A disabled man has this week staged a public hunger strike in protest at the failings of the government’s “fitness for work” contractor Atos Healthcare. Christos Palmer, a former IT technician, has been at the centre of a five-day vigil outside […]
Disabled models aim to show fashion magazines that diversity sells
Four disabled models will be taking to the catwalk this week in a bid to persuade some of the country’s top women’s magazines that they should be featuring on their front covers. The four women will be part of a 20-strong […]
New figures suggest limited impact of Harrington changes
New government figures appear to show that “improvements” to the controversial “fitness for work” test are having limited impact on how many disabled people are able to hold on to their out-of-work disability benefits. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) […]
Self-advocacy pioneer calls for a People First for England
A leading figure in the self-advocacy movement has called for a national user-led organisation that would represent people with learning difficulties right across England for the first time. Gary Bourlet, who founded Britain’s first People First organisation in London in 1984, […]
Arts festival set to make disability history in east London
Organisers hope that a month-long disability arts, culture and human rights festival could become an annual fixture and help turn a London borough into a centre of excellence. The Together! 2012 festival had been due to take place during the London […]
Three more disability charities suggest Atos misled its way to PIP contracts
Three more charities have suggested that Atos Healthcare used misleading claims about them in a document it used to win two lucrative disability assessment contracts. Disability News Service (DNS) revealed last week that Labour had called for an “immediate investigation” into […]
Review risks ‘watering down’ disabled people’s influence at equality watchdog
A review of the equality watchdog’s disability committee could slow down further progress on disabled people’s rights, campaigners have warned. The warning came after the Equality and Human Rights Commission announced that it had appointed Agnes Fletcher, formerly director of communications […]
Government cuts lead to one million fewer cheap coach journeys
Disabled and older people will make a million fewer cheap coach journeys this year as a result of government cuts, say campaigners. On 1 November last year, the government abolished the financial support that funded half-price, long-distance coach travel for disabled […]
Discrimination case ‘could lead to new rights for volunteers and benefit claimants’
A Supreme Court hearing this week could lead to important new protection from discrimination for thousands of disabled volunteers, and benefit claimants forced into government work experience programmes. A disabled woman – referred to as X – is asking the […]
Government offers £300 million boost to specialised housing
Housing providers will be able to bid for money from a £300 million fund to help boost the provision of specialised housing for disabled and older people. The government had announced a new £200 million housing fund as part of its […]