For the past couple of years I have been knee-deep in appeals on behalf of our (Blind) Beneficiaries, against refusals by various LA’s to allow a “quiet room” allowance against the annual council tax charge. Previous to Sandwell v Perks, obtaining this allowance was not a problem.

I have had many and various misinterpretations of the Act* but currently, I am being told that “it all hangs on the latest case going to the High Court”. Does anyone have any idea which case this is and how can I make sure I hear about the outcome?

*(If you think I’m kidding – one of our almost totally blind Beneficiaries was refused the allowance on the grounds that he could “take his laptop anywhere in the house to use it”. The “laptop” is a 40lb, screwed to a table top viewing machine that has to be used in total darkness, as it shows one individual letter at a time (blown up to awesome proportions) and projects it onto the wall. As he is 85 and lives in a maisonette with a very narrow set of stairs, their suggestion is not only unreasonable but could be a very elaborate form of suicide!)

Belinda Belaire