Here is the Disability News Service report on evidence from disability organisations to the House of Commons Women and Equalities Committee inquiry on the impact of COVID-19 measures. There are a lot of shared concerns. Coronavirus: MPs hear of disabled people’s struggle to survive pandemic By John Pring on 7th May 2020 Disabled people have described how they have been abandoned by the UK government, local authorities, and the supermarket giants, as they struggle to survive during the pandemic crisis. Their descriptions of their experiences over the last two months are included in evidence provided by the pan-London … Read more
WinVisible was invited to send evidence to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee of MPs (EFRA) for their inquiry into COVID-19 and food supply focussing on older and disabled people’s access to food. Separately, a legal case against supermarkets is being prepared by Fry Law, click here if you want to join. Our evidence to EFRA overlaps with our evidence to the Women and Equalities Committee of MPs on the unequal impact of Coronavirus and the measures against it, including suspension of Care Act duties. This has more testimonies on food access and discrimination … Read more
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 our lives through starvation, denial of medical treatment and lack of social care daily living support. This crisis came on top of years of cuts which hit disabled women/BAME communities hardest, and after many thousands of women, especially pensioners, had … Read more
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 are not on the government’s “vulnerable” register to get food and medicine. Women in Camden, Greenwich, Newham and Southwark, many who are women of colour already suffering discrimination, have told us they can neither get supermarket deliveries nor stand in … Read more
Hammersmith & Fulham Council is well-known as the only borough in the whole of England to have free homecare services. Other resident-friendly policies include no bailiffs to recover debt, universal free school meals for primary-age children and a free meals pilot for secondary-school students. Meals are provided to all school students, not just low-income families, to take away stigma for children and the unfair means-testing which denies struggling families whose income is just over the level. The Council Leader, Steve Cowan, has said: “H&F Council is committed to doing things with residents and not to … Read more
The info on this page is out of date and has been updated here The government passed the Coronavirus Act, which suspends Care Act legal obligations and other duties. This is supposed to be temporary and kept under review. We need to know our rights and what the official guidance says about the support services we rely on. We have put together what we have found out so far. Disability News Service has publicised that at least one Council, Warwickshire, wrongly stopped its functions in advance. A lot of what the authorities will do to … Read more
The disability organisation Inclusion London is warning us that the Coronavirus Bill being debated this Monday 23 March would enable local government to withdraw services from disabled and older people. This breaks with any government responsibility for our survival and would put our lives at risk. Other powers would affect disabled children and mentally distressed people. We urge you to respond to this call ASAP. Please email and call your MP urgently. Find your MP here Please retweet: https://twitter.com/InclusionLondon/status/1241033560955518981 Thanks WinVisible From Inclusion London CALL TO ACTION – Coronavirus Bill could leave thousands of Disabled … Read more
We’ve been protesting against Greenwich Council’s plan to increase care charges and squeeze another £1.6 million from disabled people’s benefits, since July 2019 when we sent an Open Letter to councillors and for the consultation. But that consultation about charges never mentioned also cutting £8 million from adult health and social care. This includes “reablement”, free support which people can get for up to six weeks, when coming home from hospital. The £8 million cut was hidden in another consultation about Council’s general budget which put rubbish collection and social care in the same line … Read more
Sue Ferguson* in Liverpool writes: Liverpool’s Mayor, Joe Anderson, has stated that he will refuse to implement any future cuts after it was revealed that a fresh round of pain is planned for the City of Liverpool. The Echo reported: “With services stretched to the maximum in the city, Mayor Anderson has now said enough is enough and told government that he simply won’t do their bidding.” This was welcomed by activists in Liverpool who have been asking the Council for a campaign against austerity cuts for many years. His statement was picked up by … Read more
On 29 January, Greenwich Council cabinet decided to charge people £1.6 million more for social care, and make £8m cuts to the free rehabilitation which people coming out of hospital are entitled to get, and other support. Here is the South London Press report by James Twomey. Plus below, our Kate Brown‘s speech to the Scrutiny Committee about her own situation. Councillors labelled ‘murderers’ by furious onlookers as Greenwich votes to increase adult social care charges 31st January 2020 by James Twomey A town hall has voted to increase adult social care charges at an emotional … Read more