The claimant appealed a discontinuance of his Disability Living Allowance. He had been re-assessed after a request for a review of his allowance on being diagnosed as a diabetic. On re-assessment, the doctor used assessment standards based upon diabetics with visual impairment, but the original allowance had been for his lack of mobility. Having failed … Continue reading Miah v The Secretary of State for Social Security: CA 3 May 2002
Remission of Sentence is a Privilege not a Right The plaintiffs had begun their action, to challenge their loss of remission as prisoners, by means of a writ, rather than by an action for judicial review, and so had sidestepped the requirement for the action to be brought within strict time limits. Held: The forfeiture … Continue reading O’Reilly v Mackman: HL 1982
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Loss of unrecoupable benefits was a proper subject of claim as special damages. Citations: Gazette 10-Sep-1997 Statutes: Social Security Administration Act 1992 82 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Personal Injury Updated: 09 November 2022; Ref: scu.84237
Where damages reduced by benefits clawback, special damages claim for lost non-recoupable benefits payable are recoverable. Citations: Times 24-Jul-1997 Statutes: Social Security Administration Act 1992 82 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Personal Injury Updated: 09 November 2022; Ref: scu.84236
The claimant sought judicial review of the respondent’s decision that he was liable, after his discharge from bankruptcy, to suffer deductions from his benefits of sums to repay an overpayment of benefit incurred before his bankruptcy. Held: The respondent’s claim under section 71(1) was a bankruptcy debt, and as such was subject to release on … Continue reading Balding, Regina (on the Application of) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions: Admn 3 Apr 2007
The appellant challenged stays of proceedings by the respondent magistrates court for abuse of process infringing the defendants’ human right to a fair trial. The magistrates had fund that being faced with dismissal of a summary case through delay, the appellant had increased the charges adding allegations of dishonesty which had not been put to … Continue reading Department for Work and Pensions v Courts: Admn 3 May 2006
Court of Appeal has no jurisdiction to hear appeal from Social Security Appeal Tribunal’s refusal of leave to appeal. Citations: Gazette 12-Apr-1995, Times 01-Mar-1995 Statutes: Social Security Administration Act 1992 23 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Benefits Updated: 27 October 2022; Ref: scu.82853
The appellant had – in a fictitious identity that was not that of another, real, person – claimed and been granted asylum, indefinite leave to remain and British citizenship. The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions accepted that the appellant was not ‘a person subject to immigration control’ within the meaning of section 115 … Continue reading ED v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions: UTAA 15 Dec 2020
The FDA and other trades unions challenged the use by the respondent of the Consumer Price Index rather than the Retail Prices Index for use in the uprating of civil service pensions. Held: The respondent was so entitled. In ordinary language, the change in CPI over a given period could properly be said to be … Continue reading FDA and Others, Regina (on The Application of) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and Another: CA 20 Mar 2012
The appellants were magazines and journalists who published, after committal proceedings, the name of a witness, a member of the security services, who had been referred to as Colonel B during the hearing. An order had been made for his name not to be disclosed during the hearing, but the court had had no power … Continue reading Attorney-General v Leveller Magazine Ltd: HL 1 Feb 1979
The claimant sought housing benefit. He had married a Thai lady who had not yet received permission to remain in this country, having entered promising not to make a call on public funds. Held: The authority was correct to refuse benefit where the claimant gave only one National Insurance Number. This was a claim for … Continue reading Secretary of State for Work and Pensions v Wilson: CA 29 Jun 2006
The claimant had received an overpayment of benefits (Job seeker’s allowance), but then was made bankrupt. He now said that this was a debt in the bankruptcy. Held: It was not. At the date of the bankruptcy order, the possible reclaim was not yet a contingent debt, and he remained liable. There was no contingent … Continue reading Steele, Regina (on the Application of) v Birmingham City Council and The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions: CA 16 Dec 2005
The respondent appealed against a finding that the provision which made a loan agreement completely invalid for lack of compliance with the 1974 Act was itself invalid under the Human Rights Act since it deprived the respondent lender of its property rights. It was also argued that it was not possible to make a declaration … Continue reading Wilson v Secretary of State for Trade and Industry; Wilson v First County Trust Ltd (No 2): HL 10 Jul 2003
The appellant had applied for and been refused disability living allowance on the basis of being able to carry out certain cooking tasks. Held: The purpose of the ‘cooking test’ is not to ascertain whether the applicant can survive, or enjoy a reasonable diet, without assistance. It is a notional test, a thought-experiment, to calibrate … Continue reading Moyna v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions: HL 31 Jul 2003
The claimant challenged the Order as regards the prescription of the morning-after pill, asserting that the pill would cause miscarriages, and that therefore the use would be an offence under the 1861 Act. Held: ‘SPUC’s case is that any interference with a fertilised egg, if it leads to the loss of the egg, involves the … Continue reading Regina (Smeaton) v Secretary of State for Health and Others: Admn 18 Apr 2002
Child’s Wish for post-mortem cryonic Preservation JS, a child of 14, anticipating her death from cancer expressed the desire that her body should receive cryonic preservation in the hope that one day a treatment might be available to allow her to be revived, and proceedings were issued. Her parents were divorced, and they differed as … Continue reading Re JS (Disposal of Body): FD 10 Nov 2016
The appellant sought to recover overpayments of benefits and Social Fund Loans, after the respondent had had a Debt relief order. Held: The Secretary of State’s appeal failed. The ‘net entitlement principle’ argued for did not exist. The entitlement is a statutory one, and any liability to repay is separate and independent, being only a … Continue reading Secretary of State for Work and Pensions v Payne and Another: SC 14 Dec 2011
The defendant had been convicted, under regulations made under the Act, of smoking in a railway carriage. He sought to challenge the validity of the regulations themselves. He wanted to argue that the power to ban smoking on carriages did not . .
The court was asked whether the supervisory jurisdiction of the High Court, exercisable by way of judicial review, extends to such decisions of the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) and the Upper Tribunal (UT) as are not amenable to any . .
