the country's only news agency specialising in disability issues
Labour’s disability minister has said for the first time that he is drawing up a list of priorities for action to address the barriers faced by disabled people. It is believed to be the first time that Sir Stephen Timms has […]
New unpublished research has exposed the impact of “shocking and eye-opening” levels of bullying and systematic mistakes on disabled people forced to rely on the universal credit working-age benefits system. Reports from focus groups hosted by Inclusion Scotland in October add […]
Just a handful of MPs attended a debate to mark the international day of disabled people, four days after the House of Commons voted in favour of a bill that would legalise assisted suicide. More than 160 MPs had told the […]
Labour appears set for a serious disagreement with its own minister for disability, after apparently rejecting his advice about a disabled member who was prevented from attending the party’s annual conference with her assistance dog. Sir Stephen Timms wrote to the […]
The equality watchdog was first told by a senior member of staff six years ago that it needed to launch an inquiry into deaths linked to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), Disability News Service (DNS) can reveal. But despite […]
A minister is refusing to release three documents that link the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) with the deaths of benefit claimants, despite criticising DWP only last month for “absurdly” refusing to comply with similar freedom of information requests. Sir […]
The Conservative party has refused to explain why its former ministers “sat on” vital research papers for up to six years while running the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Labour’s new work and pensions secretary, Liz Kendall, this week published […]
The last Conservative minister for disabled people has dodged questions on whether her government failed to address flaws in the universal credit system that led to the deaths of disabled claimants. There have been increasing concerns about universal credit, including by […]
The minister for social security has admitted there are serious safety concerns with universal credit, following coroners’ reports that linked the working-age benefits system with the suicides of two disabled claimants. Sir Stephen Timms is the first minister of any political […]
Disabled campaigners say they want more than a “part-time minister” for disabled people under the new Labour government. A fringe meeting at Labour’s annual party conference in Liverpool heard of concerns that Sir Stephen Timms had too many responsibilities as the […]