A mental health trust has defended its decision to carry out disability assessments on behalf of the controversial outsourcing company Atos. Mental health service-users at four sites run by Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust have been alarmed to see Atos-branded leaflets […]
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Brewer finally resigns over ‘outrageous’ comments
A councillor who shocked and outraged campaigners after suggesting to Disability News Service (DNS) that it might be a good idea to kill some disabled babies has finally resigned. In an interview with DNS shortly after his election in May, Collin […]
Benefits pilot is steering a ‘dangerous’ course
Horrified campaigners say a new government pilot project that will see sick and disabled people forced to attend meetings with doctors – or face losing their benefits – is “abhorrent” and “dangerous”. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said that […]
Watchdog rolls over for Treasury despite Spending Round equality fears
The equality watchdog has refused to investigate the Treasury’s apparent failure to meet its legal duty to consider in due depth how its spending decisions for 2015-16 will affect disabled people. Two weeks ago the Conservative chancellor, George Osborne, laid out […]
Concern as CPS and courts fail yet again on disability hate crime
The failure of the appeal court to increase the sentence given to a man who killed a disabled, gay teenager shows again the need to strengthen the laws on disability hate crime, say campaigners. The court of appeal said this week […]
DWP press chief faces grilling by MPs over disability stats
The civil servants responsible for the press releases and statistics that come out of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) were grilled this week by MPs investigating the repeated, misleading use of disability benefits figures by the government. MPs such […]
Together! 2012 could make borough ‘centre of excellence’ for disability arts
A new disabled-led organisation is aiming to make an east London borough an “international centre of excellence” for disability arts and culture. Together! 2012 began as a free disability arts and human rights festival in the London 2012 host borough of […]
Conference access failure shines light on ‘ignorance’ of deaf needs
Deaf people who use speech-to-text translation say the failure of a national disability conference to cater for their needs only highlights how often such discrimination takes place. They spoke out after a national conference – sponsored by the Department for Work […]
Panel Accentuate the negative in wake of London 2012
Disabled artists and academics have spoken of the “missed opportunity” to create a real legacy for disabled people from last year’s Paralympic Games. The panel of leading disabled figures had been gathered together by Accentuate, which aims to create a “cultural […]
The chilling words of a politician from the Age of Austerity
At a time when the word “austerity” is on the lips of every politician, there is nothing more chilling than a local councillor weighing up the life of a disabled child against the cost of maintaining a coastal footpath. Despite his […]