JS v Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council (HB): [2021] UKUT 219 (AAC)

Upper Tribunal Administrative Appeals Chamber decision by Judge Wikeley on 25 August 2021.

Read the full decision in CH/550/2021.

Judicial Summary

Appellant with conviction for benefit fraud for failure to declare savings - Local authority decided he still possessed capital - Claimant said savings had been wasted on gambling debts - Three successive tribunals dismissed claimant’s appeals - Appellant made further housing benefit claim which council again refused - Fourth tribunal proceeded with paper hearing during lockdown, having drawn inference that claimant had deliberately made himself unavailable for questioning - Whether fair to proceed with paper hearing

Published 13 October 2021