Showing posts with label disability news service. Show all posts
Showing posts with label disability news service. Show all posts

Tuesday, 1 November 2011

Disability News Round Up By John Pring - Week Beginning 31/10/2011


  • Disabled activists have ridiculed a union’s claims that its members have been unfairly criticised for the way they test disabled people’s “fitness for work”.
  • Government figures have revealed alarming new evidence of a slump in the number of disabled people granted funds to make their workplaces more accessible.
  • Two disabled people have lost their high court challenge over a council’s decision to slash spending on social care services.
  • The number of disability benefits claimants found “fit for work” by the government has fallen sharply over the last two years, according to new figures.
  • Researchers are seeking volunteers to take part in a project that will trace how the educational experiences of disabled people have changed over the last 100 years.
  • A disabled peer has challenged a minister over whether she is taking account of the views of disabled people in developing new policies.
  • Trials of the assessment for the benefit that will replace disability living allowance (DLA) show the test is worryingly similar to the government’s discredited “fitness for work” assessment, say campaigners.
  • Thousands of disabled people and other campaigners have taken part in a series of anti-cuts protests in more than a dozen towns and cities across the UK.

For links to the full stories, please visit Disability News Service

Tuesday, 18 October 2011

Disability News Round Up - Week Beginning 17/10/2011

Provided by John Pring


  • Three of the country’s leading disability organisations – the National Centre for Independent Living, RADAR and Disability Alliance – have agreed to merge within months.

  • Disabled people have expressed outrage after learning that benefits claim forms containing confidential and highly personal information are being opened by Royal Mail staff in a south London sorting office.

  •  Labour’s new shadow minister for disabled people looks set to spearhead a stronger line from the opposition over offensive government rhetoric on the “abuse” of disability benefits.

  • Disabled people and disability charities have complained to the press watchdog after a national newspaper suggested there was widespread abuse of the Motability car scheme.

  • Some of the UK’s most talented young disabled athletes are to take part in Paralympic-style events in key London 2012 venues, just weeks before the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.

  • The possible closure of hundreds of ticket offices would make it “nigh on impossible” for many disabled people to travel by train, MPs have heard.

  • The mental health anti-stigma campaign Time to Change has secured £20 million in funding over the next four years.

For links to the full stories, please visit Disability News Service