Legal News Articles
£640 penalty for fly-tipping offence caught on CCTV (31 March 2017)
Bolton Council has prosecuted a fly-tipper who was caught on CCTV dumping a sofa behind a company car park in broad daylight Read more...
Newham Council to use DfE funding to help children affected by domestic abuse (31 March 2017)
Newham Council in east London has been awarded £2.6 million by the Department for Education (DfE) to develop new approaches to children’s social care Read more...
Hillingdon Council to assume management of all children's centres from April and will adopt “hub and spoke” model (31 March 2017)
Hillingdon Council in Greater London has agreed to introduce new arrangements for the delivery of its children's centre programme Read more...
£4,500 penalty for putting public health at risk of salmonella (31 March 2017)
Walsall Council has prosecuted the owner of a mini market closed in May 2016, after Environmental Health officers found an extensive mouse infestation on the premises and ordered its immediate closure Read more...
Woking Council consults on three-year licensing scheme for some private landlords (31 March 2017)
Woking Council has announced that it is proposing a three-year licensing scheme for private landlords in some parts of the Town Centre and Maybury areas Read more...
£3,700 penalty for Sheffield construction company after waste contractor fly-tips building waste (31 March 2017)
Sheffield City Council’s Environmental Protection Service has prosecuted a construction company for disposing of waste irresponsibly Read more...
Jail and disqualification for lettings agent who defrauded clients of holding deposits (31 March 2017)
Croydon Council has prosecuted a lettings agent who unlawfully withheld thousands of pounds in client deposits Read more...
Figures show risk of suicide amongst care workers is twice the national average (31 March 2017)
New data commissioned by Public Health England (PHE) shows that that suicides are less common for females than males and that there are differences in the types of occupation where suicide is more common Read more...
London boroughs need to rethink their housing strategy if they want to tackle the rent crisis (30 March 2017)
As it stands council waiting lists are becoming longer and stricter, the availability of council homes is falling, rough sleeping and homelessness is on the rise and as a result councils are increasingly relying on temporary accommodation to meet their statutory obligations Read more...
Peterborough City Council to launch new Family Safeguarding Service (30 March 2017)
Peterborough City Council is to pilot a new Family Safeguarding Service after being awarded £2.8 million in funding from the Department for Education Read more...
Loan sharks ordered to repay thousands of pounds under POCA (30 March 2017)
Reading Crown Court has ordered two loan sharks who ran separate illegal money lending businesses across Bracknell in Berkshire to repay more than £70,000 under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) Read more...
Merton Council works with police to arrest moped thieves (30 March 2017)
Merton Council in southwest London has worked with the police to arrest a gang which stole mopeds in the borough Read more...
New guidance to support working mothers with premature babies (30 March 2017)
The government has announced that new guidelines to support working mothers with premature babies will be drawn up to cover a range of issues, including requests for flexible working or additional time off Read more...
Bracknell Forest Council shares £11.6m funding to improve children’s services (30 March 2017)
Bracknell Forest Council in Berkshire has been awarded a share of £11.6 million by the Department for Education (DfE) to support vulnerable families Read more...
Peterborough City Council to introduce new PSPO to tackle anti-social behaviour (30 March 2017)
Peterborough City Council has announced that a new city centre Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) could come into force at the start of April, to help tackle anti-social behaviour in the city centre Read more...
Liverpool chosen as latest site for cancer centre offering proton beam therapy (30 March 2017)
Liverpool has been chosen as the site of a new £35 million cancer treatment centre to be built by Proton Partners International Read more...
£800,000 in funding to help break cycle of female prisoners re-offending (28 March 2017)
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has announced £800,000 in funding to help vulnerable women turn their backs on crime Read more...
Cardiff Council launches Disability Index of services for young people with disabilities and additional needs (28 March 2017)
The City of Cardiff Council has launched a Disability Index, which details services available for disabled children and young people in Cardiff Read more...
Lincolnshire County Council asks for feedback on services from survivors of domestic violence (28 March 2017)
Lincolnshire County Council is asking survivors of domestic violence to give feedback on services, to help shape future domestic abuse services in Lincolnshire Read more...
£89,000 penalty after long-serving farm work is killed in fall from fragile roof (28 March 2017)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a farming partnership, after a Staffordshire farm manager died in a fall from a fragile roof Read more...
£117,000 grant to Torbay Council to mend potholes and improve road surfaces (28 March 2017)
Torbay Council has been awarded £117,000 to fund the repair of potholes and treat roads to prevent potholes and improve road surfaces and road safety Read more...
