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Disability Unit

Anger over disability survey’s ‘degrading’ and ‘insulting’ relationship question

By John Pring on 4th March 2021 Category: Activism and Campaigning

Anger over disability survey’s ‘degrading’ and ‘insulting’ relationship question
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The government’s Disability Unit has caused widespread anger after asking non-disabled people – in a survey that will influence its new disability strategy – if they would be “happy to have a physical relationship with a disabled person”. Disabled campaigners described […]

Disability Unit accused of ‘shameful manipulation’ over disability strategy note

By John Pring on 11th February 2021 Category: Activism and Campaigning

Disability Unit accused of ‘shameful manipulation’ over disability strategy note
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The government has been accused of a “shameful manipulation of reality”, after its Disability Unit sent out desperate emails to its regional disability networks, begging for positive accounts of how its policies have improved disabled people’s lives. The note was sent […]

DPOs ‘shocked and dismayed’ over survey, as government faces threat of legal action

By John Pring on 21st January 2021 Category: Activism and Campaigning

DPOs ‘shocked and dismayed’ over survey, as government faces threat of legal action
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Disabled people’s organisations (DPOs) across the country say they are “shocked and dismayed” by the government’s failure to engage with them, as ministers prepare to publish their long-awaited disability strategy. The concerns came after the minister for disabled people, Justin Tomlinson, […]

Government’s quiet confession: We must do more to protect disabled people from COVID

By John Pring on 26th November 2020 Category: Human Rights

Government’s quiet confession: We must do more to protect disabled people from COVID
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The UK government appears to have bowed to months of pressure from disabled campaigners and allies, after quietly revealing that it is considering taking “further action” to protect disabled people from the pandemic. It comes alongside an admission that disabled people […]

Two years on, most of government’s new disability networks remain silent

By John Pring on 8th October 2020 Category: Activism and Campaigning

Two years on, most of government’s new disability networks remain silent
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Five of the nine regional networks created by ministers to “amplify” the voices of disabled people have not held a single meeting, nearly two years after the government announced they were being set up. The aim, the government said, was to […]

Tomlinson faces fresh pressure over ‘pathetic’ engagement with DPOs

By John Pring on 10th September 2020 Category: Activism and Campaigning

Tomlinson faces fresh pressure over ‘pathetic’ engagement with DPOs
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The minister for disabled people is facing fresh criticism for failing to carry out “meaningful” engagement with disabled people’s organisations (DPOs) during the coronavirus pandemic. Three DPOs have this week criticised the failure of Justin Tomlinson and his new Disability Unit […]

Round-up: Community funding, new special schools, Changing Places… and a new forum

By John Pring on 23rd July 2020 Category: Human Rights

Round-up: Community funding, new special schools, Changing Places… and a new forum
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Health and social care secretary Matt Hancock has confirmed three years of funding that will help move people with learning difficulties and autistic people out of mental health hospitals and into homes in the community. The £62 million (£20 million this […]

Coronavirus: ‘Scandalous’ silence of government’s Disability Unit as thousands die

By John Pring on 16th July 2020 Category: Activism and Campaigning

Coronavirus: ‘Scandalous’ silence of government’s Disability Unit as thousands die
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The government has been accused of a “totally reprehensible failure” after its new Disability Unit failed to make a single announcement in more than three months, while more than 20,000 disabled people were dying from COVID-19. The unit was set up […]

ROFA conference sees calls for charities to make way for DPOs

By John Pring on 23rd April 2020 Category: Activism and Campaigning

ROFA conference sees calls for charities to make way for DPOs
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Disabled people’s organisations have called on charities that are not user-led to “move over and stop taking our space”. The calls came during the Reclaiming Our Futures Alliance (ROFA) national conference, which had been due to take place in Manchester, but […]

Government’s fresh bids to engage with disabled people are ‘just business as usual’

By John Pring on 9th April 2020 Category: Human Rights

Government’s fresh bids to engage with disabled people are ‘just business as usual’
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Government announcements on how it is engaging with disabled people have been dismissed as “business as usual” and proof that it is continuing to breach the UN disability convention. Days after Disability News Service reported concerns about the failure to engage […]

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DWP: The case for the prosecution

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The International Standard Serial Number for Disability News Service is: ISSN 2398-8924

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