Welfare Benefits Service
The welfare benefits service advises clients on entitlement to benefits and provides representation at Social Security Tribunal appeal hearings. We saw a record number of student volunteers taking on several cases throughout the year, an almost 250% increase on the last academic year. This has provided those students with more practice experience at the start of their careers.
Thank you very much for everything, it has made the world of difference.
Client feedback
Case study
This was an appeal to the First Tier Tribunal against a negative personal independence payment (PIP) application. Our client had no electronic literacy and struggled to leave their home due to extensive sciatic arthritis. This matter presented our student volunteers with an opportunity to represent a client in a live setting and to gain advocacy experience, under supervision. Our student volunteer represented the client at the in-person hearing where their submissions were accepted in full by the judge, the decision overturned, and our client was awarded PIP at the rate we had asked. The client received a backdated payment of approximately £5,000 and a guaranteed award of just under £16,000.
The client also very kindly sent our student volunteer a thoughtful gift and a hand-written card, thanking them for their unwavering and invaluable support throughout the appeal process.