The government has refused to say whether it will withdraw funding for sheltered businesses across the country, following last week’s decision to force the closure of at least two-thirds of the remaining 54 Remploy factories. Last week’s announcement was part of […]
Remploy factories have no place in modern world, says disabled MP
A disabled MP has backed the government’s decision to withdraw funding from the remaining sheltered factories run by Remploy. The government announced last week that 36 of the 54 Remploy factories across the UK would close by the end of 2012, […]
Tanni spearheads Lords legal aid victory
A disabled peer has spearheaded the latest defeat of the government over its plans to reform the legal aid system and cut £350 million from its budget. Baroness [Tanni] Grey-Thompson told peers that plans to force people to use a telephone […]
Success in euthanasia court case would be ‘catastrophe’
Disabled activists have again been forced to warn of the “catastrophic” consequences of a weakening in the laws on euthanasia and assisted suicide, after the latest “right to die” high court ruling. Tony Nicklinson, from Wiltshire, this week won the right […]
Boris refuses to test accessible version of cycle hire scheme
London’s mayor could be breaching his Equality Act duties by refusing to trial an accessible version of his cycle hire scheme, it has been claimed. Boris Johnson launched his high-profile cycle scheme – which is sponsored by Barclays – in 2010, […]
Funding for ‘one size fits all’ advice service leads to fears for disability specialists
A user-led advice service that has lost its council funding fears similar cuts could have serious financial consequences for disabled people in other parts of the country. Calderdale DART (Disabled Advice Resource Team) has provided information to disabled people for nearly […]
Remploy closures: DPOs back move away from segregation
Disabled people’s organisations have backed government plans to withdraw funding from the remaining sheltered segregated factories run by Remploy, but have called for as many of them as possible to emerge as new user-led social enterprises. Maria Miller, the Conservative minister […]
Remploy closures: 1,500 disabled workers to lose their jobs
The government has announced that 36 of the remaining Remploy sheltered factories are to close by the end of 2012, with the loss of hundreds of disabled people’s jobs. Maria Miller, the minister for disabled people, announced that 36 of the […]
Government pledges new support for its ‘best-kept secret’
The government has promised to increase funding and support for the Access to Work (AtW) programme, which it says will help thousands more disabled people into mainstream jobs. The pledge of an extra £15 million over the next three years was […]
ODI gives green light to advisors to work secretly for insurance giant
The Office for Disability Issues (ODI) has angered disabled activists after stating that its own disability advisers do not have to notify civil servants if they work for the company set to make millions from incapacity benefit reform. In a response […]