The country’s most influential disabled people’s organisation (DPO) has insisted that its survival is not at risk, despite being forced to make several staff redundant, including one of its most high-profile campaigning voices. Disability Rights UK was only formed last January […]
News Archive
New ‘fitness for work’ test changes ‘could breach Human Rights Act’
Major new changes to the government’s “fitness for work” test could breach the Human Rights Act and see many more disabled people losing the support they need, say leading campaigners and lawyers. The new regulations were laid before parliament on 17 […]
DWP made ‘cynical attempt’ to hide true intentions over PIP eligibility
A disabled activist has accused the government of a “cynical attempt” to hide its intention to tighten eligibility for support for people with the highest mobility needs. Jane Young, coordinator of the WeAreSpartacus online network of disabled campaigners spoke out after […]
Government has ‘blood on its hands’ over ‘fitness for work’ test
The government has “blood on its hands” from the deaths of disabled people caused by its “fitness for work” test a minister has been told during the angriest and most outspoken parliamentary debate yet on the much-criticised assessment. Several opposition MPs […]
Protesters await vital ‘fitness for work’ court ruling
Protesters took part in a vigil outside the Royal Courts of Justice this week as they awaited a ruling in a case that could force the government to improve its much-criticised “fitness for work” test. Inside, the high court was hearing […]
Government has ‘emasculated’ EHRC, disabled peer tells minister
A disabled peer has told a minister that her government’s cuts and reforms have “emasculated” the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). Lord [Colin] Low told peers last week – during a debate on the enterprise and regulatory reform bill – […]
London 2012 Paralympics boss will lead on disability for EHRC
The government has appointed one of Britain’s most-successful Paralympians to be the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s (EHRC) new disability commissioner. Chris Holmes is one of six new commissioners whose appointments were announced by the Conservative culture secretary Maria Miller this […]
Disabled people with highest needs ‘will lose 19 times more’ than average
Disabled people with the highest support needs will lose 19 times more than the average person as a result of “devastating” government cuts to services and benefits, according to a new report. The report A Fair Society? How the Cuts Target […]
Personalisation bureaucracy ‘is wasting hundreds of millions of pounds’
The system set up to give service-users their own social care budgets is wasting hundreds of millions of pounds a year on bureaucracy, despite having no impact on people’s well-being and independence according to new research. The two new studies cast […]
Access to Work extension should be just the beginning, says Sayce
The author of a government report on disability employment has welcomed an extension of the Access to Work (AtW) scheme to some disabled entrepreneurs but has called for funding to be extended even further. From Monday (14 January), disabled people moving […]