Welfare Rights Bulletin (203 April 2008)

• Alternative dispute resolution in DLA and AA appeals
  Pamela Fitzpatrick outlines a recent initiative by the Tribunals Service to offer an alternative system of redress in social security appeals.

• Housing benefit, information and terminations
  When can a local authority legitimately terminate entitlement to housing benefit or council tax benefit for failure to provide information? Simon Osborne reviews the relevant law.

• Budget and benefits 2008
  Simon Osborne describes the main benefit and tax credit announcements in the 2008 Budget.

Also in this issue:

• News in brief
  
• Transforming Tribunals
  Transforming Tribunals is a consultation paper on implementing Part 1 of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007. This gives effect to the proposals first set out in Sir Andrew Leggatt’s report Tribunals for Users – One System, One Service, as modified after consultation on the White Paper on tribunal reform Transforming Public Services: Complaints, Redress and Tribunals. Readers will be aware that a unified and independent appeals service under the auspices of what is now the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) was set up in 2007.
  The consultation paper is probably as interesting for what it leaves out as for what it includes. Sarah Clarke sets out our major points of interest.
  
• The best start in life?
  The Work and Pensions Select Committee has published its report1 on the Government’s progress against, and plans to achieve, its target to halve child poverty between 1998–99 and 2010–11, on the way to eradicating it by 2020. Martin Williams sets out the report’s main recommendations concerning benefits and tax credits.
• Legal section
• Court cases round-up
• Commissioners' decisions
• Training

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