Latest news with #MinistryOfJustice
The Sun
12 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
Huge change to Universal Credit rules that means benefits WON'T be stopped over cash mistake
A HUGE change to Universal Credit rules meaning benefits won't be stopped over a cash mistake has been confirmed by the government. Claimants who have received compensation after a criminal conviction is reversed will no longer be ineligible for some means-tested benefits. 1 Means-tested benefits are issued dependent on your income and capital - the value of any savings, investments and property you hold. Previously, compensation payments issued after wrongful convictions counted as income and capital for people on six means-tested benefits. This meant they were no longer eligible for payments and missed out on vital support. However, since yesterday and moving forwards, this rule has now ben scrapped. Sir Stephen Timms MP, minister for social security and disability, said: "Rebuilding trust in our systems 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." It comes after the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) boosted the maximum amount miscarriage of justice victims in England and Wales can receive to £1.3million from £1million - a 30% rise. Alex Davies-Jones, minister for victims and violence against women and girls, added: "Miscarriages of justice steal irreplaceable time and devastate lives. "Better benefit support combined with the uplift of the compensation cap will make a real difference, providing not just financial redress but rightfully deserved recognition to individuals affected." Who is affected? The new rule applies to those on six means-tested benefits in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The full list is: income-based Jobseeker's Allowance income-related Employment and Support Allowance Income Support Housing Benefit Pension Credit Universal Credit Three key benefits that YOU could be missing out on, and one even gives you a free TV Licence Any compensation payments issued to claimants on these benefits under The Miscarriage of Justice Compensation Scheme will no longer be classed as capital or savings. A miscarriage of justice compensation payment is issued when someone has been convicted of a criminal offence and: had their conviction reversed a new or newly discovered fact shows beyond reasonable doubt that there has been a miscarriage of justice If you are currently on one of the six benefits and have previously received a miscarriage of justice compensation payment, you need to report a change of circumstances to the department who pays that benefit. Your change of circumstances should explain you've previously received compensation and that this is no longer classed as capital. The department responsible for paying the benefit will then consider whether you are receiving the correct amount. You will need to provide a copy of your compensation award notification. How to claim a miscarriage of justice payment The maximum amount of compensation issued to a miscarriage of justice victim who has been wrongfully imprisoned for up to 10 years is £650,000. For those who were sentenced to 10 or more years, the maximum amount is £1.3million. Both these maximum amounts were increased by 30% earlier this month, from £500,000 and £1million, respectively. You can apply for compensation if your conviction has been overturned by the courts and any of the following apply: your appeal was successful and it was submitted 28 days or more after your conviction in the Crown Court, or 21 days or more after sentencing for a conviction in a magistrate's court your conviction was overturned after it was referred to the Court of Appeal by the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) you've been granted a free (unconditional) pardon You can find out more about applying for compensation payments via MOJ data published in March revealed 591 applications for compensation due to a miscarriage of justice were received between April 2016 and March 2024. Of these, 39 were approved and 35 payments were made totalling £2,380,700. Are you missing out on benefits? YOU can use a benefits calculator to help check that you are not missing out on money you are entitled to Charity Turn2Us' benefits calculator works out what you could get. Entitledto's free calculator determines whether you qualify for various benefits, tax credit and Universal Credit. and charity StepChange both have benefits tools powered by Entitledto's data. You can use Policy in Practice's calculator to determine which benefits you could receive and how much cash you'll have left over each month after paying for housing costs. Your exact entitlement will only be clear when you make a claim, but calculators can indicate what you might be eligible for.
