Latest news with #InclusionLondon
The Guardian
28-06-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
‘Worse than anything under the Tories': changes to welfare bill anger disability campaigners
'As a community we feel totally let down and these last-minute concessions do nothing to make up for that,' Andy Mitchell, a disability campaigner and a member of Unite Community, says. 'My friends are scared. Some have spoken about suicide. This is worse than anything that happened under the Tories.' With the government offering major concessions to the welfare bill, ministers will be hoping critics have at last been appeased. But many campaigners have reacted with anger and concern over the changes. Disabled people's organisations, such as Inclusion London, WinVisible and Long Covid Advocacy, have told the Guardian that plans to exempt only existing claimants from the cuts will create a 'two-tier' benefit system that 'condemns' future disabled people to poverty. 'Protecting entitlements for current recipients is the right thing to do and if it's right for current recipients then it has to be the right thing for future claimants too,' says Tracey Lazard, CEO of Inclusion London. 'Even with these concessions, the bill before parliament is not a reform – it's still rationing. There is no moral or economic case for balancing the books on the backs of disabled people. MPs must not condemn future disabled people to the poverty and indignity these devastating planned cuts will cause.' Claire Every, spokesperson for Long Covid Advocacy said: 'A last-minute napkin deal will not assure safety for disabled people. The concessions create an unfair two-tier system – it is unethical to only throw some people under the bus. 'These changes will negatively impact people with long Covid as they discriminate against those with fluctuating disabilities and will see those who contract the illness in the future receive less support than those who fell ill earlier in the pandemic,' she added. Some campaigners warn that a system that treats new and old claimants differently could lead to future legal challenges against the government. 'How can you justify someone with the same impairments getting two different rates of social security payments based solely on [when they applied or how long they've been ill]? Is it even legal?' says Linda Burnip from Disabled People Against Cuts. 'The concessions are ridiculous and [effectively mean] anyone not already ill or disabled in Britain can't become ill or disabled and expect to have enough money to live on in the future.' Others have accused the government of trying to sow division within the disabled community to quell opposition to the bill. 'We refuse the government's divide-and-rule between old and new claimants, and MPs should keep voting against the horrendous cuts they are planning,' says Claire Glasman from WinVisible. 'We won't stop campaigning – new claimants lose out massively across Pip and universal credit, especially women with invisible and fluctuating conditions. Labour is still going after sick and disabled people. 'These offers of concessions are a glimpse into the window of the soul of the government; that they think people are protesting these cuts for their own gain not the wellbeing of all disabled people,' says Cherylee Houston, co-founder of the #TakingThePIP campaign. It is still unclear whether the concessions will protect eligibility for the connecting benefits to Pip, such as carer's allowance, she added. 'We don't agree to anything which doesn't safeguard future disabled people from abject poverty and despair. How can they draw a line to which people who become disabled after a certain date will not receive the support they need?' The government has pledged the entire criteria system will be reviewed in conjunction with disabled people, but disability groups told the Guardian they are concerned any changes from the review will not be made before the bill passes, while MPs will not have sufficient time to consider proposals. 'MPs are going to be voting on these concessions without people having a decent enough time to look and understand them,' says Mitchell. 'One of the points from the amendment was that disabled people hadn't been properly consulted, so how can it be right when these concessions have not been consulted on at all?' 'If concessions are possible, so is proper reform,' added Lazard. 'Fast-tracking a bill with such major consequences is irresponsible and cruel. It denies parliament, disabled people and the public real scrutiny. We urge MPs to stand your ground, stop this dangerous bill and demand better for everyone.'
