DISABILITIES HOME PAGE
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Use this page for Disabilities appeals and events, support and advocacy contacts, information and research links, news,                                                                                                                                                                 culture and comments
​Nothing about you Without You - A Manifesto with and for Disabled People
 ​
  • "a Labour government would incorporate the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Disabled People fully into law to ensure that disabled people's rights are protected"
​(Marsha de Cordova, Shadow Minister for disabled people)
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​​Disabled candidates grant scheme to return for 2019 local elections
Relaunch welcomed, but there are calls for expansion to help address under-representation

​WACH THIS SPCACE FOR FURTHER DETAILS
  • LDisability Labour (Official):
Nothing about us Without us!
MANIFESTO
  • Fran Springfield 14 March, 2018
Why Labour’s Democracy Review Is Key For Disabled Members
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  • Disability Equality Act Labour (DEAL)
view document on Facebook:

ADVOCACY, SUPPORT, INFORMATION AND ARTICLES:
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        LOCAL AND NATIONAL SUPPORT AND                                     ADVICE CONTACTS:
'BLACK DISABILITY COLLECTIVE' - Facebook Group
​       RESEARCH, ARTICLES AND NEWS/ADVOCACY                      RESOURCE:​



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LOCAL NEWS:



​The second stage of the Polling Places Review consultation is under way with a closing date of 14th December for comments. There are two changes for Maidenhead, Pinkneys Green North reverts to the Youth and Community Center on Blenheim Road and Oldfield has a fourth district added for residents in the northeast corner who will now vote locally at Forest Bridge rather than Sportsable in Braywick Park.
I believe the unarguable case by Maidenhead Labour's Equalities Officer Sharon against moving Pinkneys Green polling station to the totally unsuitable Cricket Club was instrumental in the decision to keep it at its current location.
Local Labour members also made representations over access to Sportsable from Oldfield East.
The remaining issue is those residents to the west of the Braywick Road who will vote at Sportsable have no safe foot crossing point on this very busy route. This is despite a campaign by local residents and councillors to have a crossing installed (Maidenhead CLP)


Click for: Polling District and Polling places review

IMPAIRMENT-SPECIFIC INFORMATION, NEWS AND ADVOCACY:
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​THE UNITED NATIONS' ENQUIRY INTO THE RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH A DISABILITY: 
​"There is reliable evidence that the threshold of grave or systematic violations of the rights of persons with disabilities has been met"


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INTERSECTIONAL DISABIITY NEWS/ADVOCACY:
 
​Wheelchair users in UK to be given enhanced rights for bus travel
Decision follows supreme court ruling that bus companies must do more for wheelchair users
​www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/mar/08/wheelchair-users-uk-enhanced-rights-bus-travel-supreme-court​
SENSORY IMPAIRMENT NEWS/ADVOCACY:

​UK DDPO’s publish latest report to the UN
​Inclusion London and other UK Deaf and Disabled People’s Organisations were recently in Parliament to launch our latest report to the United Nations disability committee.​
PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT NEWS/ADVOCACY:
LEARNING DISABILITY:
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NEURODIVERSITY ADVOCACY/NEWS:

  • Autism Berkshire: charity delivering quality specialist services, training and social and leisure activities
  • http://www.autismberkshire.org.uk/
  • The Autism Group - Maidenhead charity offering opportunities for young people and their                       parents: www.theautismgroup.org.uk/
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NEURODIVERGENT LABOUR
LAUNCH MEETING
 Sat 9 February 2019
 12:00 – 15:00 GMT
 Add to Calendar
   Location
     The Diskus Room, Unite HQ
        128 Theobalds Road
     Holborn
     London
     WC1X 8TN
      View Map
 https://www.facebook.com/events/2232294323722636/
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​"OpinionA comedian with Asperger’s who isn’t an antisocial introvert? It’s no joke
Robert White is turning Britain’s Got Talent into Britain’s Got Tolerance – and demolishing Asperger’s myths on the way" 
​Yousif Nur, Guardian
MENTAL HEALTH NEWS AND ADVOCACY:
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Mental Health Advocacy:


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Mental Health news:

Welfare ‘reforms’ are pushing mentally ill people over the edgeFrances Ryan
Theresa May herself identified this area as a ‘burning injustice’. But it was her government that torched the safety net
www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jan/24/welfare-reform-mentally-ill-injustice

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Labour bid to scrap DoLS replacement bill fails as legislation passes first Commons stage
Opposition claimed bill would not put service users first, create conflicts of interest and not address backlog in deprivation of liberty cases
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​MENTAL CAPACITY AMENDMENT BILL 2018:
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The Bill proposes a Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS) scheme to replace the Deprivation of Liberty scheme (DoLs) which authorises the deprivation of liberty of people who ‘lack mental capacity’. The Bill will affect the fundamental human rights of hundreds of thousands of people with conditions such as dementia, learning disability and brain injury.