BBC News
a day ago
- BBC News
Watchdog finds no fault after Whitehaven prisoner suicide
A prison watchdog has said it was "difficult" to see how the care and management of an inmate who died by suicide could have been different. Stephen Hodgson, from Whitehaven in Cumbria, was sentenced to eight years in prison in 2020 for the attempted rape of a 17-year-old in 26-year-old died in his cell at HMP Full Sutton near York on 3 February 2023. The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, which investigated Hodgson's death, offered its condolences to his friends and family. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has been approached for comment. Hodgson, who was housed in the site's segregation unit, was described as a "challenging prisoner" by the watchdog in a report published last week. It said the inmate had also been sentenced to life in prison after wounding another inmate at HMP Wymott in Lancashire. Hodgson was moved to HMP Full Sutton in September 2022. Under observation The watchdog said Hodgson had a history of poor mental health and personality disorders. It said he was seen daily by mental health nurses and was prescribed antipsychotic and antidepressant medicines. Hodgson assaulted both staff and prisoners, used threatening and abusive language and frequently self-harmed, the report said. The day before his death, Hodgson had headbutted an officer in the face. Staff were told they would then only be able to unlock the inmate's door if four officers in PPE were was observed by staff every hour that night who did not report any concerns, the watchdog the morning of his death, Hodgson had self-harmed. A supervising officer decided the prisoner should continue to be checked on by staff every was declared dead a few hours later following a suicide attempt, the watchdog said it believed it was appropriate to keep Hodgson in a segregation unit and that it "did not appear" to negatively impact his mental state. It also said there was "no indication" that his risk of suicide had increased on the day of his death or that he was in crisis. If you have been affected by this report, you can find further support via the BBC Action Line. Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Zawya
2 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Qatar: Government Service Centers deliver over 124,000 services in Q2 2025
Doha: The Government service centers across Qatar recorded a remarkable performance in the second quarter (Q2) of 2025, successfully delivering a total of 124,432 services during April, May, and June. This achievement reflects the country's ongoing commitment to providing high-quality public services and advancing the objectives of the Third National Development Strategy (NDS-3). Throughout the quarter, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs consistently led the way in service delivery, completing 48,565 services across the three-month period. It was followed by the Ministry of Justice with 27,974 services, and the Ministry of Labour with 21,850 services. According to the figures released by the Civil Service and Government Development Bureau yesterday, a month-by-month breakdown of the second quarter reveals the following: June 2025: A total of 40,686 services were completed, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs handling 16,276, followed by the Ministry of Justice (8,963) and the Ministry of Labour (6,869). May 2025: A total of 47,517 services were processed. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs topped the chart with 17,829 services, while the Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Labour followed with 10,757 and 8,614 services respectively. April 2025: Government entities completed 36,229 services, led again by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with 14,460, the Ministry of Justice with 8,254, and the Ministry of Labour with 6,367. These figures underscore the efficiency and responsiveness of Qatar's government service centers in meeting public demand. The steady growth in service delivery also highlights the effectiveness of inter-agency coordination and digital transformation efforts across various sectors. The government continues to prioritize service excellence as a key enabler of development, aligning service delivery performance with national goals to enhance transparency, streamline administrative procedures, and improve citizen satisfaction. Other major contributors in June 2025 included the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (4,149), the Civil Service and Government Development Bureau (1,680), Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (885), the Ministry of Social Development and Family (733), the Ministry of Municipality (584), the Supreme Judicial Council (444), and the General Authority for Retirement and Social Insurance (103). The Civil Service and Government Development Bureau extends its sincere appreciation to all government service center employees for their exceptional dedication and professionalism throughout the month. Their outstanding performance reflects a steadfast adherence to the highest quality standards and reinforces Qatar's ongoing efforts to streamline government operations. Citizens and residents are encouraged to continue providing feedback via surveys issued after the completion of their transactions. These evaluations play a critical role in driving service development and are central to the Bureau's mission of improving service quality and institutional responsiveness. In line with the strategic objectives of the Third National Development Strategy, the Bureau remains committed to monitoring and enhancing service delivery across all government centers. The completion of 40,686 services in June alone demonstrates the tangible impact of citizen feedback in shaping performance and fostering a culture of continuous progress. The Bureau also aims to achieve the highest standards of administrative modernization and human resource development across government bodies. © Dar Al Sharq Press, Printing and Distribution. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
BBC News
7 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
HMP Leeds suicide rate 'concerning', says watchdog
