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 Greater Manchester Law Centre supports Unite Community in its campaign to stop Universal Credit and to demand a supportive social security system that is fair and treats people in a humane way. Read on for more information about Unite Community’s campaign. You can also read more about our work with the campaign group Disabled…
The Greater Manchester Law Centre supports the national day of action to #STOPUniversalCredit on 1st August 2019. Local actions have been organised in Manchester by Manchester Disabled People Against the Cuts (DPAC) and Unite Community Union. Find out about the DPAC event in St Peters Square, Thursday 1 August 2019, 13:00-15:00 here Find out about…
By Liz Davis Liz is a campaign volunteer with GMLC and hopes to assist the law centre with their continuing fight for free access to justice. She is a future trainee solicitor with Irwin Mitchell Solicitors. At GMLC we fight for everyone’s right to a secure home and we fight for a supportive social…
By Brocho Nemetsky Brocho is a volunteer at the GMLC. She is interested in learning about our rights, and helping others to do the same. She works as a paralegal at Brian Barr Solicitors, and hopes to work as a Barrister. On 5 November 2018, Philip Alston, the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty…
At GMLC we strive to amplify the voices of people who come through our door. We are committed to challenging the stigmatisation of benefit claimants as lazy, feckless frauds who need to be sanctioned, threatened, frightened and punished back into work. You can read more in our manifesto here. The article below was originally published…
We have a monthly column in the Law Society Messenger. You can see the full June edition here. This month, GMLC volunteer Edmund Potts analyses the recent announcement that the maximum benefit sanction period is to be cut from three years to six months. Edmund volunteered as a tribunal advocate with our scheme for Manchester Law School…
Large and lively picket lines have marked the start of a 2-day strike by Public and Commercial Services (PCS) Union members at Walsall and Wolverhampton Universal Credit service centres taking action today (May 28) and tomorrow. PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “Our members who work to support some of the most vulnerable members of…
On Thursday, 11th April, we launched our manifesto at a public event. The event was packed. 150 people were in attendance: students, advisers, lawyers and community groups, old and new friends. The full manifesto can now be downloaded here. Norma Turner, one of GMLC’s founders, chaired the event and speakers included GMLC Patron and human rights lawyer Robert…
by GMLC volunteer Alex McColl R (Johnson & Ors) v SSWP [2019] EWHC 23 (Admin) In January this year, four single mothers won a case in the High Court against the DWP in a judicial review of the way in which universal credit is calculated. Universal credit was introduced in 2013. It merged six other…
We are pleased to announce that our project with the Manchester Law School has been nominated for Manchester’s Pro Bono/Community Initiative Award. As part of our Legal Advocacy Support Project (LASP), students from Manchester Metropolitan University’s Law School receive GMLC’s professional training and supervision, meet disabled and unwell people who have been refused benefits, prepare their cases…