Mind's chief concerns:1. Government should follow the Law Commission’s proposals for wider reform of the MCA that increase autonomy and supported decision-making. These include more regard being paid to an individual’s views in best interest decisions, more structure in decisions made under the MCA generally and the opportunity for a framework on supported decision-making.
2. The Bill does not provide for sufficient involvement of the P or regard sufficient regard to be paid to their views: the best interests requirement, which required P’s involvement, has been removed; P does not need to be consulted directly; the ‘independent reviewer’ does not need to consult P; P does not need to be given copies of any authorisation; and it is not clear how P’s views, if they are obtained, fit into the criteria for authorisation.
3. The Bill does not provide sufficient support for P to challenge their detention: support from advocates or other parties are patchy and there is no duty on advocates, appointed persons or the responsible body to bring a challenge on P’s behalf in any circumstances.
4. The Bill does not provide a sufficiently independent review in all cases and provides a better standard of review only for those who object to the arrangements, disadvantaging the most severely disabled.
5. The Bill places too much responsibility on care homes.
6. ‘Unsound mind’ as a criterion for detention is outdated and stigmatising. While it may appear in Article 5 this doesn’t mean that we can’t come up with something better.
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"We need to address the socioeconomic causes of mental health issues if we really want to tackle the problem
Debt and having a poor-quality job – such as those with zero-hour contracts or where there is little control or reward to be had – are risk factors for experiencing mental illness" - Annabel Head, Jessica Bond, Independent

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Mentally ill subject to 'physical violence and verbal threats' while held under Mental Health Act, finds report‘The inherent power imbalance means detained patients are vulnerable to potential coercive mistreatment, abuse and deprivation of human rights, leading to physical and psychological harm’
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/mentally-ill-mental-health-act-detained-physical-violence-threats-treatment-a8329891.html

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The Independent:
"The coverage of Ant McPartlin today makes a mockery of all the work the media has done on mental health reporting"
www.independent.co.uk/voices/ant-mcpartlin-media-reporting-mental-health-tramadol-painkillers-ethics-a8263476.html



Today's Report On The Mental Health Act Exposes A Broken System
Huffington Post
​Luciana Berger Labour and Co-operative MP for Liverpool Wavertree, President of Labour’s Campaign for Mental Health

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"Unlicensed online therapists ‘preying’ on desperation of people with mental health problems as NHS struggles to meet rising demand, experts warn"
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/online-counselling-therapy-mental-health-mentally-ill-exploited-unaccredited-nhs-a8123131.html
Advice is:
1. Advice is to check with an online therapist which professional body they are registered with.
2 . Make sure that body has been accredited by the Professional Standards Authority(PSA) at:
https://www.professionalstandards.org.uk/what-we-do/accredited-registers/find-a-register/-in-category/categories/professions/psychotherapy
or:
www.professionalstandards.org.uk/what-we-do/accredited-registers/find-a-register/-in-category/categories/professions/counselling
3 . From the PSA website click on the link to the accredited organisation's website to check that the counsellor/therapist is registered with that organisation
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Mental Health Crisis:
"Twelve mental health bodies write open letter urging ministers they ‘cannot go on’ with so many patients ‘locked out’ of vital services"
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/leading-mental-health-bodies-warn-government-the-crisis-is-here-a8035776.html
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Dr Jay Watts is a consultant clinical psychologist and psychotherapist, at Queen Mary, University of London for the Independent:
Assertive outreach and rehabilitation teams are being cut despite robust evidence that these type of treatments not only work but are also cost-effective.  Jay Watts attributes this to the the Neo-liberal agenda which places the responsibility of mental illness/health on the individual rather than with early trauma and an unjust society
www.independent.co.uk/voices/mental-health-treatment-tory-government-nhs-funding-access-work-benefits-a8037331.html
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​Recovery in the Bin - RITB
RITB argue that mental health should be placed within the context of the wider class struggle and that capitalism and social inequality are bad for mental health and mental health services.  Good recovery, autonomy and self-determination are to be attained through qualitative models and social justice
recoveryinthebin.org/recovery-in-the-bin-19-principless/
CAMPAIGN AREAS:
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​TRANSPORT NEWS:

Councils 'failing' to prosecute blue badge abusers​
BBC NEWS
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​​Congratulation to our friends in Reading...
Victory for disabled campaigners over Reading Borough Council bus cut proposal
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​Rail Accessibility Competition winners announced




