the country's only news agency specialising in disability issues
A world-renowned university is facing claims of “institutional failings”, after an investigation by its own disabled students into allegations of disability discrimination. The Disabled Students’ Network (DSN) of University College London (UCL) is set to publish a report next week which accuses […]
The sudden decision by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to remove a disabled woman’s benefits probably had a substantial impact on her mental health immediately before she took her own life, a leading consultant psychiatrist has concluded. A report by […]
A new business that charges benefit claimants £100 to record their disability assessments has been accused of exploiting disabled people’s fears about social security reforms. Disability News Service (DNS) was contacted this week by the Liverpool-based business, which says it provides “professional” […]
A disability charity has been accused of “exploitative” and “disgraceful” behaviour after asking disabled journalists to write an article for its website without payment. The charity Scope sent out a message on social media this week seeking a “disability blogger” who could […]
The prime minister has again ignored the needs of working-age disabled people when asked about his plans for social care funding reform, and has suggested that those reforms may take as long as five years to implement. Boris Johnson (pictured) was asked […]
The five candidates to be the next leader of the Labour party have raised issues such as accessible transport, the closure of the Independent Living Fund and the deaths of benefit claimants over the last 10 years, a new analysis has shown. […]
An ombudsman has “strongly criticised” a local council’s children’s services provider for failing to provide educational support to three disabled children. The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman said there was also cause for concern about “systemic failures” between Richmond council and […]
A mother who has asked the attorney general for permission to seek a second inquest into her disabled daughter’s suicide says it would boost growing calls for an inquiry into all deaths linked to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Jodey […]
The owner of a pub who ripped out an accessible toilet and replaced it with a kitchen has been compared by a disabled campaigner to a business putting up a “whites only” sign in its window. Darren Nolan, the owner of the […]
The government has failed to issue a form that would allow disabled people claiming universal credit (UC) to show their pharmacist they are entitled to free prescriptions, more than two years after it promised to do so. It is now nearly seven […]
A disability charity has insisted that it is not selling out Deaf people, after announcing the sale of its entire portfolio of care and support services. The sale will see Action on Hearing Loss (AHL) – formerly known as RNID – off-loading […]
A local authority is seeking government funds for a “unique” £4 million project that would transport disabled people into the heart of a historic city via “on demand” electric, driverless shuttles. The trial would allow disabled people with blue parking badges to […]
Furious disabled activists have denounced the government’s “utter hypocrisy” in awarding a knighthood to Iain Duncan Smith, when his policies at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have been responsible for the deaths of countless benefit claimants. Duncan Smith, who was […]
A new book by a disabled researcher has detailed the “horrifying” levels of disability hate crime that take place every day on public transport across the UK. David Wilkin says the results of his research are “sometimes startling and almost always distressing” […]
The new Conservative government has described how it plans to fulfil the five major disability policy pledges it included in its general election manifesto. The details were included in a briefing document published alongside last month’s Queen’s speech by prime minister Boris […]
Furious disabled campaigners have attacked the government and transport providers after operators were given permission to continue using more than 1,000 inaccessible rail carriages – about eight per cent of the national fleet – after missing a deadline set 10 years ago. […]
Tributes have been paid to Douglas Campbell, who spent more than half a century campaigning for “proper independent mobility” for disabled people, and who died in the early hours of Boxing Day. In addition to his campaigning work, he spent more than […]
Disabled campaigners and their organisations have sent a strong message to the new Conservative government that they will regroup and find new ways to fight for their rights. Grassroots groups and user-led organisations this week suggested ways in which disabled people could […]
Grassroots groups of disabled people have promised to continue the fight against austerity, and to launch a new campaign to secure justice for those who have died as a result of Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) failings. But they have also […]
Disabled campaigners have called for action after last week’s general election appears to have left the House of Commons with just five disabled MPs. Before the election, there were only seven MPs who have at some point self-described as disabled people, but […]
The media and political parties are to blame for the failure of disability issues to feature prominently in the lead-up to the general election, disabled campaigners have suggested. Issues like independent living, the accessible housing crisis, inclusive education and the disability benefit […]