The Guardian
24-06-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Labour's benefit cuts may discriminate against disabled women, say charities
Downing Street's disability cuts will have a 'devastating' impact on women's health and dignity and could breach equality law, the government has been warned. Charities and disabled people's organisations including Scope, Spinal Injuries Association, Inclusion London, ME Association and WinVisible told the Guardian that tightening eligibility for personal independence payments (PIP) would mean disabled women being discriminated against, due to their higher personal care needs compared with men. Under the new rules, to be voted on by MPs next week, a claimant must receive four points in a single daily living category to qualify for the payment. Washing below the waist will score just two – half the number given to needing assistance between the shoulders and waist. It means the new four-point rule won't take into account menstruation or some women's extra toilet requirements, such as incontinence from pregnancy, unless they have additional needs. More than 100 Labour MPs have signed a Commons bid to halt the cuts in their tracks, enough to threaten Keir Starmer's majority. Some 108 MPs' signatures appear on an amendment declining to give the welfare reform bill a second reading when it returns to the Commons on 1 July. The rebellion, the prime minister's largest yet, would be enough to defeat the government's plans if opposition MPs joined the Labour rebels. 'The proposed changes to the Pip assessment criteria ignore fundamental aspects of women's health and dignity,' said Dharshana Sridhar, campaigns manager at the Spinal Injuries Association. The decision to award fewer points for assistance with personal care below the waist overlooked the realities of menstruation, incontinence and intimate hygiene; needs that were especially complex and often more acute for women with spinal cord injuries, Sridhar said. 'By failing to recognise the distinct and disproportionate impact of these changes on disabled women, the proposals risk breaching the Equality Act 2010, both in terms of sex and disability discrimination, and the Public Sector Equality Duty. A benefits system that systematically disregards menstruation, personal care, and continence management for disabled women cannot credibly claim to meet its legal obligations to promote equality and eliminate discrimination.' Hat Porter, a spokesperson for the menstrual justice charity Irise, said: 'Already PIP applicants with conditions like endometriosis and fibroids face a much lower than average application success rate, with claimants' debilitating symptoms being dismissed as 'just a period'. 'Tightening the eligibility criteria would make it even harder to access financial support. For those who use Pip to cover the costs of carers or social care fees, having this lifeline stripped away could leave them without the support they need to manage tasks like changing period products. That would have a devastating impact on their dignity as well as health.' There are wider concerns that women will be more likely to miss out on Pip under the new rules, after the government's own impact assessment showed more women than men currently score fewer than four points on descriptors while getting a daily living award. The ME Association said that Pip's existing 'majority of the time' rule – which says a claimant must be unable to do an activity over half the time to qualify – would compound the discrimination against women. 'Menstrual symptoms, by definition, occur intermittently and may not affect a woman for over 50% of the time – meaning they are often excluded from consideration, regardless of how severely disabling they are when present,' said Ella Smith, the charity's welfare rights consultant. 'In practice, this could lead to many women losing eligibility under the proposed 4-point rule, not because their support needs are minor, but because those needs are dispersed across multiple activities or occur cyclically. With Pip being positioned to replace the work capability assessment as the sole gateway to assessing work capability, it is imperative that the new system takes account of intermittent yet profoundly disabling experiences such as menstruation.' Jessica Leigh, campaigns manager at Scope, said the charity had heard from 'hundreds' of disabled people who rely on benefits to afford sanitary products, incontinence pads, and needing to do more laundry. 'Disabled people are extremely concerned their personal hygiene and health will be among the many devastating costs of these cuts,' she said. The Pip changes come amid strained NHS community and social care, which several DPOs told the Guardian had already led to 'basic' hygiene being treated as a 'luxury' for some disabled women. Tumu Johnson, a spokesperson for Sisters of Frida, a disabled women's group, says: 'Disabled women have been told [by local councils] to wear incontinence pads instead of being provided support to use the toilet. They have also been told to use the hormonal pill to stop their periods instead of support to manage their menstruation the way they choose. We've heard from many disabled women who are scared that the Pip changes mean they could now lose vital personal care, on top of their other needs.' A Department for Work and Pensions spokesperson said: 'The vast majority of people who are currently getting Pip will continue to receive it. We're creating a sustainable welfare system that genuinely supports sick and disabled people while always protecting those who need it most. 'At the heart of this is our review of the Pip assessment to ensure it is fit for the future. We will work with disabled people and a range of experts on this as we deliver our plan for change.'