National Audit Office finds Motability overcharged by £390 million
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Paralympian Anne Wafula-Strike wins her compensation case after wetting herself on a train due to the disabled toilet being out of order
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-42084435

WORK NEWS AND ADVOCACY:
Work Advocacy:
-WAYS INTO WORK: supported employment service for disadvantaged individuals: waysintowork.com/
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Work News:

DWP acted 'perversely' in sacking of disabled woman, judge finds 
Department discriminated against Isabella Valentine, employment tribunal rules
www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/jan/21/dwp-department-work-pensions-acted-perversely-sacking-disabled-woman

​-EXPLOITATION AND THE BLAME GAME...
​Employers should take on disabled staff because “they often work longer hours”.
Disabled employees “forgo quite a lot of holiday because they love the whole idea of being in work”. 
“Once they’re in work they (disabled people) actually produce more than most able-bodied people around them”.
Iain Duncan Smith addressing a fringe meeting organised by the Centre for Social Justice at this year's Tory conference.
 www.disabilitynewsservice.com/duncan-smith-refuses-to-apologise-over-exploitative-comments/
but...
...remember this:
​Philip Hammond causes storm with remarks about disabled workers, Disability charity Scope and others call for chancellor to withdraw his comments implying disabled people are to blame for sluggish economy
www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/dec/07/philip-hammond-causes-storm-with-remarks-about-disabled-workers
Hammond and Smith agree on one thing: they think they can spread propaganda by spouting drivel dressed as fact
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​Marsha de Cordova on disability rights, the job market, Brexit and Philip Hammonds prejudice

HOUSING NEWS:
​'I never feel safe': meet the people at the very sharpest end of the housing crisis - disabled millennials
The Guardian: Frances Ryan 21/8/18

​
Builders criticised for lobbying against accessible homes
Builders’ body lobbied councils arguing policies could make it unprofitable to build homes
EDUCATION NEWS:

Universities can do more to support their disabled studentsChris Skidmore
www.theguardian.com/education/2019/jan/17/universities-can-do-more-to-support-their-disabled-students

HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE ADVOCACY/NEWS:
-Adult Community Team in RBWM: 
www.optalis.org/royal-borough-of-windsor-and-maidenhead-services/help-for-adults
-Community for adults with a learning disability: 
​www.optalis.org/royal-borough-of-windsor-and-maidenhead
services/learning-disabilities
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RBWM Budget increases of £11.2m
...................and reductions of £6.8m for 2019/20 include:
Increases:  
-Cost inflation across all services is £1.1m including staff pay reward of £300,000
-Children’s and adult services needs £4.2m, primarily for children in care  
-Accounting for reduced parking income of £1.3m, mainly from Advantage Card discounts  
-Weekly bin collections and recycling contracts worth £1m
Reductions:
-Additional grant income and ‘targeted efficiencies’ in children’s services worth £1.7m
-‘Targeted efficiencies’ in the delivery of adult, home care and public health services of £1.1m
-New property-related income of £600,000 Reduced number of councillors and related costs worth £200,000
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Complaints over social care in England nearly trebled since 2010
Labour attacks ‘hollowing-out of the social care system’ after ombudsman’s damning report
Simon Murphy Wed 28 Nov 2018 
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Corbyn urged to win votes by pledging £10bn more on care for disabled elderly: 
Fabian Society research identifies shortfall in funding for 1.2 million older people
www.theguardian.com/society/2018/mar/18/labour-corbyn-older-voters-social-care-fabians
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BENEFITS NEWS:
"Social security has become a system of institutionalised bullying and degradation...the Tories have created a hostile environment for disabled people... A Tory Government puts tax cuts for the wealthy ahead of care for the disabled of our sociaty" (Jeremy Corbyn Labour Party Conference 2018)
THE UNITED NATIONS' ENQUIRY INTO THE RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH A DISABILITY: 
"There is reliable evidence that the threshold of grave or systematic violations of the rights of persons with disabilities has been met"
UN Committee, November 2016
The report emphasises the impact of changes to Housing Benefit entitlement, eligibility criteria for Personal Independence Payment (PIP), social care, and the closure of the Independent Living Fund
researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/CBP-7367#fullreport
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Labour vows to restore legal aid for benefits appeal cases if elected
​Move would encourage DWP to get decisions right first time, reducing MoJ costs, says party

PIP AND UNIVERSAL CREDIT NEWS AND UPDATES:
 PERSONAL INDEPENDENT/ESA PAYMENTS:

