Disabled people split over personal health budget expansion plans
Government plans for a huge expansion of personal health budgets could help to deliver independent living for disabled people, according to a leading disabled peer. Baroness [Jane] Campbell (pictured), who has been receiving a personal health budget herself for more than a year, said the plans also had “huge potential” for “getting to grips” with
DPAC’s universal credit ‘crime scene’ protest is fresh call for action to disabled people
Disabled activists are hoping their latest protest in the heart of Westminster will empower other disabled people to follow their lead and fight the government’s social security cuts and reforms. The action by Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC), which involved scores of disabled protesters, focused on calls for the government to scrap its new universal
New campaign to fight barriers to elected office is tribute to Lorraine Gradwell
A new campaigning organisation – named after one of Manchester’s “finest civil rights campaigners” – will fight to remove the barriers to elected office faced by disabled people in the city. The Trust Lorraine Foundation (TLF) was launched in Manchester on Saturday by Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People (GMCDP) and Breakthrough UK. It is
New campaign to fight barriers to elected office is tribute to Lorraine Gradwell
A new campaigning organisation – named after one of Manchester’s “finest civil rights campaigners” – will fight to remove the barriers to elected office faced by disabled people in the city. The Trust Lorraine Foundation (TLF) was launched in Manchester on Saturday by Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People (GMCDP) and Breakthrough UK. It is
Government takes small step over risk of NHS care home discrimination
The government has taken a small step towards addressing the discrimination faced by service-users with complex healthcare needs who risk being forced into institutions. Last month, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) wrote to 13 clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) as the first step in a potential judicial review of their policies on long-term NHS
Network neglect leaves government ‘closer to coercion than co-production’
The government’s reputation on disability equality has suffered a further damaging blow, after it admitted that none of the bodies it set up to engage with disabled people and their organisations as part of its disability strategy has met in nearly a year. The Fulfilling Potential Forum, set up “to discuss how disabled people can
Music fans face premium-rate phone charges to book access for live events
More than half of disabled people who have tried to buy tickets for live music events have had to call premium-rate phone numbers to arrange access, according to a new survey. Four-fifths of those surveyed said they had experienced problems with booking access alongside their ticket, while nearly three-quarters said such barriers had been discriminatory.
Disabled people need ‘equal and fair’ hate crime laws, MPs are told
Disabled people will only be protected from online abuse when they have “equal and fair” hate crime laws, a leading disabled campaigner has told MPs. Anne Novis, chair of Inclusion London, told the Commons petitions committee that the abuse targeted at disabled people online was “just an echo” of what they experienced on the streets.
‘Deep concern’ as launch of MPs’ inquiry into SEN support ignores inclusive education
Campaigners are “deeply concerned” that the launch of a new parliamentary inquiry into the educational support provided for disabled children and young people failed to mention inclusive education. The inquiry by the Commons education select committee will investigate the impact of major reforms to the special educational needs and disability (SEND) system that were introduced
‘Deep concern’ as launch of MPs’ inquiry into SEN support ignores inclusive education
Campaigners are “deeply concerned” that the launch of a new parliamentary inquiry into the educational support provided for disabled children and young people failed to mention inclusive education. The inquiry by the Commons education select committee will investigate the impact of major reforms to the special educational needs and disability (SEND) system that were introduced
Charities delivering DWP’s work programme ‘must promise not to attack McVey’
Disability charities that sign up to help deliver the government’s new Work and Health Programme must promise to “pay the utmost regard to the standing and reputation” of work and pensions secretary Esther McVey, official documents suggest. The charities, and other organisations, must also promise never to do anything that harms the public’s confidence in
Government rejects nearly all recommendations from MPs’ access inquiry
The government has accepted just three of 23 recommendations made by a committee of MPs that were aimed at improving disabled people’s access to the built environment. The women and equalities committee concluded in its report last April that disabled people were too often finding their lives “needlessly restricted by features of the built environment”.
Government set to ignore key air travel discrimination concerns
The government appears to be ignoring pleas to clamp down on significant areas of discrimination against disabled air passengers. The concerns arose after the Department for Transport (DfT) issued a progress report on its new aviation strategy. It included suggestions that it could “make flying more accessible for disabled passengers”, including improving assistance on planes