Bath & North East Somerset Council to install new speed cameras to improve road safety (28 March 2017)
Bath & North East Somerset Council has announced that three new speed cameras will be installed across Bath and North East Somerset, in response to concerns from local residents about speeding and road safety Read more...
Solihull Council to launch Youth Hub service to tackle homelessness among young adults (28 March 2017)
Solihull Council in the West Midlands has announced that it will be launching a new pilot Youth Hub to tackle the issue of homelessness among young adults Read more...
Cardiff business and director prosecuted for breaching safety regulations relating to imported hoverboards (28 March 2017)
City of Cardiff Council has prosecuted a director and his company, after hoverboards sold by the company were found to have breached safety regulations Read more...
Food supplier who delivered food without refrigeration has fine reduced on appeal (27 March 2017)
A Cardiff food supplier has had a fine of £120,000 reduced on appeal, after it was prosecuted and convicted of delivering “high risk food” to a business in a vehicle that was not refrigerated Read more...
Croydon store fined over £2,000 for selling knives to underage customers (27 March 2017)
A retailer who admitted selling knives to underage customers has been prosecuted by Croydon Council Read more...
Wolverhampton Council stages first Housing Fair (27 March 2017)
City of Wolverhampton Council is to stage its first Housing Fair on Sunday 2 April at Wolverhampton Art Gallery Read more...
£18,000 penalty after worker suffers serious foot injury in unguarded machinery (27 March 2017)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a company that produces and supplies wood shavings for use as horse bedding, after a worker suffered a serious foot injury at its site in Andover, Hampshire Read more...
Restaurateur disqualified for five years for accounts mismanagement (27 March 2017)
The director of a Chinese restaurant in Manchester has been disqualified for five years for mismanaging accounts Read more...
London Mayor says EU nationals must not be used as “bargaining chips” in Brexit negotiations (27 March 2017)
London Mayor Sadiq Khan is calling on the Prime Minister to give an immediate “cast iron” guarantee to EU nationals that they can stay in the UK post Brexit Read more...
MoD invests in Tempus Pro medical monitor for Armed Forces (27 March 2017)
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is investing £14 million in lifesaving medical monitors for the Armed Forces Read more...
Family receive £100,000 following their son’s death due to clinical negligence (27 March 2017)
Seven year old Luke Jenkins, from Cardiff, died following heart surgery at Bristol Children’s Hospital in March 2012. Luke’s family have now been awarded £100,000 compensation for their son’s death Read more...
Hospital staff must treat sepsis symptoms within one hour (27 March 2017)
The National Institute for Health Care and Excellence (NICE) has urged hospital staff to ensure that people with life-threatening sepsis symptoms are treated within one hour. NICE state that anybody showing signs of sepsis must be checked carefully, and if found to be high-risk, must be seen by senior staff and given correct treatment within an hour Read more...
Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day – 25th March 2017 (24 March 2017)
Cerebral palsy affects approximately 1 in every 400 babies born in the UK. Cerebral Palsy can be caused by a brain injury which can occur in the womb or during delivery. The symptoms of cerebral palsy will range from mild to severe and life-changing and children with severe cerebral palsy often have complex care needs Read more...
Company and director prosecuted after construction worker suffers life changing injuries (24 March 2017)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a Manchester-based building contractor and a company owner, after a worker was seriously injured on a building site Read more...
Director of Swansea PPI claims company disqualified for nine years (24 March 2017)
The director of a Swansea-based company dealing in PPI claims management has been disqualified for nine years for breaching compensation regulations Read more...
Barnet Council launches Homeshare scheme (24 March 2017)
Barnet Council has launched a scheme whereby residents who need help at home offer a room for rent and receive help from their tenant Read more...
NHS spending cap feared to affect cancer and dementia patients (24 March 2017)
Health chiefs have announced that the NHS in England will be introducing a £20m a year cap on the cost of new drugs in an attempt to save money. The cap is aimed at giving NHS chiefs the opportunity to re-negotiate the prices of drugs with pharmaceutical companies. However, this new measure could lead to delays of up to three years before new drugs are made available. It is reported that the changes could affect one in five new treatments Read more...
Public Health England launches online reporting system to tackle effects of new psychoactive substances (23 March 2017)
Public Health England (PHE) has launched a new online reporting system to help tackle harms from new psychoactive substances (NPS) Read more...
Ten-year disqualification for bankrupt who acted as director (23 March 2017)
A bankrupt found to be acting as the sales director of a Lincolnshire printing company has been disqualified for ten years for breaching the terms of his bankruptcy Read more...
Cambridge on course to build 4,500 homes as a result of £45m HCA loan (23 March 2017)
Cambridge City Council has announced £45 million investment in new homes as a result of a loan from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) Read more...
