Our Results

Our work with People in 2022

1000

cases worked on in 2022, with 297 clients having 2 or more cases open at any one time

£ 300000

in current and future
year financial benefit
for our clients

900

clients
supported
in 2022

Social Security Benefits Casework

800

social security benefit
cases supported in 2022

Disability Living Allowance

2%*

Employment and Support Allowance

6%*

Housing Benefits

7%*

Personal Independence Payments

53%*

Universal Credit

24%*

Other: Council Tax Support, Carers Allowance etc.

*% of the total social security benefits cases opened (1,032)

8%*

Housing Casework

260

housing
cases
supported
in 2022

Rent arrears

3%*

Challenging decisions for social housing

27%*

Disrepair

8%*

Possession Proceedings

2%*

Homelessness/suitability of temporary accommodation

22%*

Other housing cases

38%*

*% of the total housing benefit cases opened (360)

Prevention of homelessness

adults avoided homelessness
as a result of our interventions

"I was street homeless and in a wheelchair"

Tribunal Representation

We continue to provide Londoners with tribunal representation when they appeal their adverse benefit decisions, including disability benefits and Universal Credit. In 2022, we worked with eleven corporate law firms and two Universities to represent hundreds of people who have been denied access to the benefits they are entitled to.

Please note, the Covid-19 pandemic affected how quickly cases were being seen by the Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS), which continues to impact our numbers.

In 2022, we supported 222 tribunal cases: of which 116 received decisions.

Our success rate was 85%

Wrap Around Support

£ 900

in hardship grants accessed for clients (food, white goods & other essentials)

forms completed on
behalf of clients with
support from volunteers

£ 59000

in grants from partnership with Turn2us, £2,000 awarded to 30 individuals/families

The Difference We Have Made to Clients

As a result of our casework and pro bono projects, we continue to achieve positive outcomes for our clients. We find that achieving this, leading to increased incomes and reduced financial liability, helps them to live securely. In 2022, of closed cases:

792 cases recorded an improvement in understanding of their benefit rights and entitlements

203 cases recorded an increase in income

149 cases recorded being better able to navigate the benefits system

Policy and Campaigning Achievements

#PeopleBeforeProcess Campaign:

Surveyed people with experiences in Work Capability Assessment (WCA) and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessments, which attracted 1,420 responses and published our People Before Process Report
Launched an e-action for disabled people and other supporters to ask their local MP to call on ministers to publish the Health & Disability Green Paper. 1,684 people took this action.
Submitted a detailed written response to the Green Paper and put together an Easy Read version of our views to ensure accessibility.
We launched an e-action for people to respond directly to the Green Paper, which has resulted in 1,520 submitting a response. Half of those were people who had been through an assessment themselves. We believe Z2K was the only organisation facilitating responses this way and that our efforts prompted one-third of the 4,500 responses DWP received.
Gave written and oral evidence to the Work & Pensions Select Committee inquiry, including the testimony of our client’s experiences of these WCA and PIP assessments and what they believe needs to change.
Prompted a Westminster Hall Debate led by Marsha De Cordova, which included contributions from more than a dozen other MPs describing some of their constituents’ experiences and demanding reform.

#IncreaseLegacyBenefits Campaign:

Standard Allowance for Universal Credit was raised by £20 a week but legacy benefits (Job Seekers Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance and Income Support) were raised by just £1.35 a week
Led opposition in conjunction with the Disability Benefits Consortium (100+ organisations)
The campaign secured over 120,000 supporters
Topic covered in over 140 titles, including articles in The Guardian, Independence and Mirror, as well as numerous local newspapers
Thousands of people emailed their MP about this injustice
The government’s own Social Security Advisory Committee challenged ministers on this issue
Lord Economic Affairs Committee (amongst others) supported our call
Supported legal challenge on the issue that was heard at the High Court at the end of 2021.
Supported Disabled People Against Cuts in their vigil outside the High Court on the day of the first court hearing

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