Spartacus

Benefits and Poverty

Ellen Clifford speaking into a microphone, watched by three other panel members

October 5, 2017 0

Tory conference: Silence on eligibility means WCA announcement is ‘meaningless’

Changes that mean some sick and disabled benefit claimants will no longer need to face repeated assessments of their capability for work are “meaningless” because the government has refused to say which people will be affected, say campaigners. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) announced last week, on the eve of the Conservative

Politics

June 15, 2017 0

Anger, resignation… and optimism in wake of general election result

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Disabled activists have reacted with a mixture of anger, resignation and optimism to a general election that saw the Conservatives lose their parliamentary majority. Some believe that a resurgent Labour party under the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn, which defied mainstream media opposition and polling predictions to increase its number of MPs by 30, will

Politics

Debbie Abrahams standing behind a table, speaking into a microphone

July 7, 2016

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Labour left with no disability shadow after Abrahams’ promotion

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The Labour party has been left without a shadow minister for disabled people, after Debbie Abrahams was promoted to shadow work and pensions secretary following the turmoil that caused most of the shadow cabinet to resign. The party was unable yesterday (Wednesday) to say when or if a new shadow minister for disabled people

Benefits and Poverty

June 16, 2016

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First figures on ESA mandatory reconsideration ‘show it is just a delaying tactic’

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Official figures suggest that a new appeal stage introduced for unsuccessful claimants has been little more than a delaying tactic aimed at reducing the number of disabled people claiming benefits, say campaigners. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has finally published statistics showing the impact of the process on claimants of the out-of-work

Benefits and Poverty

Head and shoulders of Justin Tomlinson giving evidence to a parliamentary committee

March 17, 2016

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Anger as ministers push ahead with billion-pound-a-year PIP cut

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Ministers are to push ahead with plans to tighten eligibility for their new disability benefit, ignoring the views of the overwhelming majority of disabled people and organisations who took part in a consultation on the changes. The changes, which will apply from next January, will see £1.2 billion a year less spent on personal

Activism and Campaigning

March 17, 2016

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More disabled people add their voices to Brexit opposition

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More disabled people have come forward to argue that a decision to quit the European Union (EU) would harm disability rights in the UK. Until last week, nothing had been said publicly about the potential impact on disabled people of a decision to leave the EU, even though a referendum is to take place

Benefits and Poverty

February 18, 2016

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New survey reveals PIP’s poor satisfaction levels

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Levels of satisfaction among claimants of the government’s new disability benefit are far lower than for other benefits, according to new Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) figures. The survey found that only two-thirds (68 per cent) of personal independence payment (PIP) claimants were satisfied with the service they received from DWP, compared with

Benefits and Poverty

February 4, 2016

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‘Appalling’ consultation ‘shows government’s PIP plans are deplorable’

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An “appalling” consultation has failed to make the case for “deplorable” government plans to tighten eligibility for its new disability benefit, according to new research by three disabled campaigners. The research by Caroline Richardson, Stef Benstead and Emma Nock for the user-led Spartacus online network, concludes that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

Independent Living

Protester in wheelchair holding sign saying 'The needy, paying for the sins of the greedy'

December 18, 2015

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Government’s new PIP proposals ‘will drive more into poverty and despair’

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The government looks set to tighten eligibility for its new disability benefit, just two years after it was introduced. Activists this week described the move as another government attack that would lead to more disabled people being driven into poverty and despair. A consultation document issued by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

Benefits and Poverty

August 28, 2015

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IDS announces ‘fitness for work’ U-turn that was five years in the making

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Work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith appears set to scrap the “fitness for work” test championed by successive Labour, coalition and Conservative governments, but there are fears that its replacement could prove even more damaging to disabled people. Duncan Smith (pictured) – in comments not included in a written version of a speech

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