did not have a right to reside.

Brexit could have significant implications for the social security rights of European Union (EU) nationals living in or wishing to move to the UK, and for UK expatriates elsewhere in the EEA and those considering moving abroad, according to a recent Parliamentary report.

At present, Universal Credit (UC) is available to single people throughout Great Britain and to couples & families in designated areas. Where a person qualifies for UC, most will not be able to claim Housing Benefit (HB) towards their accommodation costs but instead receive the housing costs element of UC.

NHS England has issued new guidance on responsibility for S117 aftercare services.

A recent case heard by the Admin Court has identified some key principles in establishing when an authority can refuse support to an applicant in the UK in breach of Immigration law.

A man born on or after 6 April 1951 or a woman born on or after 6 April 1953 will claim the new state pension. This will be paid at a flat rate currently of £155.65 a week. As with the previous state pension, it is non-means tested and taxable but unlike the old pension scheme there is no additional state pension or increases for adult or child dependants.

Measures to make it easier for private landlords to evict illegal migrant tenants have been set out in the Immigration Act 2016.

Earlier this year the government announced that it intended to exempt households in receipt of carers allowance from the benefit cap.

Local welfare funds are to be designated as public funds for immigration purposes.

Although there will be a one year delay in capping housing benefit for social sector tenants in supported accommodation (meaning that restrictions will not come into force until April 2017) moves to defeat the proposal have so far failed. As a result, up to 440,000 vulnerable people could be at risk through cuts to social housing rents and the impact of capping housing benefit at local housing allowance levels.

The Court of Appeal has ruled that the so-called bedroom tax is unlawful because of its impact on vulnerable individuals.

The Minister for Disabled People Justin Tomlinson has announced that the discretionary housing payment scheme will be available to disabled people hit by capping social sector rents at local housing allowance (LHA) level.

New guidelines regarding the transition between inpatient hospital settings and community or care home settings for adults with social care needs have been published by NICE.

Home care visits to elderly people should last for at least half an hour and focus on what they can or would like to do rather than on what they can’t do, says the National Institute for Health & Care Excellence (NICE).

The DWP has issued new guidance to local authority decision makers in relation to permanent residence for European Economic Area (EEA) nationals and their families.

The DWP has announced that all people with existing long-term or indefinite awards of DLA will be invited to claim PIP from 13 July 2015.

On the 18th March 2015 the Supreme Court narrowly dismissed an appeal challenging the legality of the benefit cap which limits the amount of welfare benefits any family with children can receive to £500 a week, regardless of family size.

New claims for personal independence payment under the normal rules are taking an average of 20 weeks to process according to new government figures.

Section 21 of the Care Act applies restrictions on local authorities providing services under Part 1 of the Act (including preventative services under s2) to an adult whose needs for care and support have arisen solely because the adult is destitute.

The DWP has issued guidance in relation to two recent Upper Tribunal decisions that considered whether the 'space standards' set out in the Housing (Scotland) Act are determinative as to whether a room is a bedroom for the purposes of the bedroom tax.

From 21 July 2014, new JSA amendment regulations provide that claimants who have recently become homeless are to be treated as available for employment where they are taking reasonable steps to find living accommodation.

A woman had sole care of her two children aged 7 & 3. She had been granted discretionary leave to remain with no recourse to public funds.

Nearly a third of discretionary housing payment (DHP) applications from disabled people affected by the bedroom tax were turned down, according to new National Housing Federation (NHF) figures.

New regulations have been issued in relation to the definition of domestic violence for victims who are claiming jobseeker's allowance (JSA).
In force from 29 October 2013, the new regulations define domestic violence as follows:

Recent media coverage has highlighted the lack of time allotted to care for people who are older or who have a disability in their homes. It means many are left waiting to get into or out of bed, waiting to eat or drink or left wanting basic human contact. This doesn’t just have an effect on those receiving care but places huge pressure on staff, who often have to work over their hours for below the minimum wage to make sure people get basic levels of support they need.

Last week the chief executives of seven charities (Carers UK, MS Society, Mencap, Macmillan Cancer Support, Disability Rights UK, Carers Trust and Contact a Family) wrote to the Chancellor George Osborne about plans to reduce the level of benefit paid to a tenant if their home has one or more spare bedrooms. 

Despite very clear guidance on charging for after care services especially in relation to s117 of the Mental Health Act, there still appears to be widespread confusion.

When we first suggested Game Theory as a management tool, we received some sceptical looks, some surprised looks and some that appeared to be a mixture of incredulity & humour!

Mr Majrowski worked for Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Trust, who he sued, alleging that he had been bullied, intimidated and harassed by his manager.

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