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Support staff win holiday benefits

Many school support staff in England will be able to claim state benefits during holidays following a landmark ruling by a social security tribunal. But a trade union has warned that it is only a partial victory.

But a trade union has warned that it is only a partial victory.

Dinner ladies, teaching assistants and administrative staff were previously not entitled to claim jobseeker's allowance because they were deemed to be working over the school holidays. But during a case brought forward by the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG), a tribunal of Social Security Commissioners decided that the rules, which the Government conceded discriminated against women, were unlawful and should not be applied.

CPAG legal officer Stewart Wright described the ruling as 'a groundbreaking decision'. He added, 'For too long, term-time workers have been treated unfairly and unjustly and have spent many summers under threat of hardship.'

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