A disabled peer has challenged a minister over whether she is taking account of the views of disabled people in developing new policies. Baroness [Jane] Campbell told Maria Miller, the minister for disabled people, that there had been a “great deal […]
News Archive
New assessment ‘repeats mistakes of fitness for work test’
Trials of the assessment for the benefit that will replace disability living allowance (DLA) show the test is worryingly similar to the government’s discredited “fitness for work” assessment, say campaigners. The government has been trialling questions for the test it plans […]
Thousands rally across the UK under Hardest Hit banner
Thousands of disabled people and other campaigners took part in a series of anti-cuts protests last weekend in more than a dozen towns and cities across the UK. The rallies and marches took place under the banner of The Hardest Hit, […]
Minister and mayor face angry hecklers over cuts and Atos
The minister for disabled people and London’s mayor faced repeated, angry heckling from activists when they addressed a conference held to discuss disability issues in the capital. Maria Miller and Boris Johnson were constantly interrupted in their speeches at the mayor’s […]
Motability rule change means disabled people must drive cheaper cars
Disabled people have reacted angrily after they were told they will no longer be able to drive vehicles worth over £25, 000 through the Motability car scheme. The announcement of tighter new rules by Motability follows a series of inaccurate, hostile […]
Gervais sparks storm over disablist word
Comedian Ricky Gervais has sparked a storm of protest from disabled people and other campaigners after repeatedly using an offensive and disablist word in messages on the social media network Twitter. Gervais sent a string of “tweets” that used the word […]
More news is bad news, says report
There has been a “significant increase” in the number of negative stories about disabled people in national newspapers over the last six years, according to new research. The Bad News for Disabled People report which compared articles from 2004-05 and 2010-11, […]
Wales secures long-awaited independent living strategy
The announcement of a long-awaited strategy for promoting independent living in Wales has been welcomed by disabled campaigners. The Welsh government announced plans to develop a new Framework for Action on Independent Living at a seminar organised by the disabled people’s […]
Government is ‘talking up’ benefit fraud, says Labour shadow minister
Labour’s new shadow minister for disabled people has accused the government of “talking up” the issue of disability benefit fraud as it attempts to push through its sweeping welfare reforms. Anne McGuire, herself a former minister for disabled people told Disability […]
Scope’s DIAL UK closure threatens rift with movement
A disability charity’s decision to close down a national advice organisation, just two years after they merged, has provoked anger among disabled people’s organisations (DPOs). Scope merged in 2008 with DIAL UK, a long-established DPO which supports a network of about […]