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Disability News Service

the country's only news agency specialising in disability issues

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Disability hate crime prosecutions tumble again, three years after CPS admitted figures were ‘woeful’

16th October 2025

Prosecutions of disability hate crime plummeted again last year, with less than 300 cases taken forward by prosecutors, despite police forces in England and Wales recording more than 10,000 offences. It is now the seventh year in succession that Disability News Service […]

An image of a new black and white mobility scooter against a red and grey background, with the words '£1000 off! UK's No 1 Mobility Scooter' and also the words 'limited time'

Latest Stories

Government figures show first signs of ‘perverse’ cuts to Access to Work

16th October 2025

Official government figures have shown the first signs that ministers have been engaged in a “perverse” programme to secretly restrict grants made by the Access to Work disability employment scheme. The new Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) figures show that the […]

Disabled claimants losing out by hundreds of pounds a month through hidden impact of universal credit

16th October 2025

Disabled people have suddenly become up to £200 pounds a month worse off because of unexpected impacts of being moved from their old “legacy” benefits onto universal credit. Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) has been hearing from disabled people who have been […]

Ministers leave door open to continuing ‘absolute scandal’ of inappropriate Mental Health Act detention

16th October 2025

A disabled MP has failed to persuade ministers to show exactly what progress they are making towards ensuring there are enough community services to halt the “scandal” of disabled people being inappropriately detained under the Mental Health Act. Current mental health laws […]

Concern over ‘deeply worrying’ omission of disabled people from Lords assisted dying committee

16th October 2025

Campaigners say it is “deeply worrying” that there does not appear to have been a single disabled peer appointed to a new House of Lords committee set up to consider proposed new laws that will legalise assisted dying. Peers this week agreed […]

Scotland’s next government must act on disability rights, says new disabled people’s manifesto

16th October 2025

The next Scottish government needs to listen to disabled people and take action to ensure the systemic change needed to realise their rights, according to a new manifesto drawn up by a national disabled people’s organisation (DPO). Inclusion Scotland says in its […]

Home Office ‘uses false claims’ about disabled campaigner to dodge disability hate crime meeting

16th October 2025

The government has been accused of “hiding behind false claims” and failing disabled people who are being targeted by disability hate, while dodging a meeting with a leading disabled people’s organisation. The Home Office’s commitment to tackling disability hate crime has been […]

Tory trio mislead party conference on disability benefits as they stir up hostility towards disabled claimants

9th October 2025

A trio of leading Tories have used misleading and offensive statements at their annual conference in Manchester to scapegoat disabled people who rely on support from the benefits system and whip up hostility towards them. The Conservative party made it clear this […]

Government ‘has lost its way’ on accessible housing, after new towns report ignores disabled people

9th October 2025

The government has been accused of losing its way on accessible housing, after refusing to explain why a report by its “taskforce” on delivering a series of new towns across England does not include a single mention of disabled people. The independent […]

Alarm over government’s choices to lead ‘over-diagnosis’ review that could help ministers cut benefits

9th October 2025

The government’s decision to commission a review of alleged “over-diagnosis” of mental health conditions and neurodivergence has caused alarm among many disabled people, with fears that it will allow ministers to justify further sweeping cuts to disability benefits. There is also concern […]

Coach firm to pay thousands to accessible transport activist after driver lied that he threatened violence

9th October 2025

A coach operator that passed on defamatory lies about a well-known disabled activist who exposed the inaccessibility of one of its coaches will have to pay him substantial damages, and make a humiliating apology in open court. A driver for Bolton-based Tyrers […]

Access to Work dossier of evidence shows ‘real harm’ and job losses caused by DWP cuts and failings

9th October 2025

The Access to Work scheme is failing Deaf and disabled people, and its “decline” in the last two years has caused them “real harm”, with some support packages cut by 80 per cent, according to a detailed dossier of evidence prepared by […]

Greens show contrast with other major parties on disability cuts and refusal to stir up hostility to claimants

9th October 2025

The Green Party is set to continue to contrast its policy approach on disability with other political parties by supporting disabled people who rely on benefits and have already experienced years of austerity cuts. The newly-elected leader of the Green Party of […]

New film celebrates 10 years since ‘moment in time’ victory over care charges in London borough

9th October 2025

A new film released to celebrate 10 years since activists won a campaign to stop their local council charging for care shows how disabled people can achieve important victories by taking collective action, say campaigners who fought for that success. The film* […]

Minister admits signing off on order that led to widespread cuts to Access to Work

2nd October 2025

The disability minister has admitted signing off on orders that have led to widespread cuts to disabled people’s Access to Work support packages since Labour came to power. Disabled campaigners have been warning for more than a year of DWP cuts and inconsistent […]

All the evidence from Labour conference points in one direction: More cuts to disability benefits

2nd October 2025

Information from Labour ministers and other party sources has shown beyond any doubt that the government is preparing for further attempts to cut spending on disability benefits over the next 12 months. As disabled people who rely on benefits await the publication […]

DWP paid nearly £90,000 to disabled claimant left homeless and at risk of harm after years of errors

2nd October 2025

A disabled person was left with “ongoing risks” of harm for more than five years – and was even left homeless – after the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) missed multiple opportunities to provide them with the benefits they were entitled […]

Disability minister struggles to point to any significant achievements in his first year in post

2nd October 2025

The minister for social security and disability has struggled to point to any significant achievements on disability equality after more than a year in post, but he insisted that the government does not need a separate minister for disabled people. The Labour […]

Labour ignores disabled people and accessible housing crisis – again – as it announces plans for new towns

2nd October 2025

Labour has again ignored disabled people when making a major housing announcement, after revealing plans for a “new generation of new towns” but refusing to explain how it will ensure they are designed to be accessible to disabled people. Housing secretary Steve […]

Labour uses conference to sideline disabled people… unless they are working

2nd October 2025

The Labour party has used its annual conference to stress – once again – that its focus is on supporting “working people”, rather than disabled people who are unable to work. In his 6,300-word speech to the conference on Tuesday (pictured), the […]

Labour’s attacks on rights ‘have led to massive resurgence’ in disability movement, protest hears

2nd October 2025

The Labour government’s attack on disabled people’s support has led to a “massive resurgence” in the disabled people’s movement in the last year, a protest outside the party’s annual conference has heard. Monday’s protest highlighted Labour’s failure to stop the “slow violence” […]

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