Doncaster Council to build affordable homes for over-50s (23 March 2017)
Doncaster Council has announced that a development of 11 affordable bungalows will be built for people aged over 50, as a result of a grant by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) Read more...
LMS v East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust – New discount rate applied in first personal injury settlement (23 March 2017)
Schoolgirl is first reported recipient of damages under new discount rate following key changes made by Justice Secretary, Liz Truss Read more...
Justice Secretary announces four new prisons will replace old and overcrowded jails and create 5,000 new prison places (22 March 2017)
Justice Secretary Liz Truss has announced plans to create 5,000 modern prison places, building on the government’s commitment to create up to 10,000 modern places, aimed at reducing overcrowding and creating the right conditions for reform Read more...
Jail for gang who operated “cash for brides” immigration scam (22 March 2017)
Croydon Crown Court has jailed a gang which flew Lithuanian women into the UK to act as brides in bogus marriages Read more...
£72,000 penalty after farm worker dies in grain store (22 March 2017)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a family-owned Norfolk farming company, after an employee died at its grain storage facility Read more...
Cardiff private sector landlords prosecuted for breaches of Housing Act (22 March 2017)
City of Cardiff Council has prosecuted two private sector landlords for offences under the Housing Act 2004 Read more...
Road safety campaign launched to remind motorists to concentrate on the road ahead (22 March 2017)
Road safety experts from Road Safety GB North East are working with the police to urge motorists not to be distracted at the wheel of their cars, after new legislation came into force on 1st March that will see people issued with six penalty points and £200 fines for using mobile phones while driving Read more...
Thanet Council to offer loans to homeowners who buy empty properties and refurbish (22 March 2017)
Thanet District Council has launched a new scheme which will offer loans to homeowners looking to renovate former empty properties and then live in them Read more...
£1,000 penalty for operating illegal scrap yard from front garden (22 March 2017)
Gateshead Council has prosecuted a local resident found to be operating a scrap metal business from his front garden without a licence Read more...
Brent Council prosecutes four illegal shisha cafés and seizes 25kg of illegal tobacco (21 March 2017)
Brent Council has prosecuted four shisha businesses operating illegally in Brent, after 25kg of illegal tobacco was seized in a joint operation between Brent Council's Food and Health & Safety Team and Wembley Police Tasking Team Read more...
Five-year disqualification for restaurant director who employed illegal workers (21 March 2017)
An investigation by the Insolvency Service has led to the disqualification of a restaurant director, after he failed to ensure that the business completed relevant immigration checks on its employees, resulting in the employment of two illegal workers Read more...
Jail for Birmingham men convicted of possession of disguised weapons (21 March 2017)
Birmingham Crown Court has convicted two men on charges relating to the illegal importation of stun guns into the UK from Turkey Read more...
“Unintended operational and legal consequences” for people with mental health problems as a result of PIP changes (21 March 2017)
Mental health charity Mind says that a committee of welfare experts has warned of “unintended operational and legal consequences” for people with mental health problems and learning disabilities following changes to assessment criteria for Personal Independence Payments (PIP), which came into force on 16th March Read more...
£160,000 penalty after two aircraft workers sustain serious injuries in fall from height (21 March 2017)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted an aircraft company based at Stansted Airport in Essex, after two workers 15 feet while carrying out checks on the tail of a plane Read more...
14-year disqualification for former director who sold coloured diamonds at inflated prices (21 March 2017)
The director of a Hampstead investment company which sold coloured diamonds has been disqualified for 14 years Read more...
Unlicensed landlord prosecuted – and repays 12 months’ rent as a result (21 March 2017)
Blackburn and Darwen Council has prosecuted an unlicensed landlord and the council is now urging other landlords in the borough to make sure they obtain the appropriate licence for any properties they let Read more...
Mayor of Hackney calls for Dubs scheme to remain open (21 March 2017)
The Mayor of Hackney has called for the Dubs scheme for child refugees to remain open and has criticised claims that local councils have not offered to help Read more...
Landlord prosecuted for unlawful eviction of tenant and harassment (21 March 2017)
Telford & Wrekin Council has prosecuted a landlord for unlawfully evicting a tenant Read more...
£7m compensation paid out to repair poorly constructed housing by Bovis Homes (20 March 2017)
Bovis, one of the biggest homebuilders in Britain, were accused of pressuring customers to move into poorly built, incomplete homes in order to meet sales targets. They have been ordered to pay compensation after a group of angry customers formed a Facebook group to draw attention to the issue. The Facebook group titled ‘Bovis Home Victims Group’ has over 1,400 members Read more...
