Court of Appeal says back-to-work scheme breached laws

The Court of Appeal has ruled that University graduate, Cait Reilly’s claim that requiring her to work for free at a Poundland discount store was unlawful.

The University of Birmingham geology graduate lost her original case at the High Court, but has now won on appeal, and her solicitors have said that this could have major implications for jobseekers.

It has been reported that three judges in London ruled that the regulations under which most of the Government’s back-to-work schemes were created are unlawful and quashed them.

Miss Reilly and unemployed HGV driver Jamieson Wilson both succeeded in their claims that the unpaid schemes were legally flawed.

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Mr Wilson was told that his jobseeker’s allowance would be stopped after he refused to take part in the Community Action Programme, which his lawyers said would have involved him working unpaid for 30 hours per week for six months.

Commenting on this decision, the solicitors said:

“All of those people who have been sanctioned by having their jobseekers’ allowance withdrawn for non-compliance with the back-to-work schemes affected will be entitled to reclaim their benefits.”