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A Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) civil servant has told a disability charity that the government plans to merge personal independence payment (PIP) with universal credit, although not for at least six years. The admission from a DWP civil servant – […]
An NHS trust has been asked why it introduced a new high-tech system that allows staff to carry out video monitoring of mental health service-users in their bedrooms while they are sleeping, without securing their consent. The actions of Camden and Islington […]
The failure of international organisations at the heart of a major new disability rights campaign to criticise governments for side-lining disabled people in the Glasgow climate change agreement has exposed their efforts as “deeply dangerous”, say activists. International Disability Alliance (IDA) and […]
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has been questioned by MPs over its use of a secret set of instructions that are used by its computers to identify potential benefit fraudsters, and which appear to disproportionately target disabled people. Two of […]
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has pledged to go “slow, slow, slow, slow” when it finally begins to transfer the remaining group of claimants receiving “legacy” benefits onto universal credit over the next three years. Neil Couling, DWP’s director general […]
The number of disability-related employment tribunals being lost by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) appears to have increased since its “shocking track record” of discrimination against its disabled staff was exposed by a documentary 20 months ago. Peter Schofield, DWP’s […]
Concerns have been raised about a government-backed bill that would provide new rights to social care and other services, but only to a small minority of people with learning difficulties. The Down syndrome bill is due to receive its second reading in […]
Leading disabled campaigners have spoken of the barriers they have faced due to invisible impairments, at the online launch of the 12th UK Disability History Month (UKDHM). This year’s month-long event, which ends on 18 December, is examining themes of invisible impairments […]
Disabled climate activists say the failure of the UK and other governments to include disabled people in key parts of the Glasgow climate change agreement is “beyond disgraceful”. Despite campaigners repeatedly highlighting through the COP26 conference how climate change was having a […]
The government’s decision to treat claimants of universal credit more favourably throughout the pandemic than those receiving other benefits – including more than a million disabled people – was unfair, unjustified and discriminatory, the high court has been told. Four benefit claimants […]
The government has refused to investigate whether a consultation on care worker vaccinations was hijacked by anti-vaccine activists, after its findings suggested that two-thirds of disabled and older people would prefer that their care workers were not protected against COVID-19. The results […]
A council whose chief executive told a senior colleague with ADHD* that her brain “doesn’t work like other people’s” has been found guilty by a tribunal of disability discrimination and harassment. An employment tribunal heard how council boss Kim Smith also told […]
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is set to hand profit-making organisations another £2 billion to assess disabled people for their benefits over just five years, government documents have revealed. The new details are contained in a contract notice published by […]
Fellow disabled artists and colleagues have spoken this week of the “remarkable legacy” left by the pioneering singer-songwriter Lizzie Emeh, who has died at the age of 44. In 2009, Emeh became the first person with a learning difficulty to release an […]
A council has apologised to a disabled, older woman who has faced a decade-long ordeal of harassment, hate crime and abuse at the hands of her neighbours. The woman, who has long-term physical and mental health conditions, has noted hundreds of incidents […]
The government handed its own disability benefits safeguarding team an “outstanding contribution” award, just weeks after a coroner found that flaws in the disability benefits system had caused the death of a young disabled mum. The award was made by the cross-government […]
The UK government has admitted widespread and serious access failings at this month’s COP26 climate change conference in Glasgow. As well as accepting that there have been problems with the accessible entrance to the conference, the UK government – which is hosting […]
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has refused to release any details from a report – commissioned by the prime minister’s office – into the effectiveness of its support for “vulnerable” claimants of universal credit. The report is believed to have […]
Urgent action must be taken to stop disabled people’s rights from being “systematically neglected” in the battle against climate change, international delegates at the COP26 conference in Glasgow have been told. Three disabled speakers repeated the message that disabled people and their […]
A major programme to improve access to rail services on the Isle of Wight has left disabled campaigners feeling let down and frustrated after they discovered that a train operating company had broken its promise to introduce level access boarding. South Western […]
The minister for disabled people appears to have confirmed that the Treasury has provided no new funding to boost the government’s National Disability Strategy, other than for employment and education schemes. Disability News Service (DNS) reported last month that the chancellor, Rishi […]