Social Welfare Law Notes

Social welfare law addresses civil law issues faced by low-income individuals.
Historical context: Shift from Poor Laws and charities to the Welfare State post-WWII.
Legal Aid and Advice Act 1949 introduced publicly funded legal aid.
1970s: Law Centres emerged for free legal advice.
1980s: Expansion to cover housing, employment, and immigration.
Challenges: Legal Aid cuts (LASPO) reduced access to justice, closed law centers, and increased poverty.

Housing, Employment, Immigration, Welfare Benefits, Education, Debt, Health, Social Care
City Community Legal Advice Centre (CityCLAC) focuses on Housing, Employment, and Immigration.

Governs rights/responsibilities of landlords, tenants, homeowners, and local authorities.
Tenant protections: Housing Act 1988, Protection from Eviction Act 1977, Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018.
Landlord Responsibilities: Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, Gas Safety Regulations 1998, Electrical Safety Standards Regulations 2020.
Dispute Resolution: Housing Act 1988, Deregulation Act 2015, Civil Procedure Rules.

Provides advice to council and housing association tenants on disrepair issues (mould, damp, water damage).
Section 11, Landlord and Tenant Act 1985: Landlord obligations for property repair.
Tenant responsibilities: Maintain property in a 'tenant-like manner.'
Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018: Landlord ensures dwelling is fit for habitation.

Highlights the importance of suitable housing laws.
Awaab’s Law: Major reforms in social housing, new obligations for social landlords in the Social Housing (Regulation) Act.
Need for access to quality legal advice.

Governs the relationship between employers and employees.
Key areas include employment status, dismissal/redundancy, pay/working conditions, equality/discrimination, family-friendly rights, health/safety.
Key Legislation: Employment Rights Act 1996, Equality Act 2010, National Minimum Wage Act 1998, Working Time Regulations 1998, Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, Maternity and Parental Leave Regulations 1999, Employment Tribunals Act 1996.
Employment Law Case Study: Tom Roberts, unfair dismissal.

Governs the entry, residence, and status of individuals in the UK.
Key Visa Categories: Work, Student, Family, Settlement, Nationality, Asylum.
Key Legislation: Immigration Act 1971, Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002, Immigration Acts 2014 & 2016, Immigration Rules.
Hostile Environment Policy: Measures targeting certain migrant groups.

Wrongfully targeted Commonwealth citizens who legally settled in the UK before 1971.
Exposed systemic failures in the UK immigration system.
Highlights the need for quality immigration support and advice.
Immigration Case Study: Mr. James Thompson (Jamaican National).

Funding Cuts: Reduced legal aid funding post-LASPO.
High Demand: Increased demand due to economic pressures.
Digital Exclusion: Barriers for those lacking digital skills.
Complex Legislation: Intricate social welfare laws are hard to navigate.
Geographic Disparities: Uneven distribution of services.
Future Solutions: Increased funding, digital inclusion, simplified legal processes, community-based legal clinics, public legal education