Caselaw summaries

National insurance credits for unemployment – late claim by claimant not entitled to jobseeker’s allowance (JSA) – claim for 2017/18 tax year made in 2021

Child benefit - backdating for refugee – whether claim made in time – where claimant told had to apply for a biometric residence permit

Late appeal – exception to usual ‘absolute’ time limit – failure to exercise discretion

Deductions for utility debt – need to seek representations/information from claimant

Claimant considered ‘unreliable’ witness by tribunal – no error in tribunal’s approach – no need for authority on approach taken in criminal case of R v Lucas

Tax credits – bar on making a new claim where universal credit (UC) could be claimed instead

Bereavement support payment – discrimination regarding disabled person unable to make national insurance (NI) contributions

Universal credit (UC) - ‘backdating’ of UC – request for backdating not required to be made before initial decision

Housing benefit (HB) - childcare costs – where childcare ceased but liability for costs continued during COVID ‘lockdown’

Right to reside – self-sufficient with comprehensive sickness insurance