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 to improve it any more”
GMLC and GMIAU join forces to win important victory over DWP for Windrush victim
Windrush victim wins appeal against £30,000.00 repayment demand and receives £8,041.01 in back-dated benefits
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 as having no leave to remain by the Home Office.
Unfortunately this is just another example that has come to light affecting the Windrush generation and shows the burden it puts on victims and their families. As ever, the focus needs to be on challenging legislation and the treatment of migrants as a whole, as these cases aren’t anomalies, they’re part of a purposefully-created hostile environment. But we are glad to have been able to help in this instance.
GMLC represented him in his DWP case and GMIAU represented him in his immigration case.
Read the full story here.
Thank you: our crowdfunder reached the initial target of £2,000
Many of you contributed and you are all wonderful! Thank you so much!
With your help 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.
The fundraiser stands currently at £2,224. Please continue to share, so we can continue and reach our stretch target of £5000.
Did you know that one quarter of the donations we received so far are through shares from all of you who made a contribution?
Again, if you have not done so already, please email five people you know.
And if you are on social media, please share our appeal (Over 10% of this fundraiser came through links on Facebook).
https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/nextgenjustice/
Quote @gmlawcentre (https://twitter.com/gmlawcentre) on Twitter or Facebook about it .
Current LASP student Leo Doherty: “I was surprised how badly the [Greater Manchester] Law Centre is needed by employed people on low incomes. I enjoyed meeting the people. You can tell how genuine their need is.”
Free Benefits Self Defence Training 30th and 31st July
We are delighted to be a part of a two-day Benefits Self Defence Training organised by the Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People.
Monday 30th & Tuesday 31st July 11am-4pm at the Windrush Millennium Centre, M16 7WD.
This FREE event is open to disabled people who will learn skills and tools to assist themselves or others through the benefits system regarding ESA, PIP and Universal Credit.
Register to avoid disappointment: click here.
In brief
When ‘Universal’ Doesn’t Mean ‘Universal’
TP and AR are two people with severe disabilities who received income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and additional ‘top ups’ by way of severe disability premium and enhanced disability premium.
Both moved to areas where UC was in effect and would replace the benefits they once received. Unfortunately, their benefits fell significantly (£170 less per month) as a result.
Last month, the High Court found that the absence of any ‘top-up’ payments for this vulnerable group compared to others constitutes discrimination contrary to the ECHR and was therefore unlawful. Read our volunteer Robert Povall’s summary of this case here.
Success for one of our future social welfare lawyers
We are delighted to announce that one of our student volunteers, Barbara Green, has received excellent results in her Bar Professional Training Course and will start pupillage later this year.
Pupillage is a highly competitive stage of training where Bar graduates work under a supervisor in Chambers.
This time last year, we were also able to report that our volunteers Ciara and Nick secured pupillages. It is an honour to support the next generation of social welfare lawyers.
Would you like to join our dedicated team? Find our volunteer opportunities here.
“Your service is excellent, you don’t need to improve it any more”
Our client has kindly agreed to share these anonymised details: as a result of coming to GMLC, they now receive an additional £75 per week in Personal Independence Payments, and their carer £65 per week. In response to our question “how can we improve?” they said “Your service is excellent. You don’t need to improve it any more.”
We are happy to be able to assist but we recognise that this client should not have had to fight in the first place. This is why we campaign for justice.
We are law centre run by the community, for the community. This means that we need your support. If you have a fund-raising idea, let us know at develoment@gmlaw.org.uk. Please consider an individual donation, click here.
Dates for your diary
Thursday 19th July 18:00-20:30 – Community Land Trusts: The What, the Why and the How, hosted by Housing Futures. Find out more here.
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4 things you can do to help Greater Manchester Law Centre
- You can donate and/or set up a standing order to help fund our key legal services
- Get involved by either volunteering, becoming a member, a supporter, or if you are an organisation, you can affiliate with us. Go to the Get involved tab on the home page.
- For those of you on Twitter, #whyweneedGMLawCentre or #FreeAccesstoJustice and tell us why GMLC is so important.
- Ask for a letter of support from your local councillor/MP/community organisation/trade union branch and send it in to us.
