AFFORDABLE LAW FOR YOU

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Friday 29 April 2022

LET US TALK ABOUT AUTISM SERIES: AT COURT

Hi, it's Deborah and Euzi

Let us talk about autism! If a solicitor recognises that their client is autistic or has a mental health condition, they might ask to delay proceedings until a psychiatric report can be obtained.

In the International Classification of Diseases, autism comes under the heading of 'Mental and behavioural disorders', and under the sub-group of 'Disorders of psychological development'. This offers the magistrate the option to proceed under mental health rather than criminal legislation.

A client on the autism spectrum should be assessed for their capacity to understand the proceedings. Some autistic clients are unfit to plead in court.

The judge or jury can decide on a person's fitness to plead and can draw on as many psychiatric reports as necessary in order to do this.

It is essential to have a report from a specialist in the autism field. Sometimes it is easier to obtain a specialist medical report after obtaining medical reports from the person's GP. In some cases, a court may make a hospital order for 28 days for assessment. This will usually be at the local psychiatric unit, where there may not necessarily be an autism specialist.

Autistic witnesses may need special measures and/or a Registered Intermediary who can help the judge and the lawyers to phrase their questions in a way that the client will understand. At the discretion of the judge, these things can also be put in place for a vulnerable defendant.

Police or the Crown Prosecution Service can request a Registered Intermediary through the Witness Intermediary Scheme by contacting the National Crime Agency Specialist Operations Centre (SOC) at soc@nca.x.gsi.gov.uk or on 0845 000 5463. This is for criminal cases only, and SOC can only take requests from the police or CPS, not from individuals.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/say-bye-bye-to-boozy-buys-cma-warns-about-dangers-of-late-night-shopping?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications-topic&utm_source=27b1ffe6-719d-436c-b33f-44bbf2fa40a2&utm_content=daily

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SAY BYE BYE TO BOOZY BUYS - CMA WARNS ABOUT DANGERS OF LATE NIGHT SHOPPING

Hi, it's Deborah and Euzi

Warning!!! Do not order good online when you are not totally focused…

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/low-pay-commission-consultation-2022

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LOW PAY COMMISSION CONSULTATION

Hi, it's Deborah and Euzi

Have your say: the Low Pay Commission (LPC) has launched a consultation seeking evidence on the impact of National Living Wage (NLW) and National Minimum Wage (NMW) increases to help guide its recommendations on the 2023 minimum wage rates. LPC also seeks views on business conditions in light of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the impact of an increase to an NLW rate of £10.32 in April 2023, and the NLW pathway to 2024 that forecasts the NLW rate will be £10.95 in April 2024.

The consultation closes at 6 pm on 20 June 2022.

For further information on how to take part in this consultation go to:

https://www.gov.uk/child-maintenance-service

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Thursday 28 April 2022

CHILD MAINTENANCE SERVICE GUIDE

Hi, it's Deborah and Euzi

The Department for Work and Pensions has published a guide explaining how to set up or manage a child maintenance arrangement, including what to do if a parent does not pay, how to contact the Child Maintenance Service, and signing in to one's account…

https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/advice-and-guidance/separate-and-single-sex-service-providers-guide-equality-act-sex-and-gender

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SEPARATE AND SINGLE-SEX SERVICE PROVIDERS: A GUIDE ON THE EQUALITY ACT SEX AND GENDER REASSIGNMENTS PROVISION

Hi, it's Deborah and Euzi

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has published guidance for separate and single-sex service providers regarding the sex and gender reassignment provisions of the Equality Act 2010…

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/04/priti-patels-immigration-bill-suffers-at-least-10-defeats-in-lords

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Wednesday 27 April 2022

PRITI PATEL'S IMMIGRATION BILL SUFFERS AT LEAST 10 DEFEATS IN LORDS

Hi, it's Deborah and Euzi

What do you think?

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/right-to-work-checks-employers-guide

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RIGHT TO WORK CHECKS - EMPLOYERS' GUIDE

Hi, it's Deborah and Euzi

The Home Office has published an updated version of its right to work checks guidance document for employers…

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/mar/31/britons-living-overseas-for-15-years-get-the-right-to-vote-in-uk-elections

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Tuesday 26 April 2022

BRITONS LIVING OVERSEAS FOR 15 YEARS TO GET RIGHT TO VOTE IN UK ELECTIONS

Hi, it's Deborah and Euzi

Do you agree with that?

