Court rules mandatory reconsiderations unlawful – judicial review

Court finds that forcing a claimant to wait until a legal appeal can be lodged to be able to receive ESA again is in breach of their right to a fair trial. DLA's mandatory reconsideration, delaying such an appeal, declared illegal.

“Too complicated” claim denounced by disability campaigners

Ian Franks accuses government of being disingenuous - as well as uncaring, lacking compassion, discriminating against people with disabilities, and ... being pathetic.

‘Don’t leave disabled people behind’ – MS Society urges support for petition

MS Society, with other members of the Disability Benefits Consortium, is stepping up its fight for equality by asking us to sign an online petition to the UK government.

Benefits, Brexit effects, and a much-criticised knighthood – all thanks to Boris

December’s general election in the UK proved to be a resounding success for the Conservative party. It gained an overall majority of 80 seats, allowing prime minister Boris Johnson to ride roughshod over all opposition. This is a disaster. It presents all kinds of problems for the UK itself, such as government benefits for people …

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Pathetic government causes laughter and pity, it’s time to go

Sitting here alongside Lisa, in our home in southern Spain, I watch the political shenanigans in the UK over Brexit with both amusement and pity. Amusement, because of the knots into which politicians contrive to tie themselves, and pity for residents of the UK who deserve a government that is fit for purpose. Unfortunately, events …

Government minister’s welfare benefits statements prove economical with the truth

Sarah Newton, one of two ministers of state at the department for work and pensions (DWP), was in the centre of a heated debate in the House of Commons, this week. The Canary, a website dedicated to independent campaigning journalism, reported that she made some staggering claims. It went on to question how many of …

Benefits department accused of deliberately misleading select committee and GPs

Shock? Horror? No, not really. A government department is misleading people, including an official committee and doctors. No surprise there, as far as I am concerned, the UK government’s Department for Work and Pensions has a hit and miss attitude to honesty. It may not ‘lie’ but is certainly happy to ‘mislead’. Again and again, …

Have benefits assessors intimidated claimants? Tell your story

Questions are being asked about the behaviour of private sector assessors, following an allegation of intimidation. The suggestion is that a claimant was scared into giving positive feedback after a face-to-face assessment. And, if there was one, how likely is it that there are more? This casts doubt on the honesty of statistics presented to …

Officials must report their success or failure to prevent tribunal awards

Government officials who attend benefit appeal tribunals seem to be judged by how well they do. Success is when they prevent high-level awards to disabled people. This affects appeals for both personal independence payment (PIP) and employment and support allowance (ESA). These are benefits claimed by many with disabilities such as those caused, as in …

Amazing! People with disabilities do not trust benefit claims assessments

Who’d have thought it? People with disabilities have a pervasive lack of trust in the method of assessing welfare benefit claims, say MPs. Assessments produced by companies were ‘riddled with errors and omissions’, says the House of Commons Work and Pensions Select Committee. Those companies are contractors Atos, Capita, and Maximus. That’s just what campaigners …