UK High Court rules against back-to-work scheme

The UK High Court has ruled against a piece of government legislation that supports a “back-to-work” scheme, which forced Britons to work for free in order to qualify for benefits.

The court ruled that emergency laws supporting the scheme are “incompatible” with the European Convention on Human Rights.

Justice Beverly Lang said the retrospective application of the legislation “interfered with the right to a fair trial” of those affected.

The controversial legislation was introduced in 2013 to reinforce the “back-to-work” scheme, which forced unemployed Britons to participate in “mandatory work activity” or be denied government benefits. The scheme was dubbed “slave labor” by opponents.

The ruling could lead to the British government being forced to pay up to £130 million (USD 223 million) to people denied welfare payments.

Birmingham-based public interest lawyer Phil Shiner, who fought against the scheme, commented on the court’s verdict, saying it was a “massive blow” to the coalition government’s “attempts to make poor people on benefits work for companies, who already make massive profits, for free.”

In reaction to the court’s decision, a spokeswoman from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), which implemented the scheme, said it was “disappointed” and would appeal the ruling. The DWP spokeswoman insisted that despite the court’s decision, the scheme would remain in place and no compensation payments would be made.