Info about the rules for getting a Freedom Pass, and how to apply, is here. Disabled asylum seekers and other immigrant disabled people ARE entitled to the Freedom Pass. When they talk about resident, this means living in the borough. You do not have to have won your right to stay in the UK to … Read more
Background to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) PIP was brought in under the Welfare Reform Act 2012. The purpose was to cut Disability Living Allowance (DLA) spending by 20%. For this reason, the then Chancellor George Osborne was booed at the 2012 Paralympics. With PIP, they abolished low rate care component which a lot of people … Read more
DLA stays the same for children under 16 and for pensioners who were aged 65 before 8 April 2013. Note: The Scottish Government has announced that teenagers on DLA can stay on until age 18. This is one of the benefit improvements they have made under their devolved powers. See here Can my child get DLA? Care needs … Read more
Getting Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) depends on the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) and a points system. The massive UK-wide campaign against the WCA and Atos (the multinational company which used to carry out the WCA) and successful legal challenge against the WCA has had a huge impact. The British Medical Association, representing doctors, and many MPs, voted … Read more
In the programme, which also features the protests, disabled mums speak about their experiences of claiming Universal Credit. Lorna Dunleavy was made suicidal by the in-built delays and underpayment. Tracey lost her ESA severe disability premium after trying waged work for a time. She was told to make a fresh claim for Universal Credit, despite … Read more
We have just submitted WinVisible’s evidence to the Work and Pensions Committee of MPs on Universal Credit (UC) and domestic abuse, with input from Women Against Rape and Legal Action for Women. The committee is scrutinising UC overall. They are now looking at how the single monthly payment of UC to the head of household, … Read more
Tues 1 May — legal challenge vs Universal Credit at the High Court about loss of severe disability premiums Joint vigil at 9.30am outside the High Court, Strand, London WC2A 2LL — please come and support if you can. Some people are then going in to attend the court case. The case is set to … Read more
In February, the all-party Work and Pensions Committee of MPs issued two scathing reports on the PIP and ESA assessments done by Atos, Capita and Maximus — on claimant experiences, and recommendations on the system. The MPs are awaiting the government’s response. They got nearly 4,000 submissions, mainly from claimants, who continue to have a … Read more