Government withdraws disability benefit legal appeals, at last

A government disability benefits boss has withdrawn another two legal appeals which now opens the door for more claimants to receive the benefits to which they are entitled. The appeals, by the UK’s Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), were withdrawn by the department’s secretary of state Esther McVey MP. Previously, she cancelled plans to …

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Conservative peer calls out McVey for lying to MPs about Motability

Current work and pensions secretary Esther McVey stands accused of lying to fellow MPs about the Motability disability car scheme. In parliamentary-speak, this is called 'misleading the house'. And the accusation comes from within her own party! Lord Sterling, who was a founder of Motability in 1977, told McVey in a letter that the “litany …

Government surrender in benefits battle

A government U-turn, in the face of court judgment, means almost 165,000 people will benefit from higher disability benefits. Conservative politicians had tried to prevent people with psychological distress from receiving higher rates of Personal Independence Payment (PIP). But the judges said ‘no’. The UK government had been thought likely to challenge the court ruling, …

More lies from a disability minister – this time to MPs

As soon as Esther McVey was work and pensions secretary, one of her junior minister  told lies to MPs. Not that parliamentarians call it telling lies. In their terms, disabilities minister Sarah Newton misled the house of commons. Now, Department of Work and Pensions officials are making excuses. A DWP spokeswoman told Disability News Service …

Nothing new promised by latest work and pensions secretary

The cabinet table seat of the work and pensions secretary must be fitted with an eject mechanism. Yet again, it has a new incumbent. Indeed, in the 20 months since the sudden resignation of Iain Duncan Smith, the role has changed hands four times. And throughout that time, benefits for disabled people, including those with …