Disabled campaigners say they feel “angry and let down” by the government’s decision to offer only a slight improvement to the compensation it will pay survivors of the NHS contaminated blood disaster. More than 2, 000 people with haemophilia have so […]
DPOs ‘must be given platform to play part in Big Society’
The government must do more to recognise the value of small disabled people’s organisations (DPOs) as it develops its plans for a “Big Society”, according to an alliance of disability organisations. Disability LIB, which provides support to help DPOs boost their […]
Norfolk’s poorest disabled people ‘face massive fall in living standards’
The 90 000 poorest disabled people in Norfolk could see their standard of living plunge by more than a third due to government and council cuts and reforms, according to research for a disabled people’s organisation. The research for Norfolk Coalition […]
Thousands volunteer for London 2012
More than 8, 000 disabled people have applied to volunteer at the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics. Although the figure is only about three per cent of the total number of applicants, the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and […]
New Year Honours: Recognition for leading disabled figures
A Labour MP has joined campaigners and leading figures from the worlds of sport, media and business among disabled people recognised in the New Year Honours. Anne Begg, the Labour MP for Aberdeen South who chairs the Commons work and pensions […]
New Year Honours: OBE recipient criticises decision to scrap DPTAC
One of the country’s leading experts on access in the transport industry has been awarded an OBE, less than three months after the government decided to scrap the advice body she served on for nine years. Ann Bates, a wheelchair-user herself, […]
New Year Honours: Activist will use MBE to fight government on cuts
A leading disabled activist says she will use the MBE she was awarded in the New Year Honours to help fight government plans to slash disability benefits. Anne Novis was awarded an MBE for services to disabled people in London. The […]
New Year Honours: Equality watchdog ‘has failed on disability rights’
A former leading figure in the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) has accused the watchdog that took over its work of failing to make any progress in securing rights for disabled people. Dr Kevin Fitzpatrick, who was the DRC’s commissioner with responsibility […]
Call for government to think again on higher rate for over-65s
Angry campaigners are calling on the government to reverse its decision to bar visually-impaired people over 65 from claiming a new higher rate of a disability benefit. >From April, about 22, 000 people with severe visual impairments will for the first […]
Police pilots ‘must not blur boundaries with hate crime’
Police forces trialling a new approach to anti-social behaviour should not be tempted to downgrade potential disability hate crimes says a leading disabled activist. The government has launched pilot projects across eight forces, aimed at changing the way the police respond […]