The UK Supreme Court has announced that it considers the Widowed Parents’ Allowance to be incompatible with Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights, on the basis that it requires claimants to have been married to their spouse and offers no protection to unmarried couples. This has come to light after an unmarried mother from Northern Ireland – Siobhan McLaughlin – was refused bereavement payments following the death of her partner who she had four children with. Ms McLaughlin has now won a ruling from the Supreme Court that such legislation breaches human rights law.

Evidence from the National Centre for Domestic Violence (NCDV) suggests that reports of domestic violence increased sharply during the 2018 World Cup tournament, despite England’s success. The charity received 2,619 reports of domestic violence between the 1st and 10th July this year - an increase of 500 when compared with a similar 10-day period before the competition began.

Researchers from the Universities of Bristol and Cambridge have looked at financial settlements on divorce in England and Wales to analyse the characteristics of cases and settlements resolved at different stages.

Services providing support for survivors of domestic abuse are in line for a boost after the Government announced that it is to make around £19 million of new funding available.

A recently published report into the child welfare system has highlighted issues with the existing Children’s Social Care and Family Justice Sector and has put forward several suggestions for change.