Section 133 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 establishes a scheme that awards compensation to those who suffer a ‘miscarriage of justice.’ But what exactly does that mean? After the case of Adams in 2011, it was thought that the law in this area, specifically the test you need to meet to be awarded compensation [...]
Court of Appeal give guidance on assessing capacity
A Court of Appeal judgment handed down on 1 May 2013 has clarified that capacity is decision specific, but in considering the relevant information this must include information specifically relevant to the people involved in the matter at hand. We previously commented on the High Court decision, in November 2012. This case concerned a woman, [...]
IPCC publishes report on the Met Police and their treatment of the mentally ill
The Guardian Newspaper has reported today on an independent report into the deaths or serious injuries of 55 mentally ill people in the past five years either in custody or in contact with the Metropolitan police, has found a catalogue of mismanagement and bad practices. Among the findings were discriminatory attitudes, systematic failures, and errors by [...]
Queen’s Speech – The future of care for the elderly
The Queen’s Speech (May 2013) raised a number of issues (none of them terribly surprising) and this brief article will summarise the proposals for changes to be made to social care in the UK. A Care Bill will introduce a £75,000 cap on the amount people in England have to pay for social care, in [...]
How does Universal Credit affect legal aid means testing?
From 29 April 2013, Universal Credit (‘UC’) will become a passporting benefit. This means that if you have proof that you are in receipt of this benefit we will not need any further evidence of your income to assess your eligibility for legal aid funding. The Ministry of Justice intend to consult on proposals for [...]
Budget 2013
The 2013 Budget was largely a confirmation of previously announced changes. Here are the main points for individuals. Income Tax All other income Tax and National Insurance Contributions rates will remain at their current levels. The standard Income Tax personal allowance increases to £9,440 on 6th April 2013. As previously announced, the higher age related [...]