New report calls for changes to address homelessness in London (20 March 2017)
Sajid Javid, Communities Secretary, unveiled a new report by the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), in Parliament on Wednesday (March 15th), outlining the argument for easing welfare restrictions, which hinder the homeless in finding somewhere to live Read more...
Bexley Council warns of rogue trader who defrauded elderly man by removing his roof and demanding more than £40,000 (20 March 2017)
Bexley Council’s Trading Standards department is warning of a scam in which a man offering roofing services tried to defraud an 80-year-old Sidcup man who lives alone by door-stepping him Read more...
City of York Council enters partnership with HCA to build new homes on brownfield land (20 March 2017)
City of York Council has announced it is set to enter into a partnership with the government which could help deliver 5,000 much needed new homes on brownfield land over the next 15 years Read more...
Bexley’s children services benefits from partnership approach (20 March 2017)
The Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has visited Bexley Council’s services to support children and their families Read more...
Nuisance neighbour prosecuted over loud music played on repeat (20 March 2017)
Harrow Council has taken action against a noisy neighbour who played loud music with explicit lyrics on repeat at high volume Read more...
Early rollout for scheme allowing victims of sexual offences to give pre-recorded evidence at trial (20 March 2017)
The Ministry of Justice has announced greater protection for rape victims and children at risk of grooming, with a new offence of Sexual Communication with a Child being introduced and measures to support victims of sex crimes being accelerated Read more...
Cambridge City Council launches loan scheme to help bring empty homes up to rental standard (20 March 2017)
Cambridge City Council has launched a scheme to help the owners of empty properties in Cambridge bring them back into residential use Read more...
35 years in jail for extradited man found guilty of killing elderly couple (20 March 2017)
A man extradited from Luxembourg has been sentenced to a minimum term of 35 years in jail for the killing of an elderly Suffolk couple Read more...
Kier Construction fined £400,000 after worker is seriously injured in fall from height (20 March 2017)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted leading construction company Kier Construction Limited, after a worker was injured when he fell from height Read more...
Scarborough Council approves Selective Licensing Scheme for private sector rental properties (17 March 2017)
Scarborough Council has approved the introduction of a Selective Licensing Scheme for privately rented properties within parts of the Castle and North Bay wards in Scarborough, which is designed to ensure that properties are safe and being managed appropriately Read more...
Jail for former vicar, after sexual abuse victim uses eye tracker technology to give evidence (17 March 2017)
A former vicar who abused a choirboy in his care more than 35 years ago has been convicted on the evidence of a man suffering from motor neurone disease, who used Eyegaze eye tracker technology to give evidence Read more...
£460 penalty for littering and refusing to give name and address to officer (17 March 2017)
Cheshire West and Chester Council has prosecuted a litterer found dropping a cigarette butt Read more...
£100,000 penalty for care home after teenager drowns on day trip (17 March 2017)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a Kettering-based care home company, after a 16-year-old boy drowned at a disused quarry on a day trip Read more...
NHS England investigating patient harm after medical documents were misplaced (16 March 2017)
NHS England is currently investigating whether any patients have suffered harm as a result of an administrative mix up in which half a million patient documents were misplaced Read more...
The Court of Appeal rejects a heterosexual couple’s appeal for a Civil Partnership (16 March 2017)
The Court of Appeal has dismissed the challenge of heterosexual couple, Rebecca Steinfeld and Charles Keidan, to be allowed to have a civil partnership Read more...
Vulnerable tenants are being pushed out of the housing market as rent becomes ‘out-of-step’ with incomes (16 March 2017)
Philip Hammond’s Spring Budget continues to receive mixed reviews. Whilst the key focus of discussions centre on a tax rise for the self-employed, Britain’s housing crisis remained largely neglected Read more...
UK strengthens defences against money laundering (16 March 2017)
HM Treasury has announced that the UK is to create a new watchdog that will tackle potential weaknesses in the supervisory system which criminals and terrorists may be trying to exploit to launder money Read more...
Islington Council secures £100k to fund Latin American Women’s Aid for victims of domestic abuse (16 March 2017)
Islington Council and Latin American Women’s Aid (LAWA) have announced that £100,000 of central government funding has been secured to support LAWA’s specialist national refuge and services for Latin American women Read more...
UK and Panama sign agreement to tackle financial crime (16 March 2017)
The Home Office has announced the UK has signed an agreement with Panama to tackle serious and organised crime Read more...
Hampshire Council launches road safety campaign to make drivers and cyclists more aware of each other (16 March 2017)
Hampshire County Council has launched a campaign to encourage cyclists and drivers to be more aware of each other and stay safe on Hampshire’s roads Read more...
