Benefits and Poverty

A woman dressed as a crime scene investigator in front of a poster saying universal credit is a crime

April 19, 2018 0

DPAC’s universal credit ‘crime scene’ protest is fresh call for action to disabled people

Disabled activists are hoping their latest protest in the heart of Westminster will empower other disabled people to follow their lead and fight the government’s social security cuts and reforms. The action by Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC), which involved scores of disabled protesters, focused on calls for the government to scrap its new

Benefits and Poverty

Esther McVey giving evidence to the social security committee

April 19, 2018 0

Mother of ESA suicide mum-of-nine praises activist for confronting McVey

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The mother of a woman who killed herself after her disability benefits were sanctioned has praised a disabled activist who confronted work and pensions secretary Esther McVey about her daughter’s death as she gave evidence to Scottish MSPs this week. The activist, David*, had told Joy Dove of his plans to question McVey about

Benefits and Poverty

April 19, 2018 0

Mother of ESA suicide woman pledges to continue fight for justice

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The mother of a woman who killed herself after being wrongly found “fit for work” has pledged to continue her campaign for justice, and for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to admit it was to blame for her daughter’s death. The case of mother-of-nine Jodey Whiting, from Stockton, was highlighted this week

Benefits and Poverty

April 12, 2018 0

Isle of Man set to scrap its ‘fitness for work’ test

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Ministers on the Isle of Man are to scrap their version of the UK government’s much-criticised “fitness for work” test, prompting calls by disabled activists for the UK government to follow their lead. The decision, announced to members of Tynwald, the Isle of Man* parliament (pictured), follows years of criticism of the assessment on

Benefits and Poverty

Sign at entrance to Department for Work and Pensions

March 22, 2018 0

Anger over DWP refusal to repay claimants £150 million from botched reassessments

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The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is refusing to pay back as much as £150 million owed to disabled people as a result of botched efforts to move them onto the new employment and support allowance (ESA). The National Audit Office (NAO) published a report this week into its investigation into historic underpayments

Benefits and Poverty

A sign pointing to Parliament Street and Whitehall

March 15, 2018 0

Eight years of benefit cuts ‘will cost some disabled lone parents £11,000 a year’

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Some disabled lone parents will eventually lose more than 30 per cent of their income – more than £11,000 a year – as a result of eight years of government social security cuts, according to new research for the equality watchdog. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) report examines the “cumulative impact” of

Benefits and Poverty

Rhian Davies speaking at a lectern, with a BSL interpreter beside her

March 15, 2018 0

Sharp rise in disability poverty in Wales is ‘very concerning’

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The proportion of disabled people who live in poverty in Wales has risen by more than 40 per cent since 2010, according to “very concerning” new research. Figures produced by Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) show that the percentage of working-age disabled people living in poverty in Wales rose from 27 or 28 per cent

Benefits and Poverty

March 15, 2018 0

DWP ‘hides impact of changes to ESA guidance that risked lives of thousands’

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The government appears to be trying to hide information that could show the impact of major changes to “fitness for work” guidance that risked the lives of thousands of disabled benefit claimants. It is the second time this month that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has breached the Freedom of Information Act

Benefits and Poverty

Marsha de Cordova speaking in the House of Commons

March 8, 2018 0

‘Deeply troubling’ post-2010 fall in older people claiming disability benefit, analysis shows

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The shadow minister for disabled people has called for an urgent investigation into a fall of more than 22 per cent in the proportion of older people receiving a disability benefit designed to help them with their daily living costs. New analysis of government and Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures by Disability News

Benefits and Poverty

March 8, 2018 0

DWP ignores freedom of information laws in bid to hide universal credit impact

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The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has breached freedom of information laws by refusing to explain how its new universal credit system of working-age benefits will affect disabled people. Campaigners have been warning that the introduction of universal credit will see tens or even hundreds of thousands of disabled people with high support

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