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Disabled organisers refusing to meet ministers over DWP benefits cuts
A number of disabled people's organisations working with the government have stopped meeting with ministers, over plans to cut disability benefits. Charities like Inclusion London have told Yahoo News they are "considering" whether they will still speak to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to inform its upcoming policies on improving employment outcomes and the benefits system for disabled people. The charity told Yahoo News it is considering its position because the government "is not consulting on the most significant cuts" in its Get Britain Working green paper, accusing the DWP of leaving disabled voices "ignored and silenced". Another member of a disabled consortium in the West Midlands that works with the government has already resigned over the government enacting the cuts, Yahoo News understands. The resignation letter, from a man who has worked for disabled organisations for 40 years, said that Starmer's government "has such little regard and respect for the rights and welfare of the disabled community of this country". Disablities minister Sir Stephen Timms has urged these groups to keep in conversation with the government, telling the BBC's Access All podcast that he "very much hopes" the organisations will continue talking to him. When asked about working with disability charities on Tuesday, Keir Starmer said he wants to continue to work with disabled people's organisations and "bring people together" to improve outcomes for disabled people. The government's proposals to cut disability benefits have sparked outrage among campaigners and charities, who warned that the "draconian" policies could push up to 340,000 people into poverty. The cuts, announced by Liz Kendall and Rachel Reeves last month — such as limiting the number of people eligible for PIP and freezing and halving incapacity benefits for new claimants — will not go to consultation and will be voted on in Parliament. On Tuesday, however, the government launched the Get Britain Working consultation, asking for groups and individuals to express their views on some measures like scrapping work capability assessments for universal credit claimants, and enhancing the Access to Work programme, a grant system for disabled workers which is beset with delays. Inclusion London, which supports deaf and disabled people's organisations in London, said it does not think the government has done anywhere near enough. Svetlana Kotova, director of campaigns at the charity told Yahoo News: "Labour promised in their manifesto to put disabled people's views and voices at the heart of their policy. But the green paper does the exact opposite. "The government is not consulting on the most significant cuts, that will push disabled people, including children, into poverty. Our voices have been ignored and silenced. We need to understand from the minister what their commitment really means in practice." For one organiser involved in several disability networks, resignation felt like the only option. In his resignation letter, shared with Yahoo News, he wrote that he is "extremely scared for the safety of disabled people under a Starmer-led government". He wrote: "I can no longer work with or be associated with a government who threat my brothers and sisters so appallingly. I have advised Conservative governments with more empathy than this government. "In all these years and facing down many governments of various political colours and politics, I have never known any government with such little regard and respect for the rights and welfare of the disabled community of this country." However, some other groups have decided that even though they do not agree with the government's position, cutting off communication with the government is "not the best thing to do". Mark Baggley from the Choices and Rights Disability Coalition, told Yahoo News: "While it may have been the best thing for one of our networks to step away, I do not think cutting off communication with the government is not the best thing to do. "Without having these difficult conversations, you're never going to get any change." Jon Sparkes OBE, chief executive of learning disability charity Mencap, echoed this view. He told Yahoo News: "To make change, we believe that dialogue with those who have the power to make decisions is crucial – and especially important when the stakes are so high. "We will continue to engage with government to raise our concerns, and provide a platform for people with a learning disability to voice theirs directly." The government's disabilities minister, Sir Stephen Timms, has said he "very much hopes" the organisations will continue talking to him. When asked about the stalemate on the BBC's disability and mental health podcast, Access All, on Monday, Sir Stephen said: "I very much hope that they will carry on talking to me because I need to know what they think about these proposals. "I want to make sure that the views and voices of disabled people are at the heart of what we do in this area, as well as elsewhere across the government." A DWP spokesperson said: 'We want to hear from a wide range of people during the consultation period and are committed to putting the views and voices of disabled people at the heart of everything we do. 'We have set out a sweeping package of reforms to health and disability benefits that genuinely support people back into work, while putting the welfare system on a more sustainable footing so that the safety net is always there to protect those who need it most.'
