VIGIL CANCELLED Our vigil is cancelled as we are told by the solicitor in the case that the hearing is likely not to go ahead due to developments. More news to follow as we get it.
High Court, Strand, London WC2A 2LL
10.30am: Court case was listed in COURT 2, case of TP v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.
https://www.justice.gov.uk/courts/court-lists/list-rcj
1-2 pm: Vigil outside court. Jointly with Disabled People Against Cuts, Mental Health Resistance Network, Single Mothers’ Self-Defence, Taxpayers Against Poverty, WinVisible, campaigner Maggie Zolobajluk, and others.
In June, two severely disabled men, each living alone, won a legal challenge against Universal Credit at judicial review. Previously on Employment and Support Allowance, they had lost Income Support disability premiums of around £180 per month, after moving to Universal Credit areas and not getting “transitional protection”.
The DWP opposed the judge’s ruling at the time and also refused to settle compensation under the Human Rights Act. Thus despite the ruling, the DWP is cruelly forcing the men back to court, to have to prove and justify what they suffered from the loss of benefit. The judge will determine at the hearing what (if any) compensation they should get under the HRA claim. Mr P is terminally ill and could not afford cabs to attend his hospital treatment. Mr R had to resort to the foodbank.
The DWP has sought permission from the Court of Appeal to appeal against the judicial review judgement.
Minister Esther McVey appeared to concede, saying that future regulations will allow those who have been moved on to UC (for whatever reason) to be compensated.
However, the draft regulations for compensating the people on severe disability premiums who were already moved onto Universal Credit are totally inadequate as they only suggest flat rate compensation of £80 and not the actual amount of lost benefit.
The government is trying to claw back every win which protects vulnerable claimants from benefit cuts, destitution, despair and hastened deaths. Since the successful legal challenge on PIP mobility discrimination against people with mental distress, they seem to have changed the PIP guidance for assessors with the example that to qualify, you have to be “panicked” about a planned journey. (2.4 Mobility activities — Activity 11 — planning and following journeys)
** Please support this legal challenge and watch for more news.
Stop and Scrap Universal Credit!
Remember Elaine Morrell, single mum of four who died after her UC was stopped for “failure to attend” a Jobcentre interview while in intensive care in hospital.
Watch Channel 4 Dispatches, Britain’s Benefits Crisis
For more info, contact WinVisible (women with visible & invisible disabilities)
Tel 020 7482 2496 win@winvisible.org
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