Together with campaigner Sue Ferguson, we’re working with Liverpool Against the Cuts against the increased care charges passed by Liverpool City Council in December 2021, and further Budget cuts to social care and other services in 2022. Sue spoke out to Disability News Service. People from the Scrap Care Charges campaign, including in the North West England region, are helping too. Dates and info from Liverpool Against the Cuts, starting tomorrow: (1) 4pm Wednesday 26 January. Liverpool Town Hall: Lobby of councillors outside the full Council meeting. Please note this is not a meeting to discuss … Read more
Our local paper, the Camden New Journal, asked for an article for their special edition written by women (18 November 2021). Our colleagues at Women Against Rape contributed: “Women’s safety is not a police priority“, where they highlighted how women’s mental health and other factors are used against us to drop investigations. We’re glad to be part of the women’s edition. Our article was edited down, below is the full version. “At the Crossroads Women’s Centre where WinVisible is based, sick and disabled women in Camden and beyond, get together to support each other in … Read more
THANK YOU 853 London news for breaking this story. This shows that Greenwich had previously diverted £21m of the government Better Care Fund away from social care, then increased charges from our disability benefits to squeeze another £1.6m from disabled residents. (The Better Care Funds from government are meant for support in the community so people can be discharged home from hospital sooner, and for more support in the community so people’s health is maintained.) In July 2019, WinVisible sent an Open Letter to the Greenwich consultation on increased charges. In it, Greenwich resident Kate … Read more
Update about woman cancer patient fighting extortionate care charges by Camden The woman cancer patient we are helping, thanks everyone for their support. She says: “Love and care for someone you don’t know is really appreciated.” She was readmitted to hospital last week for treatment for low oxygen due to lung cancer complications. We are still pressing Camden for her charges to be waived due to the impact of stress on her health and her major disability expenses. This is also requested by her MP Tulip Siddiq. Camden has discretion and must use it. We … Read more
Reprinted from Camden New Journal, 28 October 2021, “John Gulliver”, page 15 — some additions in square brackets. Camden charged with lacking care Why is Camden charging vulnerable people for home care when other Labour councils do not? In 2017, the Care Act 2014 was replaced with legislation that allowed local authorities to charge for day and night care from people’s benefits. [The Care Act replaced previous legislation and allowed local authorities to take benefits meant for both day and night care, even if only providing some daytime support. But it did not make this … Read more
Sharing our letter in the Camden New Journal — get in touch if you would like to support the woman and help us campaign. See latest update. LETTERS Scrap these care charges 28 October, 2021 ‘We are all entitled to support services; women especially who have cared for people all our lives but when we are older or ill are denied the help we need’ • FURTHER to Rosemary Nicholson of Visually Impaired in Camden’s letter (Adult social care concerns, October 7) Camden is taking benefits from sick and severely disabled women through extortionate home care charges. … Read more
To: The Case for Change – Independent Review of Children’s Social Care Evidence submitted 13 August 2021 by Legal Action for Women which co-ordinates Support Not Separation, and by the Disabled Mothers’ Rights campaign of WinVisible (women with visible and invisible disabilities). Introduction The Support Not Separation Coalition includes organisations of single mothers, womenof colour, women with disabilities, rape survivors, breastfeeding advocates,psychotherapists, men and social workers. We defend mothers and children againstunwarranted separation and the devaluing of the mother-child relationship. We are incontact with hundreds of mothers and other primary carers, and children, family lawprofessionals, … Read more
On 2 June, we were delighted to be part of a Zoom webinar by Inclusion London, with around 100 campaigners against care charges, across London, England and Wales. Watch on YouTube here Claire from WinVisible spoke at around 1:28 into the video, after Tara and Kevin from Hammersmith & Fulham. We’re thrilled that so many campaigners are getting together, from Bournemouth, Bristol, Calderdale (West Yorkshire), Cheshire East and West, Cornwall, Essex, Leicestershire, Norfolk, Staffordshire, West Sussex, Worcestershire, and other places. And from across London, including Brent, Camden, Ealing, Enfield, Greenwich, Hammersmith & Fulham, Kensington & … Read more
Norfolk pensioner Valerie Bradley contacted WinVisible about the court ruling against Norfolk County Council, and asked us to publish her statement. She writes: “I received an email from the complaints manager Imogen Palmer. According to her, as l am over pension age, she states that the judicial review does not apply to me because l cannot work. I assured her by my reply that it does apply to me, as my Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG) is acknowledged by Norfolk county council, as not falling below £189 weekly [for pensioners]. But then a charge was applied … Read more
Be at our next workshop on Zoom: Wednesday 21 April, 1.30pm-3.30pm Campaigning together for independent living, respectful & caring relationships, and to restore the rights the Coronavirus Act suspended Register free on Eventbrite here. Email us if support needed: win@winvisible.org Hammersmith & Fulham: working together – the only borough in England to have free social care also supports disabled people during the pandemic – Tara Flood, HAFCAC Newham: struggling to get the services we are entitled to – discrimination against families of colour – Sarifa Patel Winning against the Coronavirus Act – Svetlana Kotova, Disability Justice … Read more