The government is facing a high court challenge from a disabled people’s organisation (DPO) over its sweeping cuts to spending on legal aid. Disability Law Service (DLS) is seeking a judicial review of the cuts proposed by justice secretary Ken Clarke […]
CPS launches ‘full review’ of NHS abuse scandal failure
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has launched a “full review” of its failure to prosecute any of the NHS staff accused of abusing 18 disabled people in a day centre. Two weeks ago, the CPS agreed to re-examine its decision not […]
Access concerns over ‘2012 ticketing glitch’
A software glitch may have prevented older people from ordering wheelchair-accessible spaces for next year’s Paralympics, it has been claimed. The application process for tickets for the London 2012 Paralympics closed on 26 September, with organisers describing demand as “unprecedented”. But […]
Campaigners issue legal warning over peer’s ‘disgrace’ comments
Disabled activists were forced to threaten a peer with legal action after she attacked their campaigning efforts as “a disgrace” on a high-profile website. Black Triangle campaigns against the unfair use of the government’s work capability assessment to reclassify disabled people […]
Insurance giant denies welfare reform will boost its profits
The UK’s largest provider of “income protection insurance” (IPI) has denied that it stands to gain financially from incapacity benefit reforms that campaigners believe it helped to influence. Unum launched a major media campaign this year aimed at persuading more working […]
Diplomat’s appeal defeat ‘is setback for disabled high-flyers’
A tribunal’s decision to reject the appeal of a diplomat over the support she needed to do her job in a new foreign posting undermines the career prospects of other high-flying disabled people say campaigners. Jane Cordell, who is profoundly Deaf, […]
Conservative conference: Personal health budgets ‘will boost rights’
Tens of thousands of disabled people who receive “continuing care” from the NHS could benefit from new government rules that should allow them more control over how their needs are met. Those receiving NHS continuing healthcare – free care outside hospital […]
Disabled peer warns colleagues of health risk of debate move
A disabled peer has warned that the decision to move discussion of the government’s controversial welfare reform bill to a less accessible committee room could put her safety at risk. Baroness [Jane] Campbell told fellow peers that holding the committee stage […]
Magazine agrees to review links with ‘fitness for work’ company
A campaign against the company that conducts “fitness for work” tests on disabled people achieved a major success this week after the British Medical Journal (BMJ) agreed to review its relationship with the firm. The BMJ – owned by the British […]
Conservative conference: Four ministers evade questions on work test
Four Conservative ministers have evaded questions about the controversial work capability assessment (WCA), at their party’s annual conference. Employment minister Chris Grayling, disabled people’s minister Maria Miller, welfare reform minister Lord Freud, and a special adviser for work and pensions secretary […]