FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Deaf and Disabled People to witness United Nations scrutiny of UK Government’s human rights record On Monday 18 March Deaf and Disabled campaigners and trade unionists from across the UK will gather in Geneva to watch the UK governments give evidence to the United Nations. The public session is part of a… Continue Reading Deaf and Disabled People to witness United Nations scrutiny of UK Government’s human rights record
Deaf and Disabled activists have been fighting for decades against our institutionalisation, isolation and deprivation – it’s time the world started to listen. The UK government will be facing the United Nations for violating disabled people’s rights. You can get involved! Watch The Hearing! When? Monday, March 18th, 2024 What time? 2pm-3:30pm UK time (it… Continue Reading The government is in front of the UN Disability Committee on Monday 18 March 2024 – here’s how YOU can get involved!
Contents Sunak suggests he wants to lead fresh assault on disability benefits spending 1 Starmer’s ‘very alarming’ call to legalise assisted suicide 4 Government launched ‘pitiful’ Disability Action Plan without knowing how much it would cost 5 Labour’s DWP team ‘split’ over universal credit safety 7 DWP figures ‘show how rise in staff workload led… Continue Reading Disability News Service 14th March
Mary Ellen, Campaigner, Truth-Sharer, Artist, Singer-Songwriter and Legendary Social and Climate Justice and Disability Rights Activist from DPAC Disabled People Against Cuts. She will talk around the time of International Women’s day – about everything from Disability Rights and Disablism to Women’s Rights, to Land and Water Rights, to Climate and Social Justice and about… Continue Reading Climate Emergency Centre Network Wednesday Webinar 7-8pm March 13th
Cost-of-living payments scrapped as spring budget ‘completely ignores disabled people’ The government has been accused of “another missed opportunity” to support disabled people, after ending all cost-of-living payments, including the annual payment to those on disability benefits. Disabled campaigners warned that Jeremy Hunt’s budget could lead to further cuts to disabled people’s support and that… Continue Reading Disability News Service 7th March
Contents Second coroner links universal credit flaws with death of a claimant 1 Committee of MPs rejects minority bid for report to push for assisted suicide legalisation 4 Disabled peer returns to the Lords to fight for victims of infected blood scandal 6 Pandemic inquiry is asked why Welsh government’s ‘humanism’ failed to prevent ‘mass… Continue Reading Disability News Service 29th February
DPAC PROTEST BANNER MAKING WORKSHOP Saturday 2nd March 2024 11.30 am to 1pm Venue: We are 336, Brixton Road London SW9 7AA
#NoMoreBenefitDeaths National Day of Action Monday 4th March 2024 On 19th February 2024 at the Parliament Meeting in London, DPAC and the UK Coalition have announced a united disability resistance against the Tory Government’s proposed brutal and horrific social security reforms. We are calling for active resistance across the UK to these brutal attacks on… Continue Reading #NoMoreBenefitDeaths National Day of Action Monday 4th March 2024
Contents DWP faces cover-up claims after secretly weakening suicide rules 1 DPAC returns to the streets for ‘active resistance’ to DWP cuts 3 Shock and dismay over Welsh government’s care charge hike 6 Government ignores access in £6 billion housing scheme 8 Disabled politician won’t fight general election after ‘intolerable’ hate crime 10 DWP’s bank… Continue Reading Disability News Service 22nd February
Contents Report warned of ‘catastrophic deterioration’ in some disabled people, but ministers still shelved power-cut action 1 DWP secretly weakened guidance on suicides, one year after public pledge 3 Capita admits sending recording of assessment to wrong claimant 5 Young woman took her own life hours before DWP finally agreed long-delayed PIP claim 7 DWP’s… Continue Reading Disability News Service 15th February
Online meeting Date: Sunday 18 February 2024 Time: 3 – 5pm Zoom Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83785735292?pwd=YjGm5MtbQiYOv1p6a9i1nClm3JrgQA.1 Meeting ID: 837 8573 5292 Passcode: 709981 British Sign Language Interpretation and palantypists provided Speakers: Bill Scott, Senior Policy Advisor, Inclusion Scotland; Andy Mitchell (@BenClaimant), Unite the union; Michael Erhardt, Policy and Campaigns Officer, Disability Rights UK; Ellen Clifford, Disabled People… Continue Reading Disability Benefits Shake Up – what’s planned and what’s at stake?
