A police force that failed to treat a disabled man’s “years of torment” at the hands of local youths as disability hate crime has been heavily criticised by the police watchdog and hate crime campaigners. David Askew, who had learning difficulties, […]
News Archive
Court cases expose hate crime problems in justice system
Two court cases involving prolonged, violent attacks on disabled people have again exposed problems within the criminal justice system over its treatment of disability hate crime. In one case, a judge refused to treat a case in which four people subjected […]
Virtual protest ‘will help send message to government’ on cuts
Disabled people unable to attend the TUC’s mass march and rally over government spending cuts will be able to take part instead in a “virtual” protest online. Disabled campaigners will be at the front of the protest march on Saturday 26 […]
Disabled peers queue up to attack government over work test changes
Disabled peers have called on the government not to push ahead with new regulations that will make it even harder for people to claim out-of-work disability benefits. Lord [Colin] Low Baroness [Rosalie] Wilkins, the Countess of Mar and Baroness [Celia] Thomas […]
Review raises fears over government’s plans for care duties
Disabled people have “reasons to be very nervous” about a government review which questions whether local authorities should still have a legal duty to assess disabled people’s care needs, say campaigners. A wide-ranging review led by the Communities and Local Government […]
TalkTalk directed disability complaints to non-existent helpline
The phone company TalkTalk has apologised after telling disabled customers who wanted to lodge complaints to call a helpline that has been disconnected for the last 12 months. Some customer services staff have been directing disabled customers who want to complain […]
Questions raised over council’s equality impact refusal
A local authority has refused to explain why it will not release an assessment of how its savage spending cuts will affect disabled people and other minority groups. Members of Lambeth council pushed through a package of spending cuts last month, […]
Funding cuts put future of self-advocacy movement in doubt
Serious concerns have been raised about the future of the UK’s self-advocacy movement, with four-fifths of organisations under threat of closure, according to a leading disabled activist. Andrew Lee, director of People First (Self Advocacy), said that 80 per cent of […]
Thousands of disabled people to be forced into unpaid work
Thousands of disabled people are set to be forced to do unpaid work in order to continue receiving their out-of-work benefits, despite the government’s own benefits advice body saying the scheme should not go ahead. The government introduced new rules this […]
Seeking parliamentary selection was ‘absolute nightmare’, says disabled politician
A disabled councillor has described to MPs and peers the “absolute nightmare” she experienced when trying to win selection as a parliamentary candidate. Marie Pye, a Labour councillor in Waltham Forest, said she had had an “incredibly positive” experience as both […]