Black Triangle

Benefits and Poverty

Paul Litchfield giving evidence to a Commons committee

May 31, 2018 0

DWP ‘has no record’ of whether it showed WCA death documents to reviewer

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) claims it has no record of whether it showed vital documents linking its “fitness for work” test with the deaths of benefit claimants to the expert it hired to review the assessment. Even though DWP possesses the documents, it is claiming it holds no information in its

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 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

Tracey Lazard sitting behind a table and holding a microphone

February 15, 2018 0

Benefit assessment report welcomed, but concern over ‘preventable harm’ failings

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Disabled campaigners have welcomed a report by MPs on disability benefit assessments, which they say highlights “serious multiple failures”, but many believe it should have done more to highlight the serious “preventable harm” caused by the system. The report by the Commons work and pensions committee concludes that there is a “pervasive culture of

Benefits and Poverty

Hundreds of white flowers lying on grass

December 14, 2017 0

‘Staggering’ ESA suicide figures prompt calls for inquiry and prosecution of ministers

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“Staggering” new figures show that the proportion of people claiming the main out-of-work disability benefit who have attempted suicide doubled between 2007 and 2014. The new analysis of NHS statistics, being published for the first time by Disability News Service (DNS), shows that in 2007 – a year before the introduction of the much-criticised

Benefits and Poverty

November 30, 2017 0

‘Shocking’ NHS stats show nearly half ESA claimants have attempted suicide

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“Shocking” NHS statistics have revealed that almost half of the people claiming the main out-of-work disability benefit in England have attempted suicide at some point in their life. The figures, showing rates of self-harm among claimants of employment and support allowance (ESA), were published by NHS Digital in September 2016, but have apparently never

Independent Living

November 16, 2017 0

Research linking care cuts to 120,000 deaths ‘is fresh evidence austerity kills’

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“Indisputable” new research has linked government cuts in adult social care and health spending to nearly 120,000 “excess” deaths in England since 2010. The research, published just before midnight last night (Wednesday) by the online journal BMJ Open, concludes that people over 60 and residents of care homes have been particularly affected by the

Human Rights

Fiona Robertson speaking to the SNP conference above a sign saying 'Progress'

October 12, 2017 0

SNP hears ‘justice for the dead’ demand as it backs call to implement UN report

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The SNP’s annual conference has unanimously called on the UK government to implement the findings of a UN committee of disability rights experts, after a disabled activist demanded “justice for the dead” and “rights for the living”. The motion proposed by disabled party activist Fiona Robertson called on the UK government to stop using

Benefits and Poverty

October 12, 2017 0

Concerns over criteria for ‘fitness for work’ reassessment exemptions

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Disabled campaigners have criticised new Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) rules that explain which benefit claimants will no longer have to be repeatedly put through the much-criticised “fitness for work” test. DWP announced last month, on the eve of the Conservative party conference in Manchester, that some claimants in the support group of

Benefits and Poverty

Debbie Abrahams speaking at a podium watched by panel members

September 28, 2017 0

Labour conference: Abrahams pledges ‘supportive and enabling’ social security system

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Labour’s shadow work and pensions secretary has pledged to transform the social security system from one that “demonises” benefit claimants to one that is “supportive and enabling”. Debbie Abrahams told Labour’s annual conference in Brighton that the social security system was failing sick and disabled people, and she reminded her party that the UN’s

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