Time: 6.30 – 8.30pm Date: Monday 19 February 2024 Place: Thatcher room, Portcullis House, 1 Victoria Embankment, London SW1A 2JR British Sign Language and Palantypist provided Co-chairs: John McDonnell MP and Martha Foulds, Disabled People Against Cuts [DPAC] Speakers: Martin Cavanagh, DWP President, PCS union; Ellen Clifford, DPAC and author of The War on Disabled… Continue Reading Social Security For All – uniting for a fairer system
Contents DPOs’ verdict on Disability Action Plan: weak, grudging and just a list of empty promises 1 DNS analysis suggests ministers are wrong about rise in out-of-work disability benefits 5 Victory for disabled campaigners as council backs down over ‘fair care’ policy 7 MPs are told accessible housing is at breaking point… and they are… Continue Reading Disability News Service 8th February
DWP Fraud detection algorithms have likely operated since 2021. We need to talk to disabled people who have been investigated for fraud since 2021. [Content notice for suicide] But we also suspect some suicides or ‘contributed to early deaths’ of disabled people have resulted from DWP algorithm initiated fraud investigations. We are appealing to surviving… Continue Reading Experiences of people who have been investigated for fraud by the DWP
Nicki Myers, who chairs DPAC Cambridgeshire and Essex, has been asked to speak at a Parliamentary event on February 26th. The event marks the launch a report on fuel poverty which has been written by Friends of the Earth and the Institute of Health Equity as part of their Warm Homes campaign https://unitedforwarmhomes.uk/join-fight-warm-homes She has… Continue Reading What would you like to tell Members of Parliament about your experience of fuel poverty/living in a cold home as a disabled person?
Suspended sentence for benefits adviser driven to jobcentre suicide attempt by anger and despair with DWP A disabled campaigner who tried to take his own life in his local jobcentre has described how “anger and despair” at the imminent reassessment of both of his disability benefits drove him to the suicide attempt. David Rollins, from… Continue Reading Disability News Service 1st February
DWP’s ‘truly shocking’ disability poverty stats are ‘terrible indictment’ The proportion of families with disabled children who are living in poverty rose by nearly a third in two years, even before the cost-of-living crisis, according to a new poverty measurement being developed by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). The measurement – which aims… Continue Reading Disability News Service 25th January
This meeting is open to all DPAC members and allies in London and the South-East who want to get involved in campaigning against planned government changes to social security, with an immediate focus on activity ahead of the Spring budget on 6 March. Date: Friday 26 January Time: 6.30 – 7.30pm Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82332513819?pwd=2OOWRepFhiccmuKMi82bunYikHIqVU.1 Meeting ID:… Continue Reading London DPAC Campaigns Planning Meeting – Friday 26 January 6.30 – 7.30pm
Government finally makes ‘shocking’ confession on power cut protection The government has decided not to draw up any plans to protect disabled people who rely on life-saving medical equipment in their own homes in the event of a power cut, after more than a year of delays and excuses. The Department of Health and Social… Continue Reading Disability News Service 18th January
DWP boss ‘really hopes’ fraud-busting IT scheme doesn’t echo Horizon scandal The most senior civil servant in the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has told MPs that he hopes DWP’s use of artificial intelligence in detecting fraud among benefit claimants will not lead to a repeat of the Post Office Horizon scandal. Peter Schofield… Continue Reading Disability News Service 11th January
‘Overwhelmed’ claimant admits chemical weapon charge after jobcentre suicide attempt A disabled man who swallowed poison in a jobcentre in an attempt to take his own life, after becoming “overwhelmed” by the harmful actions of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), has pleaded guilty to possessing a chemical weapon. David Rollins had emailed Disability… Continue Reading Disability News Service 21st December
Rights ignored, no protection, no safety net, no real engagement, DPOs tell Covid inquiry Disabled people were left without protection, written out of key investigations and proper consultation, and had their rights ignored by the UK government during the pandemic, four national disabled people’s organisations (DPOs) have told the Covid inquiry. They told the inquiry… Continue Reading Disability News Service 14th December
Date: Monday, 11th December 2023 Time: 3pm – 5pm Place: Grimond Room, Portcullis House, SW1A 2LW British Sign Language Interpretation will be provided Co-chairs: John McDonnell, MP & Navin Kikabhai, Chair, Alliance for Inclusive Education [ALLFIE] Speakers: John Harris, journalist;… Continue Reading End Torture of Disabled People – meeting in Parliament Monday 11 December – please ask your MP to attend
Planning meeting for campaigning against government social security proposals for DPAC members in London and surrounding areas. Time: 6-7pm Date: Friday 8 December 2023 Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82276069638?pwd=8LBbCxfZtfvB9BXHFyzJmvTOcsEkP8.1 Meeting ID: 822 7606 9638 Passcode: 836720
‘Devastating’ dossier shows DWP is in ‘state of crisis’ The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is a failing organisation in a “state of crisis” and faces a “near collapse” of its benefits systems, according to a “devastating” dossier of evidence from its own staff. The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) this week accused… Continue Reading Disability News Service, 7th December