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Community Care Law, Welfare Benefits Law | Monday 8 December 2025

Successful defence of Universal Credit Transitional Protection

Blog post by Georgie Rea of the Garden Court Community Care Law Team.

Georgie Rea

Welfare Benefits Law, Administrative and Public Law | Friday 10 October 2025

High Court finds Council unlawfully terminated disabled child’s social care direct payments

Ollie Persey of Garden Court Chambers acted for the successful Claimant, instructed by Lucy Atherton of Irwin Mitchell LLP. 

Ollie Persey

Inquests and Inquiries, Welfare Benefits Law, Civil Liberties and Human Rights | Wednesday 10 September 2025

Low-income families an ‘afterthought’: Matthew Ahluwalia represents CPAG in Covid-19 Inquiry

Matthew Ahluwalia of Garden Court Chambers is instructed in the Covid-19 Inquiry on behalf of core participant, Child Poverty Action Group.

Matthew Ahluwalia

Housing Law, Welfare Benefits Law, Administrative and Public Law | Friday 25 July 2025

Court of Appeal rules on approach of Tribunals relating to lack of capacity or other compromising disadvantage suffered by litigant

DP was represented by Desmond Rutledge of Garden Court Chambers, led by Jamie Burton KC of Doughty Street Chambers.

Desmond Rutledge

Community Care Law, Education Law, Administrative and Public Law | Thursday 16 January 2025

School Inclusion Project, Ollie Persey and the Case of Finch v Surrey County Council shortlisted at LexisNexis Legal Awards 2025

We are delighted to announce that the School Inclusion Project has been shortlisted for The Halsbury Award for Rule of Law, the case of Finch v Surrey County Council [2024] UKSC 20 has been shortlisted for Case of the Year and Ollie Persey has been shortlisted for Legal Personality of the Year at the LexisNexis Legal Awards 2025.

Ollie PerseyMarc Willers KC

Welfare Benefits Law, Administrative and Public Law | Monday 16 December 2024

Tribunal rules amended to reflect Court of Appeal ruling that mandatory reconsideration by HMRC is not precondition of appealing a tax credits decision

The intention of the amended rule is to better reflect the Court of Appeal's ruling in Commissioners for HMRC v Arrbab [2024] EWCA Civ 16, [2024] 3 WLR 295. Desmond Rutledge and Ollie Persey of Garden Court represented the Respondent, Mr Arrbab.

Desmond RutledgeOllie Persey

Welfare Benefits Law, Community Care Law | Monday 14 October 2024

Disabled Woman Wins £34,000 Benefits Case

Desmond Rutledge and Matthew Ahluwalia of the Garden Court Community Care Team represented Ramona at the Tribunal, instructed by Sam O’Flaherty of Osbornes Law.

Desmond RutledgeMatthew Ahluwalia

Welfare Benefits Law, Administrative and Public Law | Thursday 25 April 2024

Legal team acting in landmark Court of Appeal tax credit case win Citizens Advice award

Desmond Rutledge and Ollie Persey of Garden Court Chambers represented the Respondent, Mr Arrbab in the Court of Appeal.

Desmond RutledgeOllie Persey

Administrative and Public Law, Housing Law, Welfare Benefits Law | Friday 5 April 2024

Justine Compton appointed full-time Judge in Social Entitlement Chamber

We are delighted to announce that Justine Compton has been appointed a Judge in the First Tier Tribunal, Social Entitlement Chamber.

Welfare Benefits Law, Administrative and Public Law | Friday 19 January 2024

Garden Court represent tax credit claimant in a landmark Court of Appeal decision on access to justice

Desmond Rutledge and Ollie Persey of Garden Court Chambers acted for the respondent, instructed by Joe Power of Kirklees Citizens Advice & Law Centre and led by Jamie Burton KC of Doughty Street Chambers.

Desmond RutledgeOllie Persey

Domestic Abuse, Visas, Administrative and Public Law | Wednesday 4 October 2023

Garden Court secures top tier rankings in the Legal 500 UK 2024

Garden Court Chambers is proud to be recognised as a Top Tier set again in the Legal 500 UK 2024 rankings.

Criminal Defence, Youth Justice & Child Rights, Family Law | Friday 19 May 2023

Kathryn Cronin and Danielle Manson shortlisted at Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Awards 2023

We are delighted to announce that Kathryn Cronin and Danielle Manson of Garden Court Chambers have both been shortlisted for the Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Awards 2023 (LALYs).

Kathryn Cronin

Administrative and Public Law, Welfare Benefits Law | Friday 21 April 2023

Court of Appeal allows child’s disability living allowance appeal holding UK was competent state under EU co-ordination rules for social security

The Appellant was represented by Adrian Berry and Desmond Rutledge of Garden Court Chambers, instructed by William Ford of Osbornes Law Solicitors.

Adrian Berry KCDesmond Rutledge

Administrative and Public Law, Welfare Benefits Law | Tuesday 17 January 2023

Court of Appeal rules the policy of paying a COVID uplift to Universal Credit claimants but not to those claimants on Legacy Benefits is lawful

Claimants were represented by Jamie Burton KC of Doughty Street Chambers who led Desmond Rutledge of Garden Court Chambers, instructed by William Ford of Osbornes Law Solicitors.

Desmond Rutledge

Welfare Benefits Law | Friday 18 February 2022

High Court rules it was lawful to restrict £20-a-week covid uplift for Universal Credit claimants with no backdating for legacy benefits claimants

Desmond Rutledge, of the Garden Court Chambers Welfare Benefits Law Team, represented the Claimants, led by Jamie Burton QC of Doughty Street Chambers and instructed by William Ford of Osbornes Law.

Desmond Rutledge

Children Law, British Citizenship and Naturalisation, Settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain) | Thursday 21 October 2021

Garden Court secures number one rankings in Chambers UK Bar Guide 2022

Garden Court Chambers is recognised once again in Band 1 of Chambers & Partners for community care law, protest law, immigration law and social housing law.  We are ranked as a leading set in crime, inquests and public inquiries, police law, Court of Protection, Administrative & Public Law and Family: Children law. We are delighted […]

Welfare Benefits Law | Wednesday 14 July 2021

DWP to stop ‘cold-calling’ disabled people to make low benefit ‘offers’

The Claimant was represented by Desmond Rutledge of the Garden Court Chambers Welfare Benefits Law Team instructed by Sara Lomri of Public Law Project. The Claimant was also represented by Bijan Hoshi of Garden Court & PLP.

Bijan HoshiDesmond Rutledge

Administrative and Public Law, Welfare Benefits Law | Thursday 29 April 2021

High Court challenge to denial of benefit increases for nearly 2m people with disabilities

Desmond Rutledge of Garden Court Chambers instructed by William Ford of Osbornes Law.

Desmond Rutledge

Immigration Law, Welfare Benefits Law | Thursday 12 March 2020

Upper Tribunal rules that a British child living with her mother in the UK will not be entitled to Disability Living Allowance if her father is living and working in another EU State

Adrian Berry and Desmond Rutledge acted for the Claimant, instructed by William Ford of Osbornes Law. The claimant is considering an appeal to the Court of Appeal.

Adrian Berry KCDesmond Rutledge

Welfare Benefits Law, Community Care Law, Administrative and Public Law | Thursday 19 September 2019

HMRC defeated at European Court of Justice on rights for pregnant self-employed EU Citizens

Adrian Berry and Desmond Rutledge of Garden Court Chambers represented Ms Dakneviciute, instructed by the Welfare Rights Service of the City of Wolverhampton Council.

Adrian Berry KCDesmond Rutledge
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