The government has admitted there are “unacceptable” variations in the quality of wheelchair services across the country. Paul Burstow, the Liberal Democrat care services minister, said many disabled people experienced a “poor” service, with long waiting-times and “far too much off-the-shelf […]
Disability sports bodies welcome plans for national schools event
Disability sports organisations have welcomed government plans for a national school sports competition modelled on the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The competition was launched this week by Jeremy Hunt, secretary of state for culture, media and sport, who said he wanted […]
EMERGENCY BUDGET: DLA reforms will ‘hit disabled people hard’
Disabled campaigners have reacted with anger and concern to the government’s plans to reform disability living allowance (DLA), and introduce a new medical test for claimants. >From 2013, all existing working-age claimants will be reassessed using the new test, which will […]
EMERGENCY BUDGET: Government set to restrict DLA eligibility
The government is set to launch a major reform of disability living allowance (DLA) – with tighter eligibility, a new medical test and reassessments for all claimants of working age. The chancellor, George Osborne, announced in his emergency budget on Tuesday […]
EMERGENCY BUDGET: Benefit change welcomed but housing crisis remains
New rules announced in this week’s emergency budget will allow disabled people who need an extra bedroom for a personal assistant to claim housing benefit for the additional cost. Campaigners had complained that the rules on local housing allowance (LHA) –which […]
Parents who locked children in bedrooms ‘did not breach rights’
A high court judge has ruled that two sets of parents are not breaching the human rights of their disabled children by locking them in their bedrooms at night. Both the disabled people – a nine-year-old girl and a 22-year-old woman […]
Minister could reform ILF over closure controversy
The new minister for disabled people has suggested the government could reform the Independent Living Fund (ILF), following its decision to stop accepting any new applications for the rest of the year. Speaking at a meeting of the all-party parliamentary disability […]
Government ‘will do more’ on academies’ SEN obligations
The government has agreed to do more to ensure that academy schools set up under proposed new laws will have to match existing obligations to pupils with special educational needs (SEN). The pledge came after concerns raised by the disabled peer […]
Polling stations ‘little better on access’ nine years on
The proportion of polling stations that reached a basic level of accessibility at May’s general election was only slightly higher than the last election five years ago, according to a new survey. The survey of more than 1, 000 polling stations […]
Website aims to see Paralympians reunited
The charity that manages Britain’s Paralympics teams has launched a search for hundreds of missing Paralympians. ParalympicsGB wants to track down as many as 1, 700 sportsmen and women who have competed for Britain at previous Paralympic Games but have now […]