More news & blogs

January 10, 2020 · Benefit Cap | Blog | Housing & homelessness | Housing Benefit | Natasha Cross | Private Rented Sector project | Universal Credit

£20 a week to live on: what happens when the double whammy of Universal Credit and the Benefit Cap hits

For some people, the double whammy of moving to Universal Credit and being hit by the Benefit Cap, leaves them destitute and poverty stricken. Alex* is a prime example of this as he was left with just £20 per week to live on.

November 18, 2019 · Blog | Campaigning | Complaints | Disability Rights | Housing & homelessness | Universal Credit

Why the ASA ruling on the DWP Universal Credit advertisements is a massive win for advice workers and the thousands of people they help navigate the benefits system

"To spend £225k of public money - according to the government’s own figures – on a deceitful PR exercise when people are literally starving is unforgivable, and they must be held to account." Raji reflects on the ASA ruling on the DWP Universal Credits Ads and what needs to happen next.

November 13, 2019 · Andy McCarthy | Blog | Disability Rights | ESA & PIP | Universal Credit

Universal Credit stats – Obscuring the true extent of poor decision making

"This opacity of the Universal Credit behemoth is making it far easier for the DWP to mislead the public, and deflect criticism of its shortcomings." Our caseworker Andy on how Universal Credit stats are obscuring the true extent of poor decision making

November 4, 2019 · Blog | Community | Disability Rights | ESA & PIP | Samantha Evans

Harriet Sassoon, Morrison & Foerster

“Working with Z2K is incredibly rewarding not least because the impact of a positive PIP or ESA appeal can significantly improve the quality of life for individuals who are struggling to cope with the daily activities that we often take for granted."

November 4, 2019 · Blog | Disability Rights | ESA & PIP | Latest News | Samantha Evans

Blog series for #ProBonoWeek

Lawyers from Cooley, Morrison & Foerster, Mayer Brown, Kingsley Napley, Allen & Overy and Hogan Lovells share their experiences of Z2K's Tribunal Project.

November 1, 2019 · Blog | Community | Disability Rights | ESA & PIP | Latest News | Lucy Isaac | Samantha Evans

National Pro Bono Week 4-8 November

This #ProBonoWeek Z2K want to recognise the extraordinary contributions from Allen & Overy, Cooley, Kingsley Napley, Hogan Lovells, Mayer Brown, Morrison & Foerster, Freshfields, Osborne Clarke and Charles Russell Speechlys in supporting clients at tribunal to appeal negative decisions. THANK YOU!

October 31, 2019 · Bailiff reform | Benefit Cap | Blog | Campaigning | Council Tax Support | Disability Rights | ESA & PIP | Housing & homelessness | Housing Benefit | Private Rented Sector project | Raji Hunjan | Universal Credit

This General Election must be about more than just Brexit. For Z2K, it is the fight against poverty and urging all political leaders to listen to the voices of those who have been most let down by a failing Social Security system

September 27, 2019 · Blog | Housing & homelessness | Marc Francis | Private Rented Sector project

Westminster Homelessness Strategy: why more ambition is needed

In this piece, Marc reflects on Westminster City Council's Homelessness Strategy 2019 - 2024, Supreme Court judgements and why there must be more ambition to deliver more genuinely affordable social housing

August 28, 2019 · Blog | Disability Rights | Ella Abraham | ESA & PIP | Latest News

Scrap the Letters Campaign – where we are now

From the DWP revising their misleading letters to GPs to now revising their consent forms for claimants, our Policy and Campaigns Officer gives an overview of where we are now with the #ScraptheLetters campaign.

August 14, 2019 · Andy McCarthy | Blog | Disability Rights | ESA & PIP

Appeal lapse statistics show that the Mandatory Reconsideration is not fit for purpose

Z2K’s FOI request reveals that thousands of appeals are lapsing every year, distorting DWP and HMCTS statistics and hiding the true extent of poor decision making. 19% of PIP appeals were lapsed in 2018, showing that the Mandatory Reconsideration process just isn’t working.

August 2, 2019 · Bailiff reform | Blog | Disability Rights | Eimear Twomey | ESA & PIP | Housing & homelessness | Private Rented Sector project

The reality of moving from homelessness to the Private Rented Sector

Eimear Twomey, our Tenancy Engagement Officer, on managing what can be an extremely difficult move from homelessness to the Private Rented Sector.

July 17, 2019 · Blog | Disability Rights | ESA & PIP | Lucy Isaac

Moving from DLA to PIP could mean losing mobility and independence

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) began replacing Disability Living Allowance (DLA) in 2013. Both benefits are designed, in theory, to help with the extra costs of having a disability or long-term health conditions. We are finding that the threshold for PIP is much higher than DLA, and people are worse off. This is particularly the case for those with physical disabilities, but no mental health issues.