London Economic News: A Scottish lawyer is suing the DWP for stopping his benefit

[Countrygirl]

https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/n...o-be-the-first-of-its-kind-in-scotland/30/04/

A lawyer is suing the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) for disability discrimination in a legal case believed to be the first of its kind in Scotland.

Daniel Donaldson, 37, has lodged a civil action at Glasgow Sheriff where he is seeking compensation for his disability benefit being incorrectly stopped.

If successful, the solicitor, from Glasgow, believes his case will open the floodgates for other disabled people to do the same.


Mr Donaldson suffers from depression, anxiety and a number of other health problems.

He said: “I raised this action because I’m sick and tired of the way our politicians are treating disabled people.

 

[Countrygirl]

https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysi...the-floodgates-for-countless-disabled-people/

The DWP is in court again and it could ‘open the floodgates’ for countless disabled people
APRIL 30TH, 2018

STEVE TOPPLE ANALYSIS, UK

ANALYSIS
THE VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THIS PIECE ARE NOT INTENDED AS LEGAL ADVICE.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is facing yet more court action, in a case that could “open the floodgates” for countless other people to sue it.

The DWP: in the dock
Daniel Donaldson is a lawyer from Glasgow. He lives with long-term medical conditions which affect his daily living. In 2013, the DWP awarded him a personal independence payment (PIP). But after an assessment in November 2016, the DWP stopped it. Donaldson appealed, and a tribunal reinstated his PIP in October 2017.

But for Donaldson, this wasn’t acceptable; partly because he feels the DWP discriminated against him on account of his medical conditions. He believes this was due to some of his conditions being related to mental health. So he is suing the DWP for:

• £4,000 for disability discrimination.
• £275.34 in bank charges he incurred while the DWP stopped his money.
• £700 in lost passport benefits. The DWP withdrew other entitlements once it stopped his PIP.

The Scottish government

 

[lafarfelue]

I'm not a huge fan of being overly litigious, but I hope this contributes to the DWP adjusting its practices in favour of those it's supposedly trying to help.