BBC News
01-03-2025
- BBC News
Camden High Street to be pedestrianised near Tube station
Traffic is to be banned from a busy section of Camden High Street near Camden Town Tube station, as part of a trial. The road will be pedestrianised from the junction with Parkway and Kentish Town Road up to the junction of Jamestown Road and Hawley Crescent, with buses being rerouted around the Council says it will create a "safer and healthier" place for residents and visitors to the world famous a recent consultation more than 70% of local residents were in favour of a traffic ban but a disability charity has raised concerns about accessibility. Contra-flow cycle lanes will be introduced and blue badge parking bays will be installed on nearby Jamestown Road, paid parking bays will be converted into outdoor seating areas and loading bays for businesses.A spokesperson for disability charity Inclusion London, said fully pedestrianising the high street could make it difficult for disabled people to get around."Many of us rely on buses, cars and taxis to get us exactly where we need to be," they said."This trial must be carried out with disabled people and our organisations, rather than just consulting us afterwards." 'Significant overcrowding' The scheme will be kept under review during the trial, with tests being carried out to understand the will be brought in for an initial period of up to 18 months, but could be made permanent, the council Harrison, cabinet member for planning, said this area of the high street was the first part of Camden many visitors experience."At peak times there can be as many as 40,000 people on the high street, creating significant overcrowding and a stressful experience," he said. "So many people ask why the high street is not already pedestrianised – now we are delivering on that call."Transport for London has provided £130,000 for the introduction of the trial, which will be brought in under a local authority Experimental Traffic traffic ban will begin this year marked by an opening event, with a specific date yet to be announced.
Yahoo
09-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Disabled people share experience of accessible homes
Housing in London remains unaffordable, unsafe and inaccessible for deaf and disabled people, a study has found. The survey was carried out by Inclusion London, which represents deaf and disabled organisations. One respondent, Abbi Brown, who uses a wheelchair, said although her current flat was largely accessible, her garden was hard to get into due to an "enormous and very difficult step". City Hall said the Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan had allocated £100m to deliver more accessible homes for disabled Londoners. The report found one in four respondents with accessibility needs could not safely and easily use basic facilities like kitchens, bathrooms and entryways. It also discovered that only 3% of current new-build housing in London was visitable for a disabled person with a mobility impairment. Nearly two in three respondents said they had made cutbacks on food and other essentials to be able to afford housing. Ms Brown said the adaptations in her home, which range from making the doorways "wide enough for me to get my wheelchair through" to putting sockets higher up and light switches lower down, "make a big difference to my day to day life". But even then she said her home was still not fully accessible, like many adapted flats, because she struggled to get in and out of her garden due to an "enormous and very difficult step to get out into it". Ms Brown had to wait for a home like her current one to become available in the capital, meaning she previously had to live somewhere less suitable for her needs. She said she was trapped in her previous Bethnal Green flat for days after one of the lifts broke down, and said she was "made to feel it (was) my fault". "Housing is not an isolated issue. Housing needs to be considered in the context of transport and streetscapes and public infrastructure," she explained. "I can't get into, I would say, 90% of the shops and restaurants in this area. "If you can't easily get down the street, you can't access the Tube station, then it doesn't really matter that your house is accessible because it is essentially a beautiful prison." Local and national decision makers are now being urged to work together to build more accessible homes, especially ones for social rent. Tracey Lazard, chief executive officer at Inclusion London, said the low percentage of accessible new homes being built in the capital was "shocking" and was "condemning disabled people now to live lives of, frankly, misery". She added: "We talk a lot about future proofing and resilience and critical to that has to be about building homes that people can live in throughout their entire lives." A spokesperson for the Mayor of London said: "The mayor is committed to meeting London's diverse housing needs and has allocated more than £100m in funding to deliver well-designed, supported housing to enable disabled Londoners to live independently and access appropriate care. "The mayor also requires a minimum percentage of accessible and adaptable units in all new housing developments funded by his Affordable Homes Programme, helping to build a fairer and better London for everyone." Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to Wheelchair user 'trapped in flat' after lift breaks Disabled man 'stuck' again in new inaccessible flat Inclusion London - About Us
