Our sister Manjeet Kaur 1979-2020

We are very shocked and saddened to hear of the death of our courageous “sister”, Manjeet Kaur, former chair of the organisation RAPAR (Refugee and Asylum Participatory Action Research), who was born on International Women’s Day 1979.  She passed away on 25 April. We first heard about Manjeet in 2014 when the Home Office dismissed … Read more

Testimony to MPs: unequal impact of Coronavirus measures

WinVisible has sent our group testimony to the Women and Equalities Select Committee of MPs urgently looking into the impact of the Coronavirus measures on discriminated groups.  Women in our group and network contributed their experiences.  We say: “The reality for disabled women, the majority of disabled people, is that the measures against Coronavirus are threatening … Read more

Raise Child Benefit to £50

WinVisible has joined in signing an open letter to the Chancellor Rishi Sunak calling for Child Benefit to be increased to £50 per week per child.  From Thrive Teeside (in the North East of England) the letter is supported by women’s and community groups, and prominent people.  The letter also calls for the abolition of … Read more

“Virus measures threaten the lives of disabled people”

Our letter is out in the Camden New Journal, 24 April 2020, read it here.  And below with links to further info: The reality for disabled people, mainly women, is that the measures against Coronavirus are threatening our lives through starvation, and denial of medical treatment and social care. Most self-isolating sick and disabled people … Read more

Thailand: double harsh reality under COVID-19

Katchakorn Thawisri, Woman Human Rights Defender working on the rights of disabled people, from the Global Campus Chiang Mai Foundation Women with disability/ Women Human Rights Defenders: Double harsh reality in the time of COVID19 Pranom Somwong from Protection International, Thailand (an organisation which supports community activists)  reports on the situation of disabled women in the … Read more

Bedroom tax: DWP can’t appeal vs DV mum at European Court

The government cruelly appeals against every court win which upholds our benefit rights and protects vulnerable claimants.  But the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has refused the DWP permission to appeal against the mum fleeing domestic violence and her son, who finally won against the bedroom tax at the ECHR … Read more

Universal Credit: the struggle continues

Tonight on BBC2 at 9pm: Episode 3 of Universal Credit — Inside the Welfare State. This week’s episode from Bolton, shows the struggles of mum Paula, and Jenny, a waitress on a zero-hour contract.  We haven’t seen the full programme, only the clip from the BBC.  But the clip makes out that the problem is giving … Read more

Justice for Jodey — legal case launched

Reposted from Disability News Service: Call for second Jodey Whiting inquest increases pressure for DWP deaths inquiry By John Pring on 9th January 2020 A mother who has asked the attorney general for permission to seek a second inquest into her disabled daughter’s suicide says it would boost growing calls for an inquiry into all deaths linked to … Read more

Winning “thanks to WinVisible lifeline”

For two years, WinVisible has peer-supported disabled single mum Maria (not her real name) in South London, and provided her with information to secure benefits which the family needs: • She used our blog about the Personal Independence Payments (PIP) legal challenge on mobility needs and mental distress, to brief Merton Centre for Independent Living … Read more

Universal Credit battle for severe disability premiums

The two severely disabled men, known as TP and AR, who were on ESA and claimed Universal Credit (UC) when they moved to a different area, are still battling for their severe disability premium (SDP) rights.  Other single severely disabled people previously on ESA will get these — if they have no “change of circumstances” … Read more