The DWP spent half a million to defend itself in just one court case in which government plans to attack benefit claimants were disputed.

The money was spent fighting Ellen Clifford’s judicial review against the consultation on cutting health-related benefits.

Here’s The Canary:

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) threw close to half a million pounds at defending its dangerous plans to deny hundreds of thousands of claimants their vital health-related benefits. This was over the Conservatives’ proposed work capability assessment (WCA) reforms – which would see more than 450,000 disabled people lose around £416 a month in Universal Credit.

Disabled activist Ellen Clifford won the case against the DWP in mid-January. Specifically, the court judge ruled that the DWP had acted unlawfully in how it had conducted the 8-week consultation. Of course, Labour shamelessly chose to continue with the case – when it could have settled with Clifford out of court instead.

Now, thanks to another disabled activist, we know it landed itself a near £466,000 bill in defending the former Tory government’s exclusionary, and unlawful consultation.

But why did Labour defend the case?

Minister for disabled people Stephen Timms… wrote “As part of wider reforms that help people into work and ensure fiscal sustainability, the government will re-consult on WCA descriptor changes, addressing the shortcomings in the previous consultation, in light of the judgment. The government intends to deliver the full level of savings in the public finance forecasts.”

The key takeaway here is that Labour is hell-bent on following through to make these savings. Given that, it’s little wonder it didn’t opt to concede and settle with Clifford out of court – because it wants to finish the work the Tories started. In short, as the statement suggests, it also seems to want to… deny hundreds of thousands their benefits.

Source: DWP spent HALF A MILLION to defend itself in just ONE court case – Canary

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