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Disability News Service

the country's only news agency specialising in disability issues

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Scores of DWP failings linked to deaths were kept from MPs voting on benefit cuts, secret reports reveal

5th March 2026

Scores of failings that contributed to the deaths of disabled people who relied on the social security system were kept from MPs who were voting on cuts to disability benefits in the summer of 2025, new documents have revealed. The Department for […]

Image of front cover of The Department, showing a crinkled memo with the words ‘Restricted - Policy. The Department. How a Violent Government Bureaucracy Killed Hundreds and Hid the Evidence. John Pring.’ Next to the image is a red box with the following words in white: ‘A very interesting book... a very important contribution to this whole debate’ - Sir Stephen Timms, minister for social security and disability. plutobooks.com and the Pluto Press logo.

Latest Stories

DWP staff ignored rules on how to respond to claimants who report suicidal thoughts, secret reports reveal

5th March 2026

Staff working for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) repeatedly ignored crucial rules on how to respond when benefit claimants disclose that they intend to self-harm or take their own lives. New documents published quietly by DWP after a freedom of […]

New official figures disprove claims that social security spending is ‘spiralling out of control’

5th March 2026

New official figures published alongside this week’s spring statement have again disproved claims that spending on “welfare” is “spiralling out of control”. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) published its latest Economic and Fiscal Outlook report on Tuesday, and it showed the […]

Changes to energy bill discount scheme will discriminate against many disabled people, campaigners warn

5th March 2026

Campaigners have warned a minister that the decision to change how the Warm Home Discount Scheme is funded will discriminate against disabled people with high energy needs. Ministers decided last month to “rebalance” the costs of the scheme by moving them away […]

Disabled peer hits back at claims of ‘filibustering’ over ‘vague’ and ‘poorly drafted’ assisted suicide bill

5th March 2026

A disabled peer has hit back at months of attacks on her and other opponents of the assisted suicide bill that accuse them of trying to block the legislation by “filibustering”. Baroness [Tanni] Grey-Thompson (pictured) is one of a handful of peers […]

Government-owned train company has been failing on disability awareness training for more than four years

5th March 2026

A government-owned train company has had to promise to make significant improvements to the disability awareness training of its station staff after a regulator discovered it had been failing to fulfil its legal obligations for more than four years. An investigation by […]

Government’s ‘generational’ SEND reforms will leave more children in segregated settings

26th February 2026

The government’s “generational” reforms to the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system will increase the proportion of children in “specialist” placements over the next nine years, despite ministers claiming they are moving towards more “mainstream inclusion”.   Bridget Phillipson said this […]

SEND reforms ‘are a missed opportunity’ to dismantle the barriers driving disabled pupils from mainstream

26th February 2026

The government’s long-awaited reforms to the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system are a missed opportunity to dismantle the barriers that continue to drive disabled young people out of mainstream schools, say inclusive education campaigners. The reforms were laid out in […]

Disabled activists call on Clooney to abandon movie that is set to paint Alzheimer’s as ‘fate worse than death’

26th February 2026

Disabled activists in the UK have backed a US campaign that will call on actor and film-maker George Clooney to step away from a movie adaptation of a memoir that treats disability as a “fate worse than death”. In Love is based […]

Government’s advisers warn DWP minister he may need to ‘shift entrenched concerns’ over work reforms

26th February 2026

The government’s own social security advisers have warned a minister he may need to do more to “shift entrenched concerns” among disabled claimants that they could lose their disability benefits if they take steps towards paid work. The social security advisory committee […]

Inquiry hears how lack of accountability for disabled people’s Covid deaths caused lasting harm

26th February 2026

The lack of accountability for the tens of thousands of Covid-related deaths of disabled people receiving care in their own homes and residential settings has caused lasting harm, the UK Covid inquiry has been told. In their opening written submission to the […]

Government freezes funding for life-changing housing adaptations, despite minister’s claims

26th February 2026

The government is freezing the budget of a scheme that funds “life-changing” adaptations to disabled people’s homes, despite a minister claiming he was “putting more money” into the programme. Care minister Stephen Kinnock said last week that the extra funding for Disabled […]

‘Appalling’ and ‘frightening’ Reform ‘ready to legalise discrimination’ by scrapping Equality Act

19th February 2026

Disabled activists have accused Reform UK of readying itself to “legalise discrimination”, after its new equalities “shadow minister” said the party would repeal the Equality Act on its first day in government. The pledge came from Suella Braverman (pictured), the former Conservative […]

Secrecy of DWP’s board of experts set up to examine ‘economic inactivity’ and long-term sickness

19th February 2026

The government has refused to explain why it has failed to publish any minutes from a board of experts set up 17 months ago to examine “economic inactivity” and particularly to focus on people not working due to “long-term sickness”. The Labour […]

Government announces £400 care charges ‘cash boost’, while quietly snatching funds from savings

19th February 2026

The government has announced a £400 “cash boost” for disabled people who rely on social care in their own homes, while failing to point out that another ministerial decision will drag thousands of them into paying higher care charges. Care minister Stephen […]

Disabled activist obtains ‘extremely worrying’ emails that show ‘rotten culture’ within rail industry

19th February 2026

Emails that targeted a leading disabled activist have exposed a “rotten culture” at senior levels of the rail industry. The internal emails were obtained from the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) – the secretive body that represents the companies and public bodies that […]

Government research on EHCP bureaucracy suggests ministers are building up to SEND cuts

19th February 2026

The government’s decision to publish research that shows the bureaucratic and time-consuming nature of its system of educational support has raised fears that its imminent reforms will harm disabled children and young people. The government released the research just as it is […]

One in five assessors have not had vital safeguarding training, despite years of DWP deaths

12th February 2026

One in five staff employed by contractors who carry out disability benefit assessments on the government’s behalf have not had vital safeguarding training, MPs have been told, despite years of deaths and serious harm linked to the tests. Members of the Commons […]

Transport for London finally admits it included contract option to close half Elizabeth line ticket offices

12th February 2026

Transport for London (TfL) has secured the right to close more than half the ticket offices along the new Elizabeth line cross-capital rail system, a new document has confirmed, in a move that would discriminate against many disabled rail passengers. Concerns about […]

Cuts to disability benefits for those who cannot work ‘is recipe for greater hardship’ and ‘will put lives at risk’

12th February 2026

Activists say the government’s decision to slash disabled people’s out-of-work benefits is a “recipe for greater hardship” and will risk claimants’ lives, as ministers this week pushed through cuts agreed last summer by MPs. Regulations laid in parliament this week implement measures […]

People with learning difficulties ‘could be collateral damage’ if assisted dying bill becomes law

12th February 2026

A disabled peer has raised fears that people with learning difficulties could be “collateral damage” if a controversial assisted suicide bill becomes law. The terminally ill adults (end of life) bill – which applies to England and Wales – continues to make slow progress […]

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Image of front cover of The Department, showing a crinkled memo with the words 'Restricted - Policy. The Department. How a Violent Government Bureaucracy Killed Hundreds and Hid the Evidence. John Pring.' Next to the image is a red box with the following words in white: 'A very interesting book... a very important contribution to this whole debate' - Sir Stephen Timms, minister for social security and disability. plutobooks.com and the Pluto Press logo.

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Image of front cover of The Department, showing a crinkled memo with the words 'Restricted - Policy. The Department. How a Violent Government Bureaucracy Killed Hundreds and Hid the Evidence. John Pring.' Next to the image is a red box with the following words in white: 'A very interesting book... a very important contribution to this whole debate' - Sir Stephen Timms, minister for social security and disability. plutobooks.com and the Pluto Press logo.

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