Ministers have effectively admitted introducing a policy that will prevent many disabled students from entering higher education, without knowing how much money it would save or how many young disabled people would be affected. The admission came in response to a […]
wca
Universal credit rules ‘could bar many disabled students from university’
Many disabled students could effectively be barred from higher education because of the introduction of the government’s new universal credit, according to MPs and peers who have written to the minister for employment. The seven MPs and peers, all members of […]
Queen’s speech: Government appears to dump Mordaunt’s WCA election promise
A Tory election promise to “dismantle” the work capability assessment (WCA) through new legislation appears to have been abandoned, with the Queen’s speech containing no mention of any new social security bill. The speech contains brief details of all planned legislation […]
Shock after inquest ignores ‘fitness for work’ and jobcentre concerns
A coroner has declined to explain why he failed to take evidence on the apparent links between the government’s “fitness for work” test and the death of a disabled north London man. An inquest into the death of 56-year-old Lawrence Bond […]
Election 2017: UKIP silence after manifesto confuses PIP assessment with WCA
UKIP’s disability spokeswoman has refused to explain both how the party has managed to confuse two key disability benefits in its election manifesto, and – for the second election running – which parts of the UN disability convention it supports. UKIP’s […]
Activists ‘horrified’ by universal credit rules forcing sick claimants into work activity
“Very dangerous” rules are forcing severely-ill people applying for the government’s new universal credit to look for jobs and take part in training, even though their GPs have said they are not fit for work, “horrified” disabled activists have warned. The […]
Boycott call after DWP wrongly claims DPOs helped devise punitive work scheme
Disabled activists have called on disability charities to boycott any further co-operation with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), after it wrongly claimed that disabled people’s organisations (DPOs) had helped draw up its punitive new work scheme. DWP claimed that […]
Government admits failing to record actions after benefit suicide inquiries
The government failed for more than three years to keep a record of what actions it took – if any – after carrying out secret reviews into the suicides of benefit claimants, Disability News Service (DNS) can reveal. The Department for […]
Exposed: Mordaunt’s ‘false promises’ on WRAG cut mitigation
The minister for disabled people has been accused of making “false promises” that she would reduce the living costs of people facing cuts of nearly £30 a week to their out-of-work disability benefits. From this week, new employment and support […]
DWP presentation on ESA plans ‘confirms worst fears’ about green paper
Ministers have been accused of ignoring a public consultation and ploughing ahead with plans that will make their “fitness for work” testing regime even more stressful and unfair for sick and disabled people. A presentation delivered by two senior Department for […]