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05/11/2013
Three Single Mothers Lose Benefit Cap Legal Challenge
Three single mothers and their children have lost a legal challenge to the Government's benefit cap, it has been reported.
In July 2013, a cap was introduced in England, Scotland and Wales, which set the same level of benefits for couples or single parents.
The move prompted three single mothers and one child from each family to launch a legal challenge against the new legislation. Lawyers acting on behalf of the women, who are all from the London area, said the measures were "cruel and arbitrary".
They added that the cap breached the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the European Convention on Human Rights. The challenge was supported by the Child Poverty Action Group and the Women's Aid Federation.
However, Lord Justice Elias and Mr Justice Bean said that while many considered the cap as "too parsimonious", they ruled that the regulations brought in by Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith were lawful and did not breach human rights.
Following the High Court judgement, a spokesperson for the Department of Work and Pensions said: "We are very pleased that the court has ruled that the benefit cap complies with the European Convention on Human Rights.
"The benefit cap sets a fair limit to what people can expect to get from the welfare system – so that claimants cannot receive more than £500 a week, the average household earnings."
(JP/CD)
In July 2013, a cap was introduced in England, Scotland and Wales, which set the same level of benefits for couples or single parents.
The move prompted three single mothers and one child from each family to launch a legal challenge against the new legislation. Lawyers acting on behalf of the women, who are all from the London area, said the measures were "cruel and arbitrary".
They added that the cap breached the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the European Convention on Human Rights. The challenge was supported by the Child Poverty Action Group and the Women's Aid Federation.
However, Lord Justice Elias and Mr Justice Bean said that while many considered the cap as "too parsimonious", they ruled that the regulations brought in by Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith were lawful and did not breach human rights.
Following the High Court judgement, a spokesperson for the Department of Work and Pensions said: "We are very pleased that the court has ruled that the benefit cap complies with the European Convention on Human Rights.
"The benefit cap sets a fair limit to what people can expect to get from the welfare system – so that claimants cannot receive more than £500 a week, the average household earnings."
(JP/CD)
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Child Benefit Cap Under Consideration
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The work and pensions secretary has announced he is considering a proposal to cap child-related benefits for families at two children. Iain Duncan Smith said stopping the current system, where families get more benefits the more children they have, was part of changes being considered.
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Campaign to crack down on benefit cheats launched
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Families Lose Housing Benefit Challenge
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Families Lose Housing Benefit Challenge
The High Court has ruled that the reduction in housing benefit introduced in April does not breach human rights. The verdict was delivered in response to a challenge by 10 families, who brought a judicial review into lower payments for those deemed to be living in homes larger than needed.
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