MPs must accept fundamental flaws of personal budgets, says Beresford

A leading disabled academic has urged MPs to dismiss the conclusions of the public spending watchdog and accept instead that the government’s strategy on social care personal budgets is “fundamentally flawed”. Peter Beresford, professor of citizen participation at the University of Essex and emeritus professor of social policy at Brunel University, has told the Commons […]


Disabled people ‘still not safe in Luton’ after second ‘assault’ in three years

The family of an autistic man say they believe disabled people are still not safe from their local police force, after two officers were finally sacked for gross misconduct for “shocking” behaviour during an incident in 2014. Despite the sackings, Bedfordshire police has quietly cleared other officers over their role in an earlier incident in […]


ROFA’s conference call to DPOs is next step towards international influence

A national conference is set to provide disabled people and their organisations across England with an opportunity to come together to discuss key disability rights issues, share their campaigning successes, and secure a collective voice on the international stage. The Reclaiming Our Futures Alliance (ROFA) is set to take a sizeable step forward at its […]


Capita faces fresh calls to be stripped of PIP contracts after documentary

One of the three outsourcing giants that assesses people for their eligibility for disability benefits is facing calls for it to be stripped of its contract, after revelations in a Channel 4 documentary. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is investigating concerns raised by this week’s Dispatches, which saw an experienced mental health nurse, […]


Fears over government links as equality watchdog launches welfare probe

The equality watchdog is facing concerns over links between the government and two of its leading figures as it prepares to investigate whether Tory welfare reforms have breached the human rights of disabled people. Last week, Disability News Service (DNS) revealed that the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) was to examine the impact of […]


Tribunal rules DWP must release information from secret benefit deaths reviews

Disability News Service (DNS) has won its appeal against the Department for Work and Pensions’ refusal to publish information from 49 secret reviews it conducted into the deaths of benefit claimants. The decision of the information rights tribunal to allow the DNS appeal means the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) should now be forced […]


Should we scrap benefits and pay everyone £100 a week?

The idea of a universal basic income is about to leap from the margins to the mainstream, bringing promises of a happier and healthier population. Imagine a Britain where the government pays every adult the basic cost of living. Whether rich or poor – or, crucially, whether you’re in paid employment or not – everyone […]


Mental health patients wait 'years' for treatment

Patients are being asked to wait several years for some specialist mental health treatment, figures obtained by BBC Wales have shown. While many patients with acute and chronic problems get treatment within weeks, some areas have current waiting times of up to 50 months. The British Medical Association in Wales called the delays “unacceptable”. Welsh […]


Equality and Human Rights Exchange Conference June 9th 2016

A workforce for the future – challenges & opportunities Equality and Human Rights Exchange Conference June 9th 2016 Llandrindod Wells          Keynote Speakers: David Robinson OBE, Chair of the National Early Action Taskforce and Senior Adviser to Community Links. Karyn McClusky, Director Scottish Violence Reduction Unit. Alison Phillips, Chief Executive Public Services Staff Commission. New […]


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