Deaf school’s closure was due to abuse of residents, says regulator – The Guardian

Posted April 6th, 2016 in assault, care workers, disabled persons, news, reports by tracey

‘The sudden closure of a college for vulnerable people was due to the serious abuse of residents by staff, the health and social care regulator has revealed.’

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The Guardian, 5th April 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

DWP tribunal criticises Labour MP Jess Phillips for ‘showing too much affection and friendship’ – The Independent

‘A Labour MP has been criticised by a judge at a tribunal for showing too much affection and friendship towards a constituent on disability benefits. ‘

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The Independent, 3rd April 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Soldiers jailed after beating up disabled teens ‘for entertainment’ – Daily Telegraph

‘Soldiers targeted “naïve, trusting and innocent” pair during a drunken night out from Army camp at Sennybridge in the Brecon Beacons.’

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Daily Telegraph, 29th March 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Public sector equality duty must be beefed up, say peers – Local Government Lawyer

‘The wording of the Public Sector Equality Duty must be strengthened so that the discriminatory consequences of decisions by the Government and public authorities can no longer be ignored, peers have said.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 29th March 2016

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Government spends £100,000 on lawyers to defend the bedroom tax – The Independent

Posted March 29th, 2016 in appeals, benefits, disabled persons, fees, housing, news, social security by sally

‘The Department for Work and Pensions has spent over £100,000 on lawyers fighting a court battle to save its controversial “bedroom tax” policy.’

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The Independent, 28th March 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Duty of care for disabled people in UK not being met, say peers – The Guardian

Posted March 24th, 2016 in disabled persons, duty of care, equality, news, reports, select committees by tracey

‘The government is failing in its duty of care to Britain’s 11 million disabled people, peers have said, in a House of Lords report published on Thursday. It identified a series of government failures, from inaction on long-standing provisions of the Equality Act designed to help disabled people, to repealing others that favour reducing business regulations over their rights, to the impact of spending cuts, as having a “hugely adverse impact” on those with disabilities.’

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The Guardian, 24th March 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Boys win appeal over striking out of claim against council over harassment on estate – Local Government Lawyer

‘A High Court judge has ruled that the claims of two boys against a council for negligence in failing to protect them from harassment from neighbours on the estate where they lived were wrongly struck out.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 18th March 2016

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Boys brought up on tough council estate win right to sue local council over harassment that ruined their lives – Daily Telegraph

‘Two children who say they suffered “harassment and worse” whilst being brought up on a tough council estate have won the right to sue for massive compensation.’

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Daily Telegraph, 16th March 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Reasonable Adjustment after Griffiths – Tanfield Chambers

Posted March 15th, 2016 in disabled persons, employment, employment tribunals, equality, news, sick leave by sally

‘Is an employer ever required to dis-apply an absence management policy or delay dismissal, as a reasonable adjustment for disability? Recent decisions have suggested that the answer is no, but in Griffiths v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions [2016] IRLR 216, the Court of Appeal has redefined the correct comparator in a disability claim in a way which may make this easier for an employee to argue.’

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Tanfield Chambers, 9th March 2016

Source: www.tanfieldchambers.co.uk

‘Broken’ disability benefits need total overhaul, says government adviser – The Guardian

Posted March 11th, 2016 in benefits, disabled persons, employment, news by tracey

‘Controversial fit-for-work tests should be abandoned and benefit sanctions scrapped for people with chronic illness or a disability, an influential government adviser has said.’

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The Guardian, 11th March 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Peers inflict second government defeat on disability benefit cuts – BBC News

Posted March 1st, 2016 in benefits, bills, disabled persons, news, parliament, social security by sally

‘The government has been defeated in the House of Lords for a second time over plans to cut some disabled people’s benefits by £30 a week.’

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BBC News, 29th February 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Carer found guilty of murdering her multiple sclerosis-suffering father – The Guardian

‘A carer who claimed she suffocated her father because of his “intolerable” multiple sclerosis has been found guilty of murder.’

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The Guardian, 26th February 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Disabled people challenge bedroom tax at supreme court – The Guardian

‘The supreme court is to hear a legal challenge against the government’s bedroom tax from five people who argue it discriminates against the weak and vulnerable.’

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The Guardian, 29th February 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Winterbourne View report author calls for Learning Disabilities Commissioner – Local Government Lawyer

Posted February 23rd, 2016 in disabled persons, housing, learning difficulties, news, reports by sally

‘Sir Stephen Bubb, author of a report into the Winterbourne View scandal, has called on the Government to appoint a Learning Disabilities Commissioner.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 22nd February 2016

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Narcolepsy boy wins £120k swine flu vaccine damages – BBC News

‘A boy with a rare sleeping illness caused by a swine flu vaccine has won £120,000 in damages.’

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BBC News, 3rd February 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Preferring Burnip: Discrimination without justification – Nearly Legal

‘The Court of Appeal tackles the bedroom tax and discrimination again, and, a year on from MA & Ors, there is quite a difference.’

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Nearly Legal, 31st January 2016

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Man sentenced to six weeks imprisonment for harassing victim because of disability – CPS News Brief

‘A 25 year old man who used social media to harass a man because of his disability has been sentenced to six weeks imprisonment.’

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CPS News Brief, 27th January 2016

Source: http://blog.cps.gov.uk

Lords defeat for ministers over disability benefit cuts – BBC News

Posted January 28th, 2016 in benefits, bills, disabled persons, news, parliament, social security by sally

‘The government has been defeated in the Lords over plans to cut the benefits of people with illness and disabilities.’

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BBC News, 27th January 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Higher education reform much-needed, but government must take time to get the framework right, says expert – OUT-LAW.com

‘Reforming higher education in England is both long overdue, and vitally needed to protect the sector’s hard-won reputation.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 15th January 2016

Source: www.out-law.com

Disabled workers can’t afford justice to deal with workplace harassment – The Guardian

‘Since the government introduced fees for employment tribunals, together with legal aid cuts, disabled people have increasingly been unable to have their cases heard.’

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The Guardian, 6th January 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk