GMLC volunteer Thomas Wood looks at the origins of PIP, the 2017 amendment that excluded claimants impaired by psychological distress, and the recent legal challenge that found this guidance ‘blatantly discriminatory’. Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a benefit that helps with the extra costs of a long-term health condition or disability. An expansion of eligibility for…
At the end of June this year, anti-poverty charity Zacchaeus 2000 Trust (Z2K) published a new report showing how the Government’s harsh policies are preventing disabled and unwell people from getting the disability payments they are entitled to. Mandatory Reconsideration When claimants are wrongly denied benefits after their assessment, they can have decision reviewed by requesting a Mandatory…
GMLC and GMIAU join forces to win important victory over DWP for Windrush victim | Thank you: our crowdfunder reached the initial target of £2,000 | Free ‘Benefits Self Defence Training’ 30th and 31st July | When ‘Universal’ Doesn’t Mean ‘Universal’ | Success for one of our future social welfare lawyers | “Your service is excellent, you don’t need…
With the help of many supporters we reached our initial target of £2000 on Wednesday, which means we will start to get paid out for our LASP scheme, which starts in Autumn.
Please share this appeal, so we can continue and reach our stretch target of £5000. We have until Sunday, 12th August at 8am. If you have not done so already, please email five people you know this link:
https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/nextgenjustice/
And if you are on social media, please share our appeal (Over 10% of this fundraiser so far came through links on Facebook).
Quote @gmlawcentre (https://twitter.com/gmlawcentre) on Twitter or Facebook about it .
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 post 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:
