Benefits law change for miscarriage of justice victims comes into force
Until now, compensation for miscarriage of justice sometimes dragged people above the threshold for claiming certain welfare payments.
Under a legislative change taking effect from Tuesday, these payouts will now be exempted when assessing eligibility for: income-based jobseeker's allowance, income-related employment and support allowance, income support, housing benefit, pension credit and universal credit.
Social security minister Sir Stephen Timms MP said the move was part of wider Government action aimed at 'rebuilding trust in our systems', which he said 'begins by restoring trust with those the system has failed'.
'We can't return the years lost by miscarriage of justice victims — but we can, and must, ensure they have every opportunity to restart their lives so they can make the most of the years ahead,' he said.
He encouraged anyone who has received miscarriage of justice compensation to 'come forward, so we can ensure they receive the help they are entitled to'.
The law change comes after campaigners including Andrew Malkinson, who was wrongly convicted of rape, called for greater access to support for those like him whose names have been cleared.
Mr Malkinson, who was the victim of one of the worst miscarriages of justice in British legal history, has said while the new rule 'ends a stark injustice', further reforms are needed.
Speaking earlier this month, he said he was 'intensely relieved' by the law change but would continue calling on the Government to lift the cap on legal compensation payments.
The Ministry of Justice is to raise the amount paid to people wrongly jailed for more than a decade to £1.3 million, but Mr Malkinson has described the proposed increase as 'insulting'.
He has also spoken out against rules under which payouts are only awarded to people who can prove innocence beyond a reasonable doubt.
'I remain determined to challenge the completely unfair cap on compensation for the wrongfully convicted – and the ridiculous requirement that a person in my position be required to prove their innocence a second time to get compensated,' he said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
12 minutes ago
- The Independent
‘The UK needs a new voting system first': Readers react to Corbyn's new left-wing party
Public reaction to Jeremy Corbyn's new left-wing party has been mixed, with many Independent readers more concerned about the UK's electoral system than the party itself. While some welcomed the alternative to what they see as a 'Tory-lite' Labour government, most agreed that the first-past-the-post (FPTP) system makes it almost impossible for smaller parties to succeed – and risks splitting the left vote. 'Until the electoral system is changed to proportional representation (PR), the dog's breakfast that is British politics will continue,' wrote one commenter. Others feared the move could hand power to a Tory-Reform coalition, with one reader warning: 'If you think Johnson and Truss were bad, wait until you see what Farage and Jenrick manage to destroy.' Although Corbyn remains popular among younger voters, many readers questioned the strategy behind launching a new party now. 'This is a disaster waiting to happen,' one said. 'The left is already fragmented and needs unity, not further splits.' Some saw the move as a protest rather than a serious political project, while others argued it could force Labour to shift left or adopt PR. Here's what you had to say: No real left in the UK I certainly don't like the Conservatives, and I dislike Reform UK even more. The problem with the current Labour government is that they are Tory lite. I cannot see Corbyn ever being PM. Starmer is sadly too authoritarian – hence the jailing of peaceful protesters. Personally speaking, I would like to see a combination of the Lib Dems and Greens in power, but there is almost zero chance of that happening. The Lib Dems are much more to the left than Labour. Christopher1959 Do you think the UK's voting system needs to change? Let us know in the below. Until the system changes, expect a mess Although it is excellent to have more choices for the electorate to choose from, unfortunately, because of the first past the post electoral system (FPTP), this only "waters down" the anti-Tory/Reform vote, because those right-wing parties and their "supporters" will stick together. Don't forget the Lib Dems, who command a fair old share of the electorate – but not enough for a majority. That could result in permanent right-wing governance! Until the electoral system is changed to proportional representation (PR), the dog's breakfast that is Brit politics will continue, with either "one or t'other", or, as I said, because of the watering down of the centre and left-wing vote, a permanent Tory/Reform bunch in power! Blue3Lee It's a step, but PR must come first A step in the right direction – offering a wider choice to the electorate, many of whom feel they have a Hobson's choice at the moment. But it won't work as an alternative under FPTP. To succeed, a genuine form of PR would have to come first – freeing voters to vote for their real preference rather than simply to prevent an alternative. Corbyn won't be around for too much longer and would, I think, willingly step back once a more genuine left-of-centre Labour-type alternative is available. Strangely Enough Finally, some choice outside the centre I think the public now having a slightly right-wing party in Reform and a slightly left-wing party with Corbyn to vote for is a positive thing, given the centrist WEF Lab/Con Blairites we've had since 1997. GaryGlass New parties need deep pockets to survive I have two principal thoughts on this: First, this isn't the first time that a "splinter" party has been formed in the UK. Regrettably, almost none have survived contact with FPTP for long, other than the Green Party and niche outfits like George Galloway's "Respect" party. Second, to have any chance of electoral survival, let alone making a difference, this putative political party must have serious (pots of money) backing. If this party subsequently shows sufficient support, I suspect that the chances of any form of proportional electoral system being brought in will recede even further, because of the increasing electoral threat to the current government. Nobrandloyalty Corbyn's party won't win, but could push Labour Whilst this new party will definitely not win the election and will