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A minister has admitted that it is not government policy to warn health or social services when “vulnerable” service-users have had their benefits “sanctioned”. The admission by the Conservative employment minister Esther McVey comes just weeks after her department admitted to […]
This week’s autumn statement – the last before the general election – demonstrates the government’s “total disregard” for disabled people, say campaigners. George Osborne’s speech to MPs omitted any mention of disabled people, but there was also no mention of disability […]
An agreement between the leading political parties over devolving further powers to Scotland “falls far short” of what was demanded by disabled people, say campaigners. The Smith Commission which reported last week, secured an agreement backed by the five parties represented […]
A new user-led campaign and report aim to highlight the experiences of disabled people hit by the government’s welfare reforms, and encourage them to vote at next year’s general election. From Cuts… To Resistance, a report by the Reclaiming Our Futures […]
Disabled activists have condemned the government’s latest refusal to order a major reform of its controversial “fitness for work” assessment. Four months ago, the Commons work and pensions select committee called for “fundamental redesign” of the much-criticised process used to determine […]
A disabled widow has accused the government of subjecting her and her late husband to “inhumane and cruel” treatment, after the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) argued that it was not responsible for supporting them. Laurel Duut’s husband Peter died […]
A disabled peer has warned her own government that tightening social security rules even further could lead to more deaths of benefit claimants, days after Disability News Service (DNS) revealed there had been 60 secret reviews into such tragedies. Last week’s […]
A disabled researcher has accused the prime minister of breaking his promise to disabled veterans that they would not have to be assessed for the government’s new disability benefit. David Cameron made headlines in July 2012 when he pledged in a […]
Disabled benefit claimants have complained after being targeted by government letters telling them to attend short-notice “work-focussed interviews” (WFIs), but failing to mention that attendance was voluntary. Research by Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) has found that employment and support allowance […]
A judge has told the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) that part of the agreement signed by out-of-work benefit claimants does not comply with the law, following a legal challenge from a disabled job-seeker. The comments by Judge Christopher Ward […]