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/home-secretary-launches-new-tackling-domestic-abuse-plan

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TACKLING DOMESTIC ABUSE PLAN

Hi, it's Deborah and Euzi

The Home Secretary has announced the launch of the Tackling Domestic Abuse Plan as a part of the Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy…

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/living-safely-with-respiratory-infections-including-covid-19

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LIVING SAFELY WITH RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS, INCLUDING COVID-19

Hi, it's Deborah and Euzi

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published guidance on ‘Living safely with respiratory infections, including COVID-19’...

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/mar/28/female-former-inmates-protest-uk-imprisonment-pregnant-women

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Monday 25 April 2022

FEMALE FORMER INMATES PROTEST AGAINST IMPRISONMENT OF PREGNANT WOMEN

Hi, it's Deborah and Euzi

Do you agree with that?

https://www.tuc.org.uk/news/tuc-government-must-come-clean-over-plans-workers-rights

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TUC - GOVERNMENT MUST "COME CLEAN" OVER PLANS FOR WORKERS' RIGHTS

Hi, it's Deborah and Euzi

Following reports that the Employment Bill is not to feature in the Queen's Speech in May, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) has demanded that the government ‘come clean’ over its plans for workers’ rights…

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/mar/25/home-office-illegally-seized-asylum-seekers-phones

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Sunday 24 April 2022

HOME OFFICE ILLEGALLY SEIZED ASYLUM SEEKERS PHONES

Hi, it's Deborah and Euzi

What do you think of that?

https://ico.org.uk/global/data-protection-and-coronavirus-19/

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DATA PROTECTION AND CORONAVIRUS-19: RELAXATION OF GOVERNMENT MEASURES

Hi, it's Deborah and Euzi

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has published new advice entitled ’Data protection and Coronavirus-19 – relaxation of government measures’. The new guidance provides a brief overview of the relevant issues, i.e. necessity, retaining information collected during the pandemic, whether vaccination information can be collected and managing positive cases, and links to the ICO’s general guidance on the data protection principles...

https://www.theguardian.com/law/2022/mar/22/guardian-wins-legal-challenge-access-employment-tribunal

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Saturday 23 April 2022

GUARDIAN WINS LEGAL CHALLENGE OVER ACCESS TO EMPLOYMENT TRIBUNAL

Hi, it's Deborah and Euzi

Very interesting…

https://www.irwinmitchell.com/news-and-insights/in-focus/menopause

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IRWIN MITCHELL: "TACKLING THE MENOPAUSE TABOO IN THE WORKPLACE"

Hi, it's Deborah and Euzi

A report 'Tackling the Menopause Taboo in the Workplace' has been published by law firm Irwin Mitchell following their commissioning of a YouGov survey of 1,000 UK-based HR professionals to examine the issue of menopause in the workplace, and progress being made by employers to support employees experiencing or supporting those experiencing symptoms of the menopause…

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Friday 22 April 2022

LET US TALK ABOUT AUTISM SERIES - SPECIAL WITNESSES

Hi, it's Deborah and Euzi

Let us talk about autism! Autistic clients are more likely to be victims and witnesses of crime than offenders. When autistic clients commit offences, it may be for the following reasons:

Social naivety

The desire to have friends has led some autistic clients to be befriended by criminals, and become their unwitting accomplices. Autistic clients often do not understand other people’s motives.

Difficulty with change or unexpected events

An unexpected change in the environment or routine, eg a public transport delay, may cause great anxiety and distress, leading to aggressive behaviour.

Misunderstanding of social cues

For example, many autistic clients have difficulties with eye contact, which may be avoided, fleeting, prolonged or inappropriate. This may be interpreted as intimidating or alarming.

Rigid adherence to rules

An autistic client may become extremely agitated if other people break these rules. For example, an autistic man was known to kick cars that were parked illegally.

Not understanding the implications of their behaviour

Due to difficulties with social imagination, an autistic client might not be able to predict the consequences of their actions or learn from past experience. They may repeatedly offend if not offered the correct support and intervention.