Hillingdon Council to agree new model to deliver children’s services (15 March 2017)
Hillingdon Council in Greater London has said that future plans for a children's centre programme will be decided at Hillingdon Council's Cabinet meeting on Thursday, 16 March Read more...
London landlord fined for running unlicensed HMO (15 March 2017)
A landlord who ran an unlicensed House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) in Hampstead, northwest London has been prosecuted by Camden Counci Read more...
Prime Minister asserts that refugees should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach (15 March 2017)
The Prime Minster has given a Statement to Parliament on the March EU Council meeting and next steps in preparing to trigger Article 50 Read more...
£4,250 penalty and criminal records for five Nottinghamshire anglers caught fishing illegally (15 March 2017)
The Environment Agency has prosecuted five illegal anglers in Nottinghamshire, who were find more than £4,000 in total – and who have criminal records as a result of being convicted Read more...
Cambridge City Councils sets out new vision for housing (15 March 2017)
Cambridge City Council has announced its vision to guide the city’s approach to providing affordable, high-quality housing in the coming years Read more...
London Assembly supports motion to allow more child refugees into Britain (15 March 2017)
The London Assembly has agreed a motion calling on the London Mayor Sadiq Khan to pressurise the government into reversing its decision on child refugee numbers and adhere to the Dublin convention in the name of Humanity Read more...
£2,500 penalty for noise nuisance from pub DJ (15 March 2017)
Brent Council has prosecuted the owner of gastro pub in Kensal Green, northwest London, after neighbours experienced noise from music that was so loud their plates and crockery rattled on shelving Read more...
The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) has announced that the small claims limit will be increased to £5,000 for whiplash claims only (15 March 2017)
There are plans for fixed tariffs to be introduced to cap whiplash claims. Whilst there has been no decision on figures as of yet, the level of compensation is to be proportionate to the injury as suggested by the MOJ Read more...
Chief Inspector of Hospitals describes NHS as standing on a “burning platform” (14 March 2017)
Chief Inspector of Hospitals Professor Sir Mike Richards has warned that safety is not good enough at four out of five hospital trusts in England. He described the NHS as standing on a “burning platform” following a review carried out by The Care Quality Commission (CQC) Read more...
Swansea Council trials free childcare in seven communities from September (14 March 2017)
Swansea Council has announced that seven communities in Swansea have been chosen for a free childcare trial, with families set to benefit from 30 hours a week of free early years education and childcare, under a pilot programme that could be extended city-wide Read more...
£12,000-worth of illegal tobacco seized from van, as retailers change tactics to conceal tobacco stashes (14 March 2017)
Trading Standards officers in Newcastle upon Tyne have seized illegal tobacco products worth more than £12,000 from a vehicle parked yards from a shop Trading Standards had searched the previous day Read more...
Barnsley Council takes action against child sexual exploitation to mark CSE Awareness Week (14 March 2017)
Barnsley Council has announced that it is teaming up with Sheffield Futures and Barnardos to talk to town centre businesses and Barnsley residents about child sexual exploitation (CSE) during national CSE Awareness Week Read more...
Cardiff Council offers support to tenants struggling with Bedroom Tax (14 March 2017)
The City of Cardiff Council has re-affirmed its commitment to assisting council tenants affected by the Bedroom Tax Read more...
Female mental health patients more likely to experience facedown restraint (14 March 2017)
New figures from Agenda – the alliance for women and girls at risk – show that vulnerable women and girls are being repeatedly restrained in the facedown position in mental health units Read more...
Birmingham’s first private rental sector council housing project “well underway” (14 March 2017)
Birmingham City Council says that the first housing project to be developed for the private rental sector by its wholly-owned company – Inreach Birmingham Limited (Inreach) – are now well underway and prospective tenants are applying to rent the apartments Read more...
Failings identified in police handling of Tower Hamlets fraud allegations during 2014 Mayoral election (13 March 2017)
The London Assembly Police and Crime Committee has published its findings and recommendations regarding allegations of fraud and malpractice in Tower Hamlets before and during the 2014 Mayoral election Read more...
£615,000 penalty after worker sustains serious burn injuries following electrocution (13 March 2017)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted an Oxford-based company, after a worker sustained serious burns following electrocution from contact with a live underground cable Read more...
Hospital cuts being planned across England (13 March 2017)
A recent BBC analysis of local plans has found that nearly two thirds of hospital services in England could be cut or scaled back. The NHS proposals, which are sustainability and transformation plans, have been made as part of a national programme to transform the health services and cut costs in 44 areas Read more...
