Legal ruling for Huddersfield grandma means she can claim back £11,000 - and so could thousands of other people around the country

Mar 13 2010 Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Mrs B said: “I am delighted. Everyone knows how expensive it is to bring up children nowadays. An extra £50 per week will make all the difference to me.

“My grandson is a livewire – he’s on the go all the time. This gives me the chance to get him involved in activities in the holidays – and to buy him the things he needs which as a pensioner I just couldn’t afford.

“It’s a lifeline – but it has taken me over four years to gain this victory.”

Nigel Priestley, of Ridley and Hall solicitors who represented Mrs B, said: “It’s definitely a landmark victory. What Kirklees is doing is what some other local authorities are doing. People who have SGOs need to get in touch.”

A spokesman for Kirklees Council said: “We are disappointed with the judgement made in this case and we are now considering the implications of the verdict and the options available to us.

“The judgement will have implications for all local authorities and so is a landmark case.

“We have a right to appeal against the judgement, which is an option on which we are considering legal advice.

“It would therefore be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.”