probably get few MPs, the threat of a split in the left vote – letting in Reform on an even lower percentage than Labour got last year – will hopefully motivate Labour to change some policies. Possibly even encourage them to manifesto-promise PR/electoral reform to tempt people back into tactical voting for them in 2029 – so they can have better chances for the JC party in 2034. Someone182 A split left could hand power to Farage I remember how the SDP were going to "change politics in the UK forever". They did – the Tories lurched even further to the right and kept winning elections. I do not like Starmer, however, splitting the Labour vote is going to give us a Tory/Reform coalition. If you think Johnson and Truss were bad, wait until you see what Jenrick/Farage manage to destroy. Moonraker2025 New parties are pointless without PR The UK needs a new voting system before it needs more parties. These small new party initiatives don't work out within the current system. Corbyn's lifelong main political goal is to run a protest movement – and that's what this will be. – ItReallyIsNot FPTP stops Corbyn from being a threat If it wasn't for our FPTP electoral system, Corbyn would be a serious threat, I believe. Polheg Reform will benefit most from Corbyn's move Corbyn's new party will take votes from Labour but is unlikely to win more than a handful of seats. The prime beneficiaries will be Reform. It was a serious mistake for Labour to expel Corbyn, since it was always obvious that he commanded a lot of support from the left and would be in a position to retaliate. Musil A fragmented left is a disaster in waiting Corbyn to the rescue – just when we need some kind of ruthless pragmatic unity in the face of 'Euphemism' – and in waltzes Corbyn and a further split of 5 to 10 per cent at most. It seems that more than ever, a further counterproductive split among an already fragmented centre/left, in the face of a determined, well-organised, highly coordinated and highly effective far right, is an absolute disaster waiting to happen. I genuinely cannot see a way out of this. Jim987 Want to share your views? Simply register your details below. Once registered, you can comment on the day's top stories for a chance to be featured. Alternatively, click 'log in' or 'register' in the top right corner to sign in or sign up.
Daily Mail
13 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Hedge fund boss Ray Dalio warns Britain trapped in 'debt doom loop'
Britain is caught in a 'debt doom loop', the boss of one of the world's biggest hedge funds has warned. US billionaire Ray Dalio (pictured), who founded Bridgewater Associates, said that the warning signs were 'beginning to flash and flicker' amid higher taxes, rising debts and sluggish growth. But he said the Government's efforts to raise funds by hiking taxes would drive away wealthy taxpayers – leading to a downward spiral for the economy. It comes as Rachel Reeves prepares to further increase levies and slash spending in October to avoid breaking her fiscal rules. Analysts have warned that the Chancellor is facing a black hole of up to £30billion in the Autumn Budget. 'As the financial problems and the social problems worsen, having the effect of causing people with money to leave. That's a problem because – I don't know the exact numbers in the UK, but they're analogous to the US – 75 per cent of income taxes are paid by the top 10 per cent. So if you lose 5 per cent of the population in that category, half of those people, you lose 35 per cent or more of the tax revenue.' He added: 'So you have this financial deterioration, that precedes social and economic deterioration that has caused migrations all around the world and so on. And there is only one way to deal with that. Both of our countries need a strong leadership of a strong middle. They have to have the war between those of the left and those of the right begin to end because difficult choices are going to have to be made, you know, like our countries had in World War II.' It comes after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) last week cautioned that Ms Reeves faces having to take drastic action on spending unless she abandons her pledge not to hike taxes on working people. Mr Dalio's comments echoed a warning from the head of the UK spending watchdog who earlier this month said there were 'reasons to worry' about surging debt, but cautioned against 'higher and higher taxes'. Richard Hughes, chairman of the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), told MPs that successive chancellors had been willing to see the debt pile 'ratcheted up and up over time'.
Telegraph
43 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Private sector to shrink at fastest pace since pandemic
British business activity is expected to shrink at its fastest pace since the depths of the pandemic in 2020 amid a 'wave of pessimism' since Labour took power. Economists warned the 'negative sentiment' had no end in sight, with activity across 'all parts' of the British economy expected to keep shrinking over the next three months, according to the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). Its latest barometer of private sector output showed businesses were still reeling from the impact of Rachel Reeves's autumn tax raid, with consumer-facing sectors hit hardest by the £25bn increase in employers' National Insurance. The response to the CBI's business barometer was the most negative since October 2020, when Boris Johnson, the former prime minister announced the second national lockdown during the pandemic. Bosses were also wary about the impact of global trade policy, even though the UK has escaped with one of the lowest additional tariffs from Donald Trump among major advanced economies. 'The outlook remains negative across the board,' the CBI said, as it warned of a toxic mix of slower growth and higher prices. 'Our surveys also suggest that headcount will be cut further in the three months to October, marking almost a year of weak hiring intentions,' it said. The decline in July means more businesses have reported a slump in output than an expansion since Labour won the general election in July last year. Expectations about future output have also dragged into negative territory since Ms Reeves's tax raid. Alpesh Paleja, the CBI's deputy chief economist, said: 'Firms continue to face testing conditions, with expectations pointing to another quarter of falling activity across the economy.