Record number of disability assessments overturned
A record 72% of disabled claimants challenging their benefit health assessment are now successful at tribunal stage
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'The ability of government departments to deliver targeted policies towards disabled people has been significantly eroded' - Mattha Busby, Independent
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CONGRATULATIONS ON THIS CAMPAIGN...
More than 160,000 people could get disability benefit back-payments from Department for Work and Pensions
DWP says it won’t dispute High Court ruling that benefit system ‘blatantly discriminates’ against people with mental health problems
The Independent January 2018
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**Increased PIP payments for 10,000 claimants after assessment shortfalls acknowledged** 
The Independrnt Nov 2017​
​...keep appealing keep campaigning
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'Rot in the System'
Despite £500m of tax payers money paid to private companies to carry out PIP assessments, year long delays, administrative chaos inaccurate and dishonest outcomes plague the system
Frances Ryan, The Guardian, October 2017
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PIP reports downgraded
- Radio 4 You and Yours talks to a mental health nurse who worked as a PIP assessor and found that reports were downgraded
November 2017
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Tribunal ​Judge says his time is wasted by poor appeal evidence submitted by the DWP
​Buzzfeed Nov 2017
​UNIVERSAL CREDIT: ​
​
Ideas to replace Work Capability Assessment with new assessment framework win some support
BY JOHN PRING ON DECEMBER 13, 2018
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​​UN day of disabled people: Government could face court over universal credit:
The government could be forced into court to defend its failure to make the much-criticised universal credit benefit system accessible to disabled people
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McVey’s universal credit refusal could see hundreds of thousands lose all income ​
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  • The Labour Party's campaign to fix Universal Credit
  • The Tories’ failing Universal Credit programme is plunging millions of people into poverty, leaving them unable to pay rent or put dinner on the table, and facing debt and eviction as a result.
  • Stand With Us
  • We're calling on the Tories to urgently pause and fix Universal Credit.
  • You can help us by signing the petition here
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Government to pay thousands to disabled men who had benefits cut​:
DWP was found to have unlawfully discriminated against men who were forced on to universal credit:
Guardian 31/7/18
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Disabled People Against Cuts:
call on the Labour Party to ramp up their 'pause and fix' UC campaign to 'stop and scrap' 
​Canary, Nov 2017
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***Government backs down on Universal Credit Wait*** 
Guardian Nov 2017 
...keep appealing keep campaigning
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The Guardian's Frances Ryan sets out how UC disadvantages disabled people
​Oct 2017
MAIDENHEAD CLAIMANTS:


​
**PLEASE NOTE - Universal Credit was rolled out in Maidenhead on 23/5/18.  The Council will support claimants of Universal Credit with applications and budgeting.  You can visit the following website and or call this number to arrange an appointment

https://www3.rbwm.gov.uk/info/200123/benefits/343/apply_for_benefits/4

01628 796036



​#Stop and Scrap Universal Credit
DPAC (Disabled people Against Cuts)

GENERAL ​NEWS/ARTICLES:



​UN day of disabled people: De Cordova close to tears over Commons access failure


​MENTAL CAPACITY AMENDMENT BILL 2018:
​
The Bill proposes a Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS) scheme to replace the Deprivation of Liberty scheme (DoLs) which authorises the deprivation of liberty of people who ‘lack mental capacity’. The Bill will affect the fundamental human rights of hundreds of thousands of people with conditions such as dementia, learning disability and brain injury.

Disabled campaigners say the government must delay a controversial bill they believe would make it easier to restrict the freedom of people in care settings who lack capacity to make their own decisions.

GOOD WORK KATIE PRICE!
MPs have won praise after calling on the government to ensure disabled people finally secure equality in the protection they are offered by hate crime laws
John Pring: Disability News Service

Britain’s treatment of disabled people reminds me of The Handmaid’s Tale
​For the Conservatives to host the inaugural Global Disability Summit, with their track record, is a staggering hypocrisy
The Guardian: Frances Ryan
"Britain’s Got Talent: Lost Voice Guy’s victory is a win for all disabled people:
​The talent show success of the standup comedian, who has cerebral palsy, will help normalise disability far more than any charity campaign" - Frances Ryan, Guardian

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Now is the time for Labour to reach out to disabled people, young and old
Frances Ryan
www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/mar/22/labour-reach-out-disabled-people-jeremy-corbyn





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Accessible cities
What would a truly disabled-accessible city look like?
Most cities are utterly unfriendly to people with disabilities – but with almost one billion estimated to be urban-dwellers by 2050, a few cities are undergoing a remarkable shift


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On Vogue’s ‘New Suffragettes’: Frances Ryan asks where are the women with disabilities?https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jan/07/vogue-new-suffragettes-women-disabilities
CULTURE:
ART
  • Disability Arts Online DAO: 
Features, Blogs, Listings, Projects, Directory promoting disability art:
​"We are bold and fearless in instigating intelligent debate to support the development of disability arts and culture"



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