Welfare Rights

Welfare Rights

We have a great deal of experience in advising and representing clients on welfare benefits appeals, including tax and pension credits appeals. We can also help with benefits checks and applications.

There have been recent changes to welfare benefits, in particular in relation to housing benefit with the introduction of the Universal Credit and the replacement of disability benefits with the Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

The main thrusts of the cases that have been taken on relate to benefits for persons with disabilities and are primarily Personal Independence Payment, Employment Support Allowance and Fitness for Work cases. However, we advise clients on the full range of benefits, including recent and forthcoming changes to the benefits system, council tax benefit, housing benefit, income support for factor charges and housing costs, carers allowance, industrial injuries disablement benefit, and social fund.

Benefit Claims & Appeals

Many of the claims have been successful in the first outset but equally many have had to proceed towards a hearing in front of an appeal tribunal. The success rate of these remains high. This has generated a huge amount of income from the community over the course of the year. Many of the cases which were unsuccessful on appeal have proceeded towards the second stage of appeal at the Commissioner level. The success rate here is approximately 50% with the vast majority of cases being sent back down to a rehearing in front of a different constituted tribunal.