As said by our patron, actor Maxine Peake: “This is about tackling the brutal victimisation of the most vulnerable within our society. So, we need to get behind the Greater Manchester Law Centre. We need to set up a standing order, we need to donate money to help them continue their tireless and fearless work.”
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This September, the Greater Manchester Law Centre is hosting its Annual General Meeting, celebrating how far we have come and the team we have built. Read about all the work we have done over the past year in our Annual Report 2018 here.
We have reclaimed over one million pounds which had been falsely denied to disabled claimants, we now have a full time housing solicitor, we have supported local campaigns at the forefront of welfare and housing issues, and we have fought for the reinstatement of Legal Aid. Our existence and progress is a triumph, but we need your support.
This article is written by Jennifer Devans-Tamakloe, an aspiring barrister called to the Middle Temple and qualified mediator, currently working as a self-employed advocate on the northern circuit in general civil litigation matters. As a volunteer for GMLC, Jennifer aims to draw attention to GMLC’s causes and assist readers with gaining knowledge and understanding. Below,…
One of the Greater Manchester Law Centre’s core principles is that everyone has a right to a secure home. We work with other community groups to campaign for tenants’ rights and to end homelessness. In September, our housing solicitor Kathleen Cosgrove provided legal advice to members of the renters union ACORN, who were having difficulties in…
Exactly one year ago, we released our statement on the Universal Credit rollout. We were approached by a local Job Centre, who asked if we could provide facilities and support for Universal Credit applications. This did not sit well with us, and we carefully considered why. We stand alongside people who’re fighting the DWP’s hostile…
We stand in solidarity with those affected by the appalling treatment of the Windrush generation. At our premises in Moss Side, Manchester, we have been receiving dozens of inquiries from our local community worried about their immigration status. Whilst GMLC currently does not offer immigration advice, we offer some guidance for those affected.
But we also say that this scandal was not an anomaly, but a consequence of the Government’s ‘hostile environment’ immigration policy. We are campaigning for a change in the law to protect people’s rights.
This page is regularly updated, as new information becomes available.
“We can’t just scrabble to give advice to people queuing out the door. The focus needs to be on challenging legislation and the treatment of migrants as a whole” says GMLC employee Roz Burgin.
https://www.gmlaw.org.uk/2018/04/30/we-need-new-laws-so-that-windrush-never-happens-again/
We ask, for reasons set out in our article, in addition to compensation based on individual circumstances, a minimum amount is given to everyone affected by the scandal with an additional set amount given to anyone who travelled back to the UK after a visit abroad.
We also propose that clear and simple details of the compensation scheme, and ways of applying for it, are publicised widely, including directly with all advice agencies working in the communities affected.
https://www.gmlaw.org.uk/2018/06/06/gmlc-response-to-the-windrush-compensation-consultation/
“We propose that the government agree to pay everyone affected by the ‘Windrush’ scandal a minimum level of General Compensatory Damages. This is in addition to compensation payments to be made based on a persons’ individual circumstances” – GMIAU
“There needs to be both a political and commercial response to right the tragic wrong[s] which has been done to far too many, by providing a reparative payment that truly reflects the harm done to all those who have been wronged. A baseline figure [£10,000] should be given to all and be increased on a case by case basis depending on the complexity of each case” – Kenworthys Chambers
Read more here:
