The government’s justification for cutting a vital benefit from disabled people in residential care is “a myth”, according to a coalition of charities. The government claims removing the mobility component of disability living allowance (DLA) from an estimated 80,000 people in […]
News Archive
Government ‘should copy DPTAC, not scrap it’
The government should rethink the decision to scrap its accessible transport advice body and even set up similar committees in other departments, according to a disabled peer. Lord [Colin] Low said the Department for Transport (DfT) had “lost its focus” on […]
Blood campaigners ‘angry and let down’ by government’s final offer
Disabled campaigners say they feel “angry and let down” by the government’s decision to offer only a slight improvement to the compensation it will pay survivors of the NHS contaminated blood disaster. More than 2, 000 people with haemophilia have so […]
DPOs ‘must be given platform to play part in Big Society’
The government must do more to recognise the value of small disabled people’s organisations (DPOs) as it develops its plans for a “Big Society”, according to an alliance of disability organisations. Disability LIB, which provides support to help DPOs boost their […]
Norfolk’s poorest disabled people ‘face massive fall in living standards’
The 90 000 poorest disabled people in Norfolk could see their standard of living plunge by more than a third due to government and council cuts and reforms, according to research for a disabled people’s organisation. The research for Norfolk Coalition […]
Thousands volunteer for London 2012
More than 8, 000 disabled people have applied to volunteer at the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics. Although the figure is only about three per cent of the total number of applicants, the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and […]
New Year Honours: Recognition for leading disabled figures
A Labour MP has joined campaigners and leading figures from the worlds of sport, media and business among disabled people recognised in the New Year Honours. Anne Begg, the Labour MP for Aberdeen South who chairs the Commons work and pensions […]
New Year Honours: OBE recipient criticises decision to scrap DPTAC
One of the country’s leading experts on access in the transport industry has been awarded an OBE, less than three months after the government decided to scrap the advice body she served on for nine years. Ann Bates, a wheelchair-user herself, […]
New Year Honours: Activist will use MBE to fight government on cuts
A leading disabled activist says she will use the MBE she was awarded in the New Year Honours to help fight government plans to slash disability benefits. Anne Novis was awarded an MBE for services to disabled people in London. The […]
New Year Honours: Equality watchdog ‘has failed on disability rights’
A former leading figure in the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) has accused the watchdog that took over its work of failing to make any progress in securing rights for disabled people. Dr Kevin Fitzpatrick, who was the DRC’s commissioner with responsibility […]