equality act

Independent Living

James Plummer sitting in his wheelchair in front of some trees

June 14, 2018 0

Landmark court ruling over leisure club’s inaccessible swimming pool

A company that runs a leisure club on a luxury housing estate discriminated against a disabled man by repeatedly refusing to make the adjustments that would allow him to use the swimming pool, according to a court’s “landmark” judgement. James Plummer (pictured) has secured the legal judgement after an “epic struggle” that has lasted

Human Rights

May 10, 2018 0

EHRC appoints eight disabled people to advisory committee

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The equality and human rights watchdog has appointed eight disabled people to its disability committee, including leading activists, advisers and academics. The new appointments mean that all 14 members of the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s (EHRC) disability advisory committee (DAC) will be disabled people. The committee was formed last year to replace the

Transport

May 10, 2018 0

A year on from new taxi discrimination laws… and not a single prosecution

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Local authorities have failed to prosecute a single taxi-driver for discriminating against wheelchair-users under new legislation introduced more than a year ago, according to new figures released under the Freedom of Information Act. The figures show that not one taxi-driver out of more than 30,000 so far covered by the new legislation has appeared

Transport

Rachael Monk, laughing, head and shoulders

March 15, 2018 0

British Airways PA ticket policy ‘discriminates’ against disabled woman

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A disabled woman is having to pay hundreds of pounds extra to fly to Canada to visit a friend because British Airways (BA) has refused to make a simple alteration to a ticket she bought for one of her two personal assistants (PAs). Rachael Monk, from Dumfries and Galloway, has accused BA of disability

Politics

A huge poster for the Labour conference outside the conference centre

March 1, 2018 0

Handbook offers Labour new DEAL on addressing widespread discrimination in the party

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Disabled party activists are hoping a new handbook will force Labour to confront its failure to comply with its legal duties to prevent disability discrimination. Members of the Disability Equality ACT Labour (DEAL) campaign, all Labour members, say the party has repeatedly failed to comply with its duties under the Equality Act. To address

Benefits and Poverty

Catherine Hale lies on a sofa as she works on her laptop

February 22, 2018 0

Benefit sanctions regime discriminates against disabled claimants, new research shows

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The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is facing claims that it has been running a discriminatory benefit sanctions regime, following the publication of new research. Academic Ben Baumberg Geiger has found that more than 900,000 disabled claimants of the mainstream out-of-work benefit jobseeker’s allowance (JSA) have been sanctioned since the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition

Politics

Lord Shinkwin speaking in the House of Lords

January 4, 2018 0

Disabled Tory peer says government rejection of pub access plan is an ‘insult’

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A disabled Tory peer has accused his own government of insulting disabled people by rejecting the chance to improve access to pubs, clubs and restaurants. Lord [Kevin] Shinkwin said his party was in danger of “disowning” the laws it introduced through the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) more than 22 years ago. He was speaking

Human Rights

October 5, 2017 0

EHRC celebrates 10th birthday with call for new powers

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The equality watchdog has asked the government for significant new powers, including the ability to inspect buildings that are flouting access laws. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said it needed stronger powers to hold “powerful and well-resourced” governments and large organisations to account. But it also said that it should be made

Employment

Leonora Bateman, head and shoulders, on a slant

September 28, 2017 0

Disabled woman forced to quit job by ‘Disability Confident’ government

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A disabled woman has been forced to quit her job because two “Disability Confident” government organisations refused to allow her to use one of the parking spaces close to the offices where she worked. Leonora Bateman worked for a company wholly owned by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), while the offices where

Politics

Anne Pridmore, her assistance dog, and Alex Hovden at the conference

September 28, 2017 0

Labour conference: Members accuse party of years of ‘blatant discrimination’

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Labour is facing concerted pressure to put an end to years of “blatant discrimination” against its own disabled party members, while also facing complaints about “inexcusable” access failings at this week’s annual conference in Brighton. Members of one disabled members’ campaign – Party Participation and Disabled People (PPDP) – handed out leaflets at the

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