Pembrokeshire Family Win Housing Benefit Cut Court Ruling

[mikey4444]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-37924799

Some of you will recall this case which I have brought up in the past.

Marvellous result for this family but what a great pity that the Government had put them through hell for years.

[Mamyalynne]

The change in rules was always going to cause problems for some, they should have been able to act quicker than they have eventually done in these cases.

[mikey4444]

The changes can be nasty Mamy, as this case proves. Even their Local MP would seem to agree that he current regime is traumatic ::::

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/disability-benefit-test-dwp-stephen-crabb-traumatic-iain-duncan-smith-theresa-may-a7405206.html

[Mamyalynne]

Trust me, I know.

[mikey4444]

My sympathies Mamy...for being in need during a Tory Government.

[cassa333]

There are going to be winners and losers in any system, especially so when changes are made to an existing arrangement.

However the system should not be so inflexible that something as obvious as this case should be so difficult to sort out.

[mikey4444]

Cassa...but it did, and that is what is so wrong. There is no common sense or sympathy forthcoming from this present Tory regime, not that I am surprised in the least.

[bednobs]

it has taken a long time. Although i guess if it were "easy" to make a decision it wouldn't have goe through 2 courts

[mikey4444]

The Government has dragged it out Bednobs, in the vain hope that it would win, thus putting this family through hell in the proceeds.

[agchristie]

Mikey > There is no common sense or sympathy forthcoming from this present Tory regime...

Cameron and Osbourne have gone and the pack has been shuffled. What about Boris? He has common sense hasn't he?

[naomi24]

It’s absolutely right for the government to make changes to a much abused system but in genuine circumstances such as this there must be leeway for common sense to be applied.

[bednobs]

well that's not quite true - the grandparents initially lost at the high court. and then presumably they went to the supreme court?

[bednobs]

also "put them through hell" might well be an overstatement too - according to the HC judgemet, the council covered and continued to cover the shortfall, so it seems (on the surface anyway) that they are the ones who hve persued this, even though they didnt have to.
I sound like i am support the cuts here, and im not, and i agree the legal process has taken ages, but they could have stopped it whenever they wanted and not been out of pocket

[EDDIE51]

An excellent ruling it makes perfect sense. The rejected cases were definitely of less merit ( as far as we are allowed to know) and were correctly rejected.

[EDDIE51]

bednobs , They could not have stopped when they wanted! The case was ongoing, if they had stopped the council would have won by default.
(which ,I am certain the council hoped would happen)
They would have had to pay back all the overpayment!
This has now set an important precedent for the future. Councils will have to be much more careful in future on implementing the 'bedroom tax' where there is a severely disabled person with needs for a carer involved.

[bednobs]

of course they could have stopped. It doesnt matter monetarily to the local authority 0 - they were paying a discretionary amount to cover the loss anyway. Whent he family lost at the high court, they didnt need to go on to the supreme court

[mikey4444]

Bednobs....yes this family DID need to go to the Supreme Court....from the BBC link above ::::

"Judges dismissed a government appeal against a Court of Appeal ruling in favour of Paul and Susan Rutherford, who care for their grandson Warren.

The Supreme Court ruled the housing benefit cut discriminated against them"

Because the Government lost this at the Supreme Court, the Government will have to be more careful in the future, when they have similar cases to consider. The Government could have accepted that they were wrong at any time, thus saving much public money and time being wasted.

[mikey4444]

agchristie....Boris has common sense ?

He is a Tory politician like the rest. He has proven his trustworthyiness over Brexit.

[mikey4444]

Trustworthiness rather.

[bednobs]

but they lost at the high court, yet still carried on

[mikey4444]

Because this couple were right in the end Bednobs !

You say that you don't agree with these cuts, but you are making a very good attempt at defending the Government !