New government guidance aims to boost the number of personal assistants (PAs), and make it easier for disabled people to employ them. The new framework for supporting personal assistants in adult social care was launched this week by care services minister […]
News Archive
Work capability tests: Media sparks horror with stories of ‘fakers’ and ‘shirkers’
Activists have attacked newspapers and the government over “appalling” coverage of the release of new statistics on claimants of out-of-work disability benefits. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) released figures this week showing the number of disabled people found “fit […]
Work capability tests: MPs ‘objectionable’ for criticising charities
A committee of MPs has criticised campaigning charities for not doing more to promote the “opportunities” offered by the government’s controversial reassessment of incapacity benefit claimants, and for “fuelling anxiety” among disabled people. The report, from the work and pensions committee, […]
The ‘Hardest Hit’ are set to protest across the UK
Disabled people across the UK are being urged to take part in a series of protests across the country against cuts to services and benefits. The local and regional protests will take place this autumn as a follow-up to May’s hugely […]
Silent threat of electric vehicles ‘must be curbed’
Car manufacturers must be forced to adapt their near-silent electric vehicles so they no longer pose such a serious threat to the safety of blind pedestrians, say campaigners. A new report for the government downplays the risk caused by quiet electric […]
Care watchdog defends failure to uncover abuse evidence
The care regulator has defended the failure of its own inspectors to uncover evidence of serious abuse at a private “hospital” for people with learning difficulties. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) faced serious questions this week after it published its report […]
DPOs boycott charities’ ‘independent’ review of mobility needs
Disabled people’s organisations (DPOs) are to boycott a review set up by two of the big disability charities into one of the most controversial parts of the government’s welfare reform bill. Leonard Cheshire Disability (LCD) and Mencap announced this week that […]
Concern over replacement of ODI director
The government has replaced the disabled director of its Office for Disability Issues (ODI) with a non-disabled civil servant, without advertising the post externally. Tim Cooper is moving to a new job as chief executive of Advance, a supported housing and […]
DPO funding is welcomed, but is still a ‘drop in the ocean’
The government has launched a scheme designed to support the growth of local disabled people’s organisations (DPOs). Maria Miller, the minister for disabled people, was at West of England Centre for Inclusive Living in Bristol to launch the programme, which was […]
Disabled women ask court to force council to think again over cuts
Two older disabled women have this week taken their fight against council cuts to care and support to the high court. Lawyers for the two women have argued that Lancashire County Council breached the Disability Discrimination Act by failing to take […]