Category Archives: disability

Norfolk Coalition of Disabled People says the poorest are being unfairly targeted in the government’s “austerity war”

September 8, 2012   Carers, disability, ukcuts

Disabled people are being unfairly and disproportionately targeted in the government’s “austerity war”, according to a new report commissioned by a Norfolk campaign group.

By CHRIS HILL, Rural affairs correspondent Saturday, September 8, 2012
7:00 AM

 

Disability protestors in Norwich. Photo: Bill Smith

Disability protestors in Norwich. Photo: Bill Smith

Despite the government’s austerity mantra of “we’re all in it together”, the notion of collective responsibility for resolving the country’s financial crisis has been scorned by sceptics.

But one group in particular is claiming that the burden of the cuts to public services is being unfairly shouldered by some of the most vulnerable people in our society.

The Norfolk Coalition of Disabled People (NCODP) has commissioned a report which says the poorest 20pc of the 2.7 million households receiving disability benefits will lose 16pc of their cash income, plus benefits-in-kind, during the four years up to 2015.

It estimates the percentage loss for the poorest fifth is four times larger than the loss for the richest fifth.

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Royal Mail staff given access to confidential medical details

September 8, 2012   Carers, disability

Benefits application forms are routinely opened and sorted by postal workers
Nina Lakhani

Saturday 08 September 2012

Confidential medical information from sick and disabled people applying for welfare benefits is opened and sorted by Royal Mail staff on behalf of the Government without the claimant’s knowledge or consent, The Independent can reveal.

Medical experts reacted angrily to the potential for breaches in confidentiality after it emerged that the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) routinely uses Royal Mail to process the thousands of benefits claims, including health data, it receives every day.

The revelations have prompted fresh concerns about the fact that the handling of sensitive personal information can be legally outsourced without the subject’s consent.

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Paralympians express fears over disability living allowance plans

September 3, 2012   Carers, disability, ukcuts

Athletes say that coalition proposals to replace benefit could threaten their independence and undermine key Games legacy

 

Lady Tanni Grey-Thompson warned in May about DLA cuts, and other Paralympians have now spoken out.

A group of British Paralympians have expressed their fears over government plans to cut disability living allowance (DLA), warning that the benefit is vital to enable them to live independently.

Under coalition welfare reforms, hundreds of thousands of disabled people will lose the allowance when the government replaces DLA with more restrictive personal independence payments (PIP) in 2013.

The Paralympians fear that the potential loss of the benefit, worth between £20 and £131.50 a week, which helps with the extra costs of transport, equipment, care and other specialist needs that disabled people have, could undermine the key legacy issue of the Games – to open up access to sport for disabled people.

The government plans to replace the allowance, which goes to about 3.2 million people at an annual cost of £12.6bn, with personal independence payments (PIP) from 2013. It estimates that up to 500,000 people will lose entitlement to DLA over the next four years as eligibility criteria are tightened and claims reassessed.

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