Over the past few years successive governments have imposed stinging welfare cuts. This has left most vulnerable in our community unable to afford the most basic essentials. At the GMLC we actively campaign for reversing these cuts and fight on behalf of those affected by providing access to free face-to-face legal advice. On this page you can find all the latest news on our campaigning and services relating to welfare benefits.
The voluntary sector should not be helping the government implement the iniquitous and inhumane restrictions on benefits represented by Universal Credit. It is not the role of the voluntary advice organisations to take government money to implement something that is fundamentally against the best interests of those they are supposed to be supporting – GMLC…
Janne Heederik is a volunteer with the Greater Manchester Law Centre. She is pursuing a PhD in anthropology, researching welfare reform in Greater Manchester. As a volunteer, she hopes to contribute more to the Manchester community and use her research skills outside of academia as well. The Greater Manchester Law Centre provides free, professional…
The Greater Manchester Law Centre (GMLC) has recovered over one million pounds in benefits for people in Greater Manchester since opening in 2016. The benefits include financial support for those unable to work and payments to assist with costs caused by long term ill-health or disability. This money was won back by the casework team…
by GMLC Volunteer Robert Povall. Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) has taken legal action against the Government to defeat a statutory defence which could have left 70,000 underpaid disabled claimants £150m out of pocket. (1) In 2011, the coalition government started migrating claimants in receipt of Incapacity Benefit (IB) to Employment and Support…
Greater Manchester has a fantastic network of hard-working and dedicated organisations providing useful help and advice to those experiencing poverty. However, knowing exactly where to turn to can be challenging. Thanks to the excellent work of our friends at the Greater Manchester Poverty Action (GMPA) finding out how to reach these organisations is now easier than…
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…
Greater Manchester Law Centre (GMLC) and Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit (GMIAU) successfully worked together to represent a client whose benefits were not only stopped by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), but they demanded 7 years’ worth of benefits of over £30,000, back from him. The reason was that he was wrongly classified…
We are delighted to be a part of Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People (GMCDP)’s two-day Benefits Self Defence Training. This is a free event for disabled people to gain confidence, skills, tools and tips on how to assist themselves and others through the benefits system. The sessions will focus on ESA, PIP and Universal…
By Robert Povall. Robert is a Campaign Volunteer with GMLC. He has just completed the GDL at the University of Law and is passionate about making a difference. He wants to become a Barrister, specialising in immigration, civil liberties and human rights. Imagine that you have a severe disability and receive benefits to help…