The minister for disabled people has admitted to complete ignorance about the model that lies at the heart of his government’s programme of disability benefit reforms. Justin Tomlinson was asked what his thoughts were about the biopsychosocial (BPS) model of … Continue reading →
While the country is entrenched in the mire of the EU referendum fallout, the Tories have just been slammed by the United Nations (UN) – for human rights abuses. But not abroad. Here, in the UK. As The Canary previously … Continue reading →
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 … Continue reading →
Ministers are delaying the release of nine secret reviews into the deaths of benefit claimants, even though civil servants apparently prepared them for release three weeks ago under freedom of information laws. A response to a request to release redacted … Continue reading →
By John Pring Disability News Service Thursday 26th May 2016 Labour’s shadow chancellor has called for Iain Duncan Smith to face criminal charges over allegations that his failure to address a coroner’s concerns about the “fitness for work” test led … Continue reading →
While the appropriate offence would be Misconduct in Public Office we would like share with you the following complaint to Northumbria Police by Mr. Oliver Swingler of Newcastle. Deaths of Benefit Claimants Posted Sunday 22nd May 2016 12.48pm For the Attention … Continue reading →
No civilian has any comprehension of life in British military forces, or the impact of the removal of that life when unexpectedly returned to ‘Civvy Street’ following the onset of a permanent illness or a profound disability, with the … Continue reading →
Ministers have refused to say if they implemented 10 measures – recommended by their own civil servants – that would have made it less likely that “vulnerable” benefit claimants would lose their lives. The 10 recommendations were taken from some … Continue reading →
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has finally admitted that it could be partly responsible for the deaths of some benefit claimants. The admission came – quietly – after its release of heavily-redacted versions of 49 secret “peer reviews” … Continue reading →
Updated from: http://loopys-rollingwiththepunches.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/iain-duncan-smith-legacy.html The following is a list of policies and damning court decisions and findings undertaken under the watch of Iain Duncan Smith (emphasis on those affecting disabled people): April 2011: LHA (Local Housing Allowance) is reduced to … Continue reading →
‘I, Daniel Blake’ moved Cannes audiences to tears and is greeted with shouts of ‘BRAVO!’ Black Triangle Campaign is in the film’s credits for our work in advising Scottish scriptwriter Paul Laverty on the WCA and sanctions system which is … Continue reading →
By John Pring Disability News Service Saturday 14th May 2016 After 21 months of smokescreens, excuses, obstruction and secrecy, work and pensions ministers have finally been forced to publish some of the conclusions reached by their own civil servants about … Continue reading →
By Patrick Butler and John Pring ‘Peer reviews’ challenge claims by ministers that there is no connection between welfare reform policies and deaths of vulnerable claimants A series of secret internal inquiries into the deaths of people claiming social security … Continue reading →
The new work and pensions secretary has suggested the government’s pledge to halve the disability employment gap will face lengthy delays, after he said he wanted to spend a “few years” testing how to achieve the target. Stephen Crabb, who … Continue reading →
The new work and pensions secretary has sent out mixed signals on whether he wants to make further cuts to spending on disability benefits. Stephen Crabb, who was appointed after the resignation of Iain Duncan Smith in March, was giving … Continue reading →
By John Pring Disability News Service Thursday 5th May 2016 Scottish police are assessing whether to launch a criminal investigation into the failure of two government ministers to address a coroner’s concerns about the safety of the “fitness for … Continue reading →
Hundreds of thousands of disabled people are living in destitution, the first piece of research to look at extreme poverty in the UK suggests. The study, published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, found that in 2015 there were 1.25 million … Continue reading →
Disabled campaigners are calling for the resignation of the equality watchdog’s disability commissioner, the disabled Tory peer Lord [Chris] Holmes, after he voted in favour of disability benefit cuts when they had been condemned by his own organisation. The letter … Continue reading →
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has proposed scrapping two benefit regulations that offer vital protection to disabled people facing the controversial “fitness for work” test. In response to a freedom of information request, DWP has sent Disability News … Continue reading →
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has drawn up secret plans for sweeping reforms that would make it far harder for disabled people to appeal against having their benefit claims turned down. The heavily-redacted document was sent to Disability … Continue reading →