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You are here: Home / Archives for Dispatches

Dispatches

Dispatches exposé sparks anger and frustration over ‘cruel and inhuman’ system

By John Pring on 22nd December 2021 Category: Benefits and Poverty

Dispatches exposé sparks anger and frustration over ‘cruel and inhuman’ system
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Disabled people who watched a documentary exposé of links between the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and the deaths of benefit claimants have shared their own experiences of its “cruel and inhuman” assessment system. The Dispatches documentary, broadcast on Friday, […]

Coroner silent on why DWP was not questioned at inquest, despite ‘nightmare’ messages

By John Pring on 16th December 2021 Category: Benefits and Poverty

Coroner silent on why DWP was not questioned at inquest, despite ‘nightmare’ messages
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The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) was not questioned about an autistic man’s suicide at an inquest, despite the bundle of evidence presented to the coroner containing multiple distressing messages he had scrawled on letters about his benefits. A police […]

Parents who home educate disabled children ‘scapegoated’ by commissioner

By John Pring on 14th February 2019 Category: Education

Parents who home educate disabled children ‘scapegoated’ by commissioner
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Families forced into home educating their disabled children because of the lack of support from mainstream schools are among parents who are being “scapegoated” by the children’s commissioner, according to a disabled mum and campaigner. Anne Longfield, the children’s commissioner for […]

Disgraced PIP assessor escapes being struck off

By John Pring on 21st September 2017 Category: Benefits and Poverty

Disgraced PIP assessor escapes being struck off
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A disgraced former disability assessor and paramedic has avoided being struck off, despite a tribunal concluding that he made offensive remarks about disabled benefit claimants. Alan Barham was sacked by the government outsourcing giant Capita last year after being exposed by […]

PIP investigation: Capita made me a scapegoat, says disgraced assessor

By John Pring on 23rd February 2017 Category: Benefits and Poverty

PIP investigation: Capita made me a scapegoat, says disgraced assessor
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Healthcare professionals who carry out disability benefits assessments for the government complete as much as 60 per cent of their reports before they meet the disabled person they are supposed to be assessing, according to a disgraced former assessor. Paramedic Alan […]

PIP investigation: Regulator refuses to act over Capita assessment report ‘lies’

By John Pring on 9th February 2017 Category: Benefits and Poverty

PIP investigation: Regulator refuses to act over Capita assessment report ‘lies’
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A healthcare regulator has decided that a notorious benefits assessor will not face any disciplinary action over allegations of dishonesty, even though his former employer admitted that he lied in an assessment report. Paramedic Alan Barham still faces being struck off […]

DWP media reports ignore benefit deaths… and IDS resignation

By John Pring on 1st December 2016 Category: Politics

DWP media reports ignore benefit deaths… and IDS resignation
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Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) civil servants ignored media coverage that exposed how ministers’ policies had led to the deaths of benefit claimants, in a series of confidential reports for their bosses. The DWP Media Evaluation reports, obtained by Disability […]

Capita faces fresh calls to be stripped of PIP contracts after documentary

By John Pring on 14th April 2016 Category: Benefits and Poverty

Capita faces fresh calls to be stripped of PIP contracts after documentary
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One of the three outsourcing giants that assesses people for their eligibility for disability benefits is facing calls for it to be stripped of its contract, after revelations in a Channel 4 documentary. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is […]

Secret DWP reviews called for improvements after benefit deaths

By John Pring on 6th March 2015 Category: Benefits and Poverty

Secret DWP reviews called for improvements after benefit deaths
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The government has admitted that more than 30 secret reviews carried out following the deaths of benefit claimants called for improvements in how the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) operates locally and nationally. The “appalling” statistic has added to pressure […]

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