Northumbria Police charge seven for drugs offences involving “lethal highs” and Class A drugs (13 March 2017)
Northumbria Police have charged seven people with drugs offences, in a crackdown on drug supply in Newcastle city centre Read more...
Bath & North East Somerset Council considers best way to commission children’s services (13 March 2017)
Bath & North East Somerset Council says it is currently exploring the best way to commission its Children’s Centre services as efficiently as possible, to ensure that the service is sustainable in the future Read more...
Cornwall Council receives £17.06m from New Homes Bonus scheme (13 March 2017)
Cornwall Council has been allocated £17.06 million from the recently announced New Homes Bonus allocations for 2017-2018 – the second-highest allocation in the country under the government’s New Homes Bonus scheme Read more...
Bedfordshire launches new-look domestic abuse support website (13 March 2017)
Bedford Borough Council has launched a new-look domestic violence website, with a more user-friendly interface Read more...
£105,000 fine after worker is paralysed in fall from height (13 March 2017)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a construction company, after a worker was left paralysed following an accident at a building site Read more...
Family taking legal action after a woman died as the result of an error during routine heart surgery (10 March 2017)
It is reported that Sheila Hynes, a 71 year old grandmother and great-grandmother, died as the result of massive internal bleeding during what should have been a routine operation at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle upon Tyne Read more...
The Department for Communities and Local Government warned against using misleading homelessness data (10 March 2017)
The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has been told to refrain from using potentially misleading data by the UK Statistics Authority, and warned that the UK Statistics Authority will be monitoring future statements made by the DCLG on the issue of homelessness Read more...
Surgeon facing charges for wounding with intent (10 March 2017)
It is alleged that Judith Conduit, 47, was falsely diagnosed with Dercum’s disease in 2001 and told she would have to have a bilateral mastectomy. She subsequently had to return to hospital 94 times over the course of a year due to post-operative complications Read more...
Understaffing in care homes leading to patient negligence (10 March 2017)
A care home in Leeds was forced to close its nursing wing last month due to a shortage of staff, and last August, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) reported that a care home in Derbyshire was so short-staffed that residents resorted to caring for each other Read more...
Homelessness charities are reporting non-UK rough sleepers to the Home Office, resulting in their removal from the UK (10 March 2017)
In London, more than 50% of rough sleepers are not from the UK and last May the Home Office circulated a new guidance on removing rough sleepers who are not UK nationals Read more...
£38,000 penalty for fisheries offences (10 March 2017)
A vessel master and owner have been prosecuted by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) for persistent fisheries offences Read more...
Spring Budget’s extra funding for social care and A&E GPs “will benefit metal health patients” (10 March 2017)
Mental health charity Mind has responded to the Chancellor’s Spring Budget 2017, welcoming additional funding which the charity says will benefit mental health patients Read more...
Crown Censure for MoD after agency driver is killed in vehicle accident (10 March 2017)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued the Ministry of Defence (MoD) with a Crown Censure after an agency driver working for the MoD was killed in an accident involving a reversing vehicle Read more...
Jail term for persistent domestic abuse offender (10 March 2017)
Hull Crown Court has sentenced a man who pleaded guilty to breaching a restraining order, putting his former partner in fear of violence, assault by beating and dangerous driving Read more...
Jail for gang members who carried out £1.7m carbon credit investment fraud (9 March 2017)
A cold call gang which defrauded victims of £1.7 million has been jailed by Southwark Crown Court Read more...
Spring Budget announces measures to crack down on business crime and benefit fraud (9 March 2017)
The government has announced a number of measures in the Spring Budget 2017 to combat tax avoidance, financial fraud and benefit fraud and errors Read more...
Chancellor announces extra £20m funding to help domestic violence victims (9 March 2017)
The Chancellor’s Spring Budget 2017 has set out plans to increase funding to help protect victims of domestic violence Read more...
Chancellor increases social care and NHS funding with more GPs in A&E departments (9 March 2017)
The government’s Spring Budget 2017 has announced more funding for social care and to ease pressures in A&E departments in the Spring Budget 2017 Read more...
Immigration Income Barrier ruled as Legal (8 March 2017)
The long awaited judgement in the Supreme Court case of MM & Others in relation to the minimum income requirement (MIR) for partner/spouses was handed down on 22 February 2017 Read more...
£372,000 in fines, after four Somerset estate agents admit to price fixing (8 March 2017)
An investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has found that four Somerset estate agents colluded to set minimum commission rates for residential property sales at 1.5%, with a view to denying local homeowners selling their properties the chance of securing a better deal Read more...
