Press release shared from Leigh Day: John’s Campaign, which has campaigned for the rights of families and care homes residents throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, has launched a legal challenge to a blanket ban on visits out of care homes by residents aged over 65 and the requirement for those who are permitted to leave the care home to self-isolate for 14 days on their return. The ban and 14 day self-isolation requirement are part of the latest guidance issued to care homes by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) during the pandemic. “Visits out … Read more
We are sharing the statement from Inclusion London: “On the 25th of March 2021, the House of Commons debated the one year review of the Coronavirus Act. This was an opportunity for the Government to restore Disabled people’s rights taken away by the Coronavirus Act. On 19 March, along with other leading Disabled People’s organisations, we formally asked that the UK Government suspend the easement powers for local authorities contained within the Coronavirus Act 2020. You can read about our concerns here and you can read our letter to Matt Hancock here. The Government has announced a total … Read more
On Thursday 25 March, the Coronavirus Act comes up for review by Parliament after one year in force, with a vote by MPs on whether temporary provisions should be renewed. Watch the debate in Parliament online here. We are sharing the open letter co-ordinated by Inclusion London. 27 disability organisations, WinVisible among them, are calling on Matt Hancock and the government to end the powers given to Councils by the Coronavirus Act, and restore our Care Act rights which are suspended under this emergency law. The Rt Hon Matt Hancock MPMinisterial Correspondence and Public Enquiries … Read more
Welcome to WinVisible’s workshops on Zoom — three dates and topics coming up: Starting on Wednesday 17 March 1.30pm-3pm Women fighting for disability benefit rights under COVID How we win exemption from the hated interviews – Andie Left in limbo on basic Universal Credit: fighting Maximus and DWP “inconclusive” work capability telephone interview – S Winning £11,000 backdated PIP after being cut off for “failure to attend” the interview, due to cancer – ‘Rita’ Claimants with mental distress and the death of single mum Philippa Day – Ariane Justice for Errol Graham who starved to … Read more
To the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee (MPs) Inquiry into COVID-19 and food supply efracom@parliament.uk Update from WinVisible of our evidence to Committee last year on food supply and food access (your ref: COV0106) Disabled women are still struggling with food supply, lack support to cook and eat food (social care services not provided, stopped or disrupted) and have nil, low or reduced income so we can’t afford healthy food and special diet. Benefits and wages are low, compounded by discrimination in the benefits system and the exclusion of some women in need based … Read more
Shared from Eastern Daily Press: By Dan Grimmer on 13 January 2021 Campaigners for disabled people have hit out at Norfolk County Council’s method of repaying £1m after a judicial review ruled it had acted unlawfully. The outcome of a judicial review means Norfolk County Council will have to repay about £1m to some 3,200 disabled people who had seen their care costs increased because of its decision to change the way they were calculated. A legal challenge launched by a young woman with Down’s Syndrome went to the High Court – and a judge ruled the council had … Read more
Marilyn from Disability Network Norfolk writes: Do you or someone you care for have concerns about working age disabled persons Care charges? Norfolk CC cabinet meet to discuss their response to their discrimination Tues 12th Jan. 10a.m The YouTube link to the live meeting is https://youtu.be/QNm9pJyMWSI Shared from Eastern Daily Press: Council to agree £1m repayment to disabled people after High Court ruling Dan Grimmer Published: 1:09 PM January 8, 2021 Updated: 4:21 PM January 8, 2021 Disabled people had protested at County Hall over the changes — which a judicial review found were discriminatory. Credit: Philip Williams … Read more
Here is our joint response to the consultation. See below, the report on the consultation findings is going to the Cabinet meeting on 5 February 2021 “for a decision as to whether to implement any of the proposed policy changes“. 28 December 2020 Adult Services Consultation Liverpool City Council Joint response from Sue Ferguson and WinVisible We strongly object to proposals to increase social care charges, increase the hourly rate which people may have to pay, up from £10/hour to the full cost, to remove the cap on weekly charges, and to charge people for … Read more
Congratulations to S and M who bravely put themselves forward and took on Norfolk County Council for increasing care charges and cutting the Minimum Income Guarantee — the amount of money we are “allowed” to keep. This ruling exposes the injustice of Councils making disabled women and men with high needs pay high charges. Also how unwaged disabled people are charged across our benefits, while disabled people in waged work have our wages exempted as a “work incentive”. Sharing the press release from Leigh Day solicitors: Severely disabled woman wins her claim that council care … Read more
Until Wednesday 16 December (midnight), Liverpool City Council is consulting about changes to their charging policy, which they want to bring in from January. Changes include increasing the hourly rate which people may have to pay, up from £10/hour to the full cost, and charging for pet care while people are in hospital. In other places, we have seen Councils take women’s entire DLA/PIP care benefit in weekly charges, following a change in charging policy. Sue Ferguson, Liverpool, writes: “A Charging Policy for Non-residential social services (homecare and day centres) was introduced in Liverpool in … Read more