The government has “blood on its hands” from the deaths of disabled people caused by its “fitness for work” test a minister has been told during the angriest and most outspoken parliamentary debate yet on the much-criticised assessment. Several opposition MPs […]
Protesters await vital ‘fitness for work’ court ruling
Protesters took part in a vigil outside the Royal Courts of Justice this week as they awaited a ruling in a case that could force the government to improve its much-criticised “fitness for work” test. Inside, the high court was hearing […]
Government has ‘emasculated’ EHRC, disabled peer tells minister
A disabled peer has told a minister that her government’s cuts and reforms have “emasculated” the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). Lord [Colin] Low told peers last week – during a debate on the enterprise and regulatory reform bill – […]
London 2012 Paralympics boss will lead on disability for EHRC
The government has appointed one of Britain’s most-successful Paralympians to be the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s (EHRC) new disability commissioner. Chris Holmes is one of six new commissioners whose appointments were announced by the Conservative culture secretary Maria Miller this […]
Disabled people with highest needs ‘will lose 19 times more’ than average
Disabled people with the highest support needs will lose 19 times more than the average person as a result of “devastating” government cuts to services and benefits, according to a new report. The report A Fair Society? How the Cuts Target […]
Personalisation bureaucracy ‘is wasting hundreds of millions of pounds’
The system set up to give service-users their own social care budgets is wasting hundreds of millions of pounds a year on bureaucracy, despite having no impact on people’s well-being and independence according to new research. The two new studies cast […]
Access to Work extension should be just the beginning, says Sayce
The author of a government report on disability employment has welcomed an extension of the Access to Work (AtW) scheme to some disabled entrepreneurs but has called for funding to be extended even further. From Monday (14 January), disabled people moving […]
Motability refuses to lobby for disabled customers on DLA cuts
The head of the Motability car scheme has admitted his organisation has made no attempt to persuade the government to soften its disability living allowance (DLA) cuts and reforms. Government figures suggest that more than 400, 000 fewer disabled people will […]
Report suggests spread of academies is undermining inclusion
A report has given new weight to concerns that the rapid spread of “academy” schools is undermining the inclusion of disabled children in mainstream education. Inclusive education campaigners say the concerns raised in the report by the Academies Commission confirm evidence […]
Disabled peers defend watchdog from latest assault on equality
A disabled peer has warned that government plans to scrap a vital piece of legislation would leave the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) less able to uncover scandalous violations of rights and equality. The coalition wants to use its enterprise […]