Mind may mount legal challenge to government’s changes to PIP for mental health patients (8 March 2017)
Mental Health charity Mind has responded to government changes in the Personal Independence Payment (PIP), saying that the changes “call into question” the government’s commitment to treating mental health on a par with physical health Read more...
Councils urged to share views of co-operative and community-led housing (8 March 2017)
Councils are being urged to share their views and experiences of co-operative and community-led housing (CCLH) by a local government network, in order to identify additional ways of tackling the housing crisis Read more...
£200,000 penalty after waste firm causes odour at Leeds and Bradford sites (8 March 2017)
The Environment Agency has prosecuted a waste firm for causing persistent odour at its sites in Bradford and Leeds Read more...
London Mayor’s concern short-term lettings in London may impact on capital’s housing market (8 March 2017)
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has called on short-term online letting agents to follow Airbnb’s lead by blocking hosts from renting out homes in the capital for more than 90 days Read more...
£600,000 fine for London company, after worker dies in lift shaft fall (8 March 2017)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted two companies for safety failings after one man died and another was left seriously injured after falling six storeys through a lift shaft Read more...
Removal of the Five Year Limit for Domestic Violence Claims is a Victory for Victims of Domestic Abuse (8 March 2017)
The news today that the Government are scrapping time limits for obtaining appropriate written evidence of domestic abuse victims is a victory for all those who have been victims of domestic abuse. This will go a long way in ensuring that vulnerable persons are eligible for legal aid, particularly in cases involving children in which a period of time has passed since incidents of domestic abuse Read more...
Removal of the Five Year Limit for Domestic Violence Claims is a Victory for Victims of Domestic Abuse (8 March 2017)
The news today that the Government are scrapping time limits for obtaining appropriate written evidence of domestic abuse victims is a victory for all those who have been victims of domestic abuse. This will go a long way in ensuring that vulnerable persons are eligible for legal aid, particularly in cases involving children in which a period of time has passed since incidents of domestic abuse Read more...
Spinal cord injury; What is it and key steps to be taken. (7 March 2017)
The spinal cord is a group of nerves that runs down the middle of a person’s back. It carries signals back and forth between the body and brain. The brain and the spinal cord make up the central nervous system Read more...
New analysis finds London employment market tends to attract skilled migrants (7 March 2017)
PwC and London First have published a first-of-its-kind analysis of the role of migration on London’s economy – Facing Facts: the impact of migrants on London, its workforce and economy Read more...
90% of children now living with a working adult as the number of parents out of work falls (7 March 2017)
Figures from the Department for Work and Pension (DWP) show there has been a rise in the number of working households, with around nine in ten children living with at least one working adult Read more...
£280,000 penalty after butler suffers fatal crush injuries in lift accident (7 March 2017)
The operators of one of Britain’s most iconic stately homes have been prosecuted and sentenced, after a butler was crushed to death in a lift accident Read more...
Brent Council launches scheme to help those with mental health conditions find employment (7 March 2017)
Brent Council has launched a pilot service to give employment support to those with common mental health problems Read more...
CQC to prosecute Southern Health over alleged failure to protect patients at risk (7 March 2017)
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has announced that Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust will be prosecuted over an alleged failure to provide safe care and treatment, resulting in avoidable harm to a patient – and other patients being exposed to a significant risk of avoidable harm Read more...
Company director disqualified for seven years, after failing to deliver up company accounts to the Liquidator (7 March 2017)
A company director has been disqualified for seven years after an investigation found he had breached his statutory obligation to co-operate with the Liquidator and deliver the company’s accounting records Read more...
£3,000 penalty for selling produce falling below minimum quality standards (7 March 2017)
The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) has prosecuted a fresh produce retailer from Newcastle, following an investigation by Horticultural Marketing Inspectors (HMI) Read more...
CBI calls for “honest debate” about immigration and how skills gaps will be closed when UK leaves EU (6 March 2017)
CBI Director-General Carolyn Fairbairn has called for an honest debate about immigration as the UK leaves the EU Read more...
Government proposals on making anonymous registration scheme more accessible to domestic violence survivors (6 March 2017)
Minister for the Constitution Chris Skidmore has published new proposals that will make the anonymous registration scheme in England and Wales more accessible to those escaping domestic abuse. Read more...
£45,000 penalty, after woman dies from food poisoning following pub meal (6 March 2017)
Cornwall Council Environmental Health Officers have prosecuted a food company, after an elderly woman died from symptoms of food poisoning after consuming unfit food Read more...
£7,000 penalty for landscaping company after 16-year-old loses finger while unsupervised (6 March 2017)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a landscaping company for failing to properly train and supervise work on a dangerous machine, which led to a teenage boy on work experience having his little finger amputated while working unsupervised on a log splitter Read more...