The number of suicides at HMP Leeds is still at a "concerning" level and has been made worse by a lack of funding and resources, a prisons watchdog has Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) questioned whether enough was being done to reduce the number of self-inflicted deaths at the category B men's IMB said a lack of investment was "exacerbating an already very difficult situation caused by overcrowding and the reliance on infrastructure mainly built nearly 180 years ago".The Ministry of Justice said it fully acknowledged the challenges at HMP Leeds and was taking steps to address the issue. A spokesperson said: "We have taken steps to address the number of self-inflicted deaths at HMP Leeds, including improved staff training and new specialised cells which ensure constant oversight of prisoners who may be at risk." Cramped cells The IMB report noted there were eight deaths in custody between January and December 2024. Six were self-inflicted and two were from natural number of deaths at the prison in 2023 was the same, although three were report said it was "alarmed" that checks on prisoners known to be at risk of self-harm and suicide may not have been accurately logged in all said prisoners continued to share cramped cells in which they ate, slept, washed and used the toilet, and the cells tended to be too hot in summer and too cold in added that there were many prisoners with severe mental health problems who may not be prioritised for transfer to secure mental health facilities, because prison was perceived by the NHS to be a "safe" environment."On regular occasions over the course of the year it was necessary to curtail the daily regime because of staff shortages," the IMB said."This resulted in prisoners having less time out of their cells to associate and access work and education."Social justice charity Nacro said cramped and overcrowded cells were "not acceptable", in particular for people with acute mental health executive Campbell Robb said: "As the IMB at HMP Leeds rightly points out, prison is not - and should never be mistaken for - a safe alternative to proper mental health care."The staff at HMP Leeds are clearly doing what they can, but without urgent investment in both infrastructure and staffing, these efforts will always be undermined." Despite this, the watchdog reported that there was a reduction in the number of imprisonment for public protection (IPP) prisoners in HMP good mental health and wellbeing has also been prioritised, with the introduction of "check on a mate" schemes to encourage prisoners to check in on each other, particularly on those who may be and prisoner relationships were observed to be generally positive, particularly in smaller units within the IMB chair John Cleland said: "HMP Leeds has one of the highest levels of self-inflicted death in the prison estate."Whilst the local prison leadership and staff are actively seeking to address this, we are concerned that a lack of investment is exacerbating an already very difficult situation caused by overcrowding and the reliance on infrastructure mainly built nearly 180 years ago."All deaths in custody are investigated by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) who report their findings."They make recommendations on what steps could be taken to reduce deaths in the future. These recommendations are accepted by the prison management." If you have been affected by this report, you can find further support via the BBC Action Line. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Zawya
14-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Qatar: Realty sector sees significant growth in mortgage activity
Doha: The volume of mortgage transactions of the real estate sector in Qatar recorded 117 transactions with a total amount of QR4.664bn in May this year. This shows a surge of 103 percent when compared to the previous month as the volume of mortgage transactions during April 2025 amounted to 114 transactions, with a total value of QR2.299bn. Doha Municipality and Al Rayyan Municipality registered the highest number of mortgage transactions with 31 (equivalent to 26.5 percent) of the total number of mortgaged properties, followed by Al Wakrah Municipality with 19 transactions (equivalent to 16.2 percent). Then Al Khor, Al Dhakira and Umm Slal municipalities with 9 transactions each (equivalent to 7.7 percent) of the total number of mortgaged properties, according to data released by Ministry of Justice. In April this year, Al Rayyan Municipality recorded the highest number of mortgage transactions with 37 transactions, equivalent to 32.5 percent of the total number of mortgaged properties. This was followed by Al Doha with 35 transactions equivalent to 30.7 percent and Al Doha Municipality with 35 transactions representing 30.7 percent of the total. And then both Al Warkah and Umm Salal municipalities with 15 transactions each 13.2 percent of the total mortgaged properties. Regarding the value of mortgages in May 2025, Doha Municipality comes first with amount of QR3.080bn while Al Khor and Al Dhakira Municipality registered the lowest value which reached QR12.647m and QR233m respectively. The real estate trading data during the month shows that the real estate sector continues its steady growth strongly in various investment and commercial fields, thus continuing the active trading movement witnessed by the sector during the recent period, especially with the issuance of new laws and decisions related to real estate brokerage, real estate registration and documentation, ownership and usufruct, in addition to laws attracting local and foreign capital. This data also confirms the strength and solidity of the foundations of the Qatari economy and the continued growth of the real estate sector as one of its main components. Considering the indicator of movement of mortgage transactions by studying the ratio of the number of mortgaged properties to the ratio of their financial value, the data revealed the ratio of the number of mortgaged properties is greater than the ratio of the amounts of mortgage transactions in all municipalities that witnessed mortgage transactions, except for Doha and Al Wakrah municipalities It was also revealed that the amounts of mortgage transactions achieved a higher rate compared to the number of mortgage transactions. A quick glance and tracking the movement and volume of mortgage transactions that were processed during May this year it was found that Doha Municipality registered five mortgaged properties while Al Rayyan one property. The volume of mortgage transactions for the top ten properties reached 86 percent of the total value of the mortgage transactions that were processed during May this year. Meanwhile, during May this year the trading movement in the residential units witnessed 213 deals with a total value of QR454.693m. The trading volume revealed the value of top ten properties for May 2025 which registered six properties in Doha Municipality, two properties in Al Rayyan, and one property each in Umm Slal and Al Dhaayen municipalities. © Dar Al Sharq Press, Printing and Distribution. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
