The government is urging disabled people to suggest measures they would like to see included in its new disability strategy. A discussion document, Fulfilling Potential, was launched today by the Office for Disability Issues (ODI), outlining three main areas: ensuring appropriate […]
Million more Paralympic tickets released for sale
Most of the remaining tickets for next year’s Paralympics in London are to go on sale from 1pm tomorrow (Friday 2 December). About one million tickets will be sold on a “first come, first served” basis, with thousands of tickets still […]
Chancellor’s statement spells warning of new cuts ahead
Disabled people could face fresh cuts to spending on social care and other services and benefits in future years, campaigners fear. The concerns were raised after the chancellor, George Osborne, announced that cuts to public spending would continue for an extra […]
Minister’s access award is hard to swallow
Disabled activists have been left “bewildered” by the decision to present the minister for employment with an award for the accessibility of his website. Chris Grayling beat off competition from all 648 other MPs to win the accessibility award in this […]
Government ‘must treat disability as priority’ in international aid
A government department has been heavily criticised for ignoring the needs of disabled people in developing countries. Disabled campaigners and MPs accused the Department for International Development (DfID) of failing to treat disability as a priority when deciding funding for projects. […]
Motability faces anger over five-mile limit
The Motability car scheme is facing anger from disabled customers over new restrictions that will make it harder for them to find personal assistants (PAs) to drive their vehicles. The announcement of tighter new rules in October followed a series of […]
2012 hotel shortage risks global damage to London’s reputation
An investigation by young disabled campaigners has raised new fears of a shortage of accessible hotel rooms when thousands of disabled visitors descend on London for the 2012 Paralympics. The investigation also highlighted flaws in Inclusive London, a website launched this […]
Fears over Equality Act threat in ‘sickness absence’ report
Recommendations in a major government-backed report on “sickness absence” have placed a worrying question-mark over vital new equality laws that protect disabled job-seekers from discrimination, say campaigners. The health at work report was published last week and has already secured backing […]
‘Powerful’ and ‘enlightening’ poems give voice to unexamined lives
A “powerful and enlightening” series of experimental poems has captured the lives of four disabled people in their own voices. Neglected Voices, a cycle of four sets of “transcription poems”*, has been praised by leading figures in the disability arts world. […]
Government rewrites history for UN report
The government appears to have left out any mention of the brutal cuts to disabled people’s benefits and services in a crucial report about how it is implementing the United Nations (UN) disability convention. The report was submitted today (Thursday) to […]