A major speech on social security reform by Labour’s shadow work and pensions secretary has revealed “major gaps in his understanding” of the issues affecting disabled people, say campaigners. Liam Byrne, and his leader, Ed Miliband, have been criticised by disabled […]
News Archive
DPAC praises ‘inclusive’ protest movement after fracking action
Disabled activists were among protesters who took part in this week’s high-profile anti-“fracking” direct action on the edge of a Sussex village. About a dozen members of Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) took part in the protest, which saw activists chained […]
McVey calls on councils to smooth the way to accessible beaches
The minister for disabled people has written to every local authority in England to try to persuade them to do more to make their tourist hotspots more accessible. Esther McVey said she wanted councils to ensure that disabled people could enjoy […]
Sports world mourns Chris Hallam, ‘a pioneer and a legend’
The disability sports world is mourning the death of one of the pioneers of professional wheelchair racing, Chris Hallam. Hallam won medals in both swimming and wheelchair racing, and competed at four Paralympic games, in 1984, 1988, 1992 and 1996, winning […]
Disabled people have the right to an active sex life
Posted by The Mobility Superstore: www.themobilitysuperstore.co.uk The recent Channel 4 documentary Sex on Wheels raised a few eyebrows, as it shone a light on the sex lives of four disabled people and their fight for sexual equality. Whether certain sections of […]
Ministers ‘misuse’ figures to show UK ‘is world leader’ on disability spending
Work and pensions ministers have been making misleading use of international statistics in a bid to justify cuts to disability benefits and services, an analysis by Disability News Service suggests. Esther McVey, the Conservative minister for disabled people, has told MPs […]
Government’s benefits advisers say PIP changes could cause ‘catastrophe’
The government’s own benefits advice body has warned that last-minute changes made to eligibility for the new mobility benefit could have a “catastrophic” impact on some disabled people. The Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC) says in a letter that some disabled […]
DPAC hopes history lesson will help reclaim the future from austerity
Disabled activists are hoping a week of protest action will inspire a new generation of campaigners to fight cuts to disability rights, benefits and services, by drawing on the successes of the past. Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) is promising direct […]
Work Choice must go, say campaigners
New figures show that the government should scrap its specialist disability employment programme and replace it with a more intensive, personalised system of support, say campaigners. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) figures show that its Work Choice scheme has […]
It’s time for change at the top, says Tanni
Britain’s best-known Paralympian has called for more disabled people to be involved in running national disability sports organisations. Baroness [Tanni] Grey-Thompson, winner of 11 Paralympic gold medals, called for action after a Disability News Service (DNS) survey revealed that most of […]