Right to Income Support

Escaping a violent and abusive relationship in January 2003, a Dutch woman came to the UK with her life savings of 1,000 euros and a small amount of personal possessions. A friend housed her and her three children for six months but by the end of that time all the woman’s savings had been exhausted.

She applied for Income Support but was refused on the grounds that she had not been living in the UK for long enough. This was not in keeping with the case law and Law For All appealed on her behalf.

Whilst waiting for the appeal to be heard, in desperation, she made repeated new claims for benefits but these were again refused. Finally, in January 2004 the appeal was heard and benefits were backdated to June 2003. Exceptionally, the Department for Work and Pensions apologised to the client for their earlier failure to pay.

 

 

This client was handled by Tolulope Laleye