I'm a writting with regards my failed attempt to claim lone parent 
benefits during my period of unemployment in 2003.

Although as you are aware I am now working full time and this issue no 
longer affects me directly I do remain concerned as this is part of a 
much wider social injust, that of rights of the father (and Child).

I have recently been made aware of a supreme court ruling between a Mr 
EUGEN HERMAN HOCKENJOS and the secretary of state for social security.

Mr HOCKENJOS was in the exact same position as myself in that he had 
shared care of a child for who he could not receive any benefits.

His argument, like mine, that it is unfair to use child benefit (a non 
means tested benefit) to asses a persons eligiability to receive income 
support (and other *means tested* benefits) on the basis that Child 
benefit can only be paid to one individual and that is usually (and 
discriminatorily) the mother, was upheld.

The Lord Justices determined amongst other things that the requirement 
of being in receipt of child benefit for the purpose of obtaining means 
tested benefits to be unjust.

A copy of the full judgement can be found here:
http://www.fathercare.org/hockenjos.htm

As you are aware the knock on effect for me of not being able to receive 
benefit was enourmous, Ultimately resulting in my now being a 
non-resident parent and XXXX having to move to live with her Mother in 
Tunstall

Also you may wish to note that I am still paying council tax arrears for 
the period in question and that it now appears that the Lord Justices 
would consider this to be injust.

In summing up Lord Justice Ward stated: "I do exhort urgent 
consideration being given to the need to cater for shared care 
arrangements in the fair allocation of limited subsistence resources. "

As this ruling occured over 12 months ago I would be gratefull if you 
would agree to follow this up and find out what steps (if any) have been 
taken to ensure just and fair apportionment of child benefit and 
assosiated benefits.

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I will of course post her reply.