Court reverses 2021 ruling that stripped child's disability benefits

A regional court has overturned a 2021 decision that stripped a child of disability status. The ruling follows a legal challenge against officials who terminated state benefits three years ago. The case centred on a child with a severe congenital intestinal disorder first recognised in 2018.

The child was granted disability status in 2018 due to a lifelong medical condition. This recognition was extended until April 2021. But in May of that year, authorities declared the child no longer eligible, cutting off financial support.

The Zhetisu Regional Court examined the case and found flaws in the 2021 assessment. Judges ruled that officials had applied rigid procedures without properly evaluating the child’s lasting functional impairments. As a result, the court declared the May 14, 2021, decision unlawful. The ruling restores the child’s disability status, effective from July 2024. It also orders the recalculation and back payment of benefits from the date they were stopped. The court’s decision is now legally binding.

The child will receive missed payments covering the period from May 14, 2021, to July 17, 2024. Future benefits will continue under the restored disability status. The case sets a precedent on how medical and social assessments must account for ongoing impairments.