Benefit cuts under universal credit could be illegal, says Labour

Last Updated: December 17, 2015By

Seeking legal advice: Owen Smith, shadow work and pensions secretary.

Labour is taking advice from lawyers on whether benefit cuts under universal credit are illegal, raising the possibility that the new welfare system could be challenged in court.

Owen Smith, the shadow work and pensions secretary, said it was discriminatory that a single mother working full time on the minimum wage could be almost £3,000 worse off under universal credit than a mother in precisely the same circumstances on tax credits.

“Those lucky enough to stay on tax credits will be massively better off than those on universal credit … That disparity cannot be fair, it cannot be right and it may not even be legal, and we are seeking advice as to the legality of that move,” he said.

In the autumn statement, George Osborne abandoned plans to cut tax credits affecting millions of working families, under pressure from the opposition and many Tory MPs.

However, Labour has pointed out that there will be much lower in-work benefit payments for new claimants put on universal credit – the system championed by work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith that rolls at least six different benefits into one.

Source: Benefit cuts under universal credit could be illegal, says Labour | Society | The Guardian

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5 Comments

  1. Terry Davies December 18, 2015 at 7:10 am - Reply

    think about this.!!!!
    claimants of universal benefits will be obliged to use the internet.
    This effectively means access to the internet and paying for Broadband???.
    more importantly they will have to use internet banking and add financial details online against their will.
    IS THIS A CONTRAVENTION OF CLAIMANT’S HUMAN RIGHTS?

  2. Dez December 18, 2015 at 11:34 am - Reply

    Refreshing that something is actually being done to at least consider the merits of mounting a legal challenge to yet another Cons trick.

  3. Gracie Samuels December 19, 2015 at 9:44 pm - Reply

    Really glad we now have an effective opposition and a leader unafraid of tackling the Tories on these Draconian policies being forced through on the snide by the Tories. I hope the legal advice Labour is seeking comes back that this can be challenged, we simply cannot continue allowing this brutal government to get away with treating our most vulnerable people with utter filthy contempt. Enough is enough, we must act – all of us!

  4. mrmarcpc December 21, 2015 at 2:10 pm - Reply

    What do they mean they could be, they are doing it, all that the tories are doing is illegal!

    • Terry Davies December 21, 2015 at 11:40 pm - Reply

      they want to escape from accountability by blaming the EU. The EU is not responsible for immorality of the tory party.
      remember this when you vote in the pending EU referendum.

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