Immigration procedures for children and young people “not child friendly” – and lack of Legal Aid may place them at risk (6 March 2017)
The Migrant and Refugee Children's Legal Unit (MiCLU) says that undocumented children are falling through bureaucratic, legislative and systemic cracks because the immigration system is not child friendly Read more...
Canterbury City Council leads successful bid for £70,000 funding for victims of domestic abuse (6 March 2017)
Canterbury City Council has announced that more support will be available for victims of domestic abuse in east Kent, following a successful bid for £70,000 of government funding Read more...
Guilty plea for man who committed rape on his wedding day (6 March 2017)
A man who committed rape on his wedding day has pleaded guilty, after submitting his victim to a two-hour ordeal before marrying his long-time girlfriend Read more...
Contractor fined for putting himself and others at risk of asbestosis (6 March 2017)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a Bedfordshire-based contractor who failed to carry out suitable assessment of asbestos removal work Read more...
Police to publish data on use of Tasers (3 March 2017)
The Home Secretary has announced that police forces will be required to collect and publish detailed data on all their use of force – including the use of Tasers – from April Read more...
Suspended sentences for directors of building companies which supplied inadequate work (3 March 2017)
Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council has prosecuted two builders who supplied inadequate work to customers Read more...
Welsh Assembly announces £1m funding to help care leavers become independent (3 March 2017)
Welsh Assembly Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children, Carl Sargeant, has announced funding of £1 million to local authorities across Wales to help young people who have been through the care system. Read more...
£5,600 in penalties for illegal fishing in Staffordshire (2 March 2017)
The Environment Agency has prosecuted eight anglers for illegal fishing in Staffordshire, after they were found fishing without a rod licence by Environment Agency officers on regular patrols Read more...
EEA doctors working in NHS feel insecure about immigration status following Brexit vote (2 March 2017)
The president of the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) has said that as it stands 25% of NHS doctors are from overseas and the government, the NHS and the public need to value and support all NHS staff, wherever they are from Read more...
More GP surgeries in Wales offering extended hours appointments on weekdays (2 March 2017)
The Welsh government has announced that new figures show that more GP practices in Wales are open between 8am and 6.30pm during the week and more early morning and evening appointments are being made available. Read more...
Directors disqualified for total of 43 years after £1m VERs investment “scam” (2 March 2017)
An Insolvency Service investigation has resulted in three directors of a carbon credit trading company being disqualified for a total of 43 years Read more...
Southwest councils win funding for more children’s social workers (2 March 2017)
Somerset County Council has announced that is has led a partnership of southwest local authorities in a successful bid for government funding to train a further 49 children’s social workers Read more...
Concern among Londoners over lack of housing at “highest recorded level” (2 March 2017)
The London Assembly has found that concern over housing among Londoners is at its highest recorded level, with 37% of Londoners citing it as one of the most important issues facing the country Read more...
27-year jail term for “predatory” sex offender (2 March 2017)
Teesside Crown Court has jailed a sex offender who carried out attacks on four women and girls over a period of more than 30 years, to 27 years' imprisonment Read more...
£1m fine for DFS after employee sustains serious injuries in work accident (2 March 2017)
Furniture company DFS Trading Limited has been prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), after safety failings led to a worker sustaining serious neck and head injuries Read more...
Five found guilty in 7.5 million mile “car clocking” fraud (1 March 2017)
A Trading Standards investigation has led to five individuals being convicted of operating a widespread system of clocking cars in their possession Read more...
Lincolnshire Trading Standards issues warning over cold callers selling fake memory foam mattresses (1 March 2017)
Lincolnshire Trading Standards is warning householders to be aware that fake memory foam mattresses are being sold door-to-door in Lincolnshire. Read more...
Jail sentence and disqualification for rogue trader who defrauded customers of £9,500 (1 March 2017)
A rogue trader from Manchester has been jailed for fraud, after customers in Oldham and surrounding areas complained to Trading Standards that kitchen components they had paid for were neither supplied nor fitted, or were found to be defective Read more...
New figures show spike in London’s suicide rate (1 March 2017)
New figures from the London Assembly Health Committee show that, every week, an average of 14 Londoners choose to end their own lives Read more...
New penalties for driving while using a mobile phone (1 March 2017)
The Department for Transport has announced that motorists using a mobile phone while driving will receive six points on their licence and a £200 fine Read more...
Prosecution for landlord who breached prohibition order for poor condition of rental property (1 March 2017)
Peterborough City Council has prosecuted a landlord for breaching a prohibition order preventing him letting accommodation that had been found dangerous by the council Read more...