Leading disabled campaigners have welcomed Labour’s plans for “full integration” between the NHS and the social care system, but have raised concerns about putting the NHS in charge. Andy Burnham, the shadow health secretary, said he wanted to see “whole person […]
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Portas high street review ‘is making life harder for access campaigners’
A review by the government’s “high street tsar”, Mary Portas, has made it even harder to secure access improvements to local shops for disabled people, according to a leading access consultant. Tracey Proudlock has been trying for more than three months […]
McVey invites ridicule as she dismisses her own PIP figures
A minister has refused to admit that her government has tightened eligibility for support for people with the highest mobility needs, even though her own department’s figures prove that it has. Esther McVey, the Conservative minister for disabled people, was giving […]
NHS reforms ‘open door to better communication services’
A new project could improve augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) services “for a generation”, by taking advantage of the government’s major reforms of the NHS, according to a prominent disabled activist. The Department for Education project aims to improve provision of […]
Government stats show most new ESA claimants are not ‘fit for work’
New figures show for the first time that a majority of new claimants of out-of-work disability benefits are – eventually – found not “fit for work”. Conservative ministers – particularly the former employment minister Chris Grayling – have previously made much […]
Report reveals auditors’ uncertainty over DR UK’s future
New documents published by Disability Rights UK have raised fresh concerns about its financial position, following last week’s announcement of redundancies. The charity’s annual report for 2011-12, published this week, reveals that its auditors, Sayer Vincent, concluded that there was “some […]
Government reveals who it rewarded with £1,500 London 2012 tickets
A minister has revealed which individuals and organisations were given free government tickets to the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Paralympics. Maria Miller, the Conservative culture secretary and former minister for disabled people, told MPs that decisions on who to […]
Benefits cap will ‘inevitably’ become law
A benefits bill that will see disabled people in 3.4 million households across Britain lose out looks certain to become law. The welfare benefits up-rating bill was passed by MPs this week and will now be debated in the House of […]
New web platform will help DNS continue reporting from the frontline
Many passionate comment pieces and blogs have been written by disabled people across the internet over the last two-and-a-half years about the government’s brutal cuts and reforms to disability benefits and services. But Disability News Service is here to do something […]
Redundancies at Disability Rights UK, but boss says survival not at risk
The country’s most influential disabled people’s organisation (DPO) has insisted that its survival is not at risk, despite being forced to make several staff redundant, including one of its most high-profile campaigning voices. Disability Rights UK was only formed last January […]