Three major local government policies implemented by the coalition – including controversial benefits caps – face the prospect of legal challenges, after failing to meet stringent equalities tests, lawyers warned this week.

In a critical assessment of the Government's 2010 Spending Review, published on 14 May, the Equality and Human Rights Commission revealed ministers failed to fully consider equalities impacts when deciding to introduce an annual household benefit cap of £26,000, reduce the bus service operators grant (BSOG), and scrap the educational maintenance allowance (EMA).