DPAC

Independent Living

April 26, 2018 0

Social care ‘citizens’ assembly’ set up by MPs omits DPOs from panel of experts

A consultation event set up by MPs to produce recommendations from members of the public on the future funding of adult social care has failed to ask any disabled people’s organisations (DPOs) to provide them with “expert” opinions. DPOs have raised “deep concerns” about the way the Citizens’ Assembly on Social Care has been

Activism and Campaigning

April 26, 2018 0

Letter calls on GP body to denounce DWP’s ‘fit for work coercion’

Listen

The national membership body for GPs is facing calls for it to denounce government attempts to persuade doctors to “coerce” patients with serious health conditions back into work. More than 90 campaigners and concerned health professionals have sent a joint letter to the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP), asking the organisation to distance

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

Listen

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

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

Listen

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

March 1, 2018 0

Mystery over shock fall in disability benefits paid to older people

Listen

“Astonishing” figures released by the government show that the number of older disabled people receiving benefits to help with their daily living costs has plummeted since 2011. The figures show that the number of recipients of attendance allowance (AA) has fallen from 1.6 million in August 2011 to 1.435 million in August 2017, a

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

Listen

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

February 15, 2018 0

DWP quietly dumps plan to trial softer sanctions regime

Listen

Ministers have quietly dumped their promise to test a gentler approach to dealing with claimants who breach strict benefit conditions for the first time. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) agreed in October to trial handing out warnings instead of benefit sanctions when claimants breach the conditions imposed on them for the first

Benefits and Poverty

Stephen Lloyd in front of a sign for the Liberal Democrat conference

February 15, 2018 0

The PIP Files: Senior MP to write to minister over ‘devastating’ revelations

Listen

A senior opposition MP is to write to the minister for disabled people to ask how she plans to penalise government contractors Atos and Capita, following last week’s “devastating” revelations about their “shocking” failings in delivering disability benefit assessments. Stephen Lloyd, the work and pensions spokesman for the Liberal Democrats, said last week’s revelations

Transport

February 15, 2018 0

Motability row sparks anger and demand to use huge reserves to support customers

Listen

Disabled campaigners have reacted to the political row over the Motability car scheme by calling for the organisation that runs it to use part of its huge financial reserves to increase support for disabled people. Details emerged in a newspaper last week of the “grotesque” levels of pay and bonuses awarded to senior executives

Benefits and Poverty

Sarah Newton speaking in Westminster Hall

February 8, 2018 0

The PIP Files: DWP documents show ‘absolutely shocking’ failure on further evidence

Listen

Outsourcing companies have been failing to request vital evidence from GPs and social workers that would help disabled people secure the benefits they are entitled to, confidential Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) documents have revealed. The “absolutely shocking” reports, released under the Freedom of Information Act, show that Atos and Capita contacted health

Browsing: DPAC