Health Committee-Scotland ‘Some people are suicidal’

Keith Robertson from the Scottish Disability Equality Forum told MSPs some people are becoming suicidal even at the thought of some of the reforms in the UK Welfare Reform Bill.

Mr Robertson was giving evidence, along side a panel of representatives from disability and mental health charities and agencies , to the Health Committee on the impact of the Wellfare Reform Bill (UK) .

READ IN FULL HERE AND ALSO WATCH VIDEO

What’s your Christmas message to the Government? | The Hardest Hit

 

The Hardest Hit are planning to send a giant Christmas card to the Government to let them know that we are not asking for gifts, but we do want our basic rights protected and the support to enable us to live independently and with dignity.

You can sign the card and leave your message by following the link below:

Sign the card!

What’s your Christmas message to the Government? | The Hardest Hit

Sandwich carers numbers are increasing

John and Beth both care for their mothers and their son Nathan, 17. The couple represents what’s commonly known as ‘sandwich carers’ — people who care for a younger- and older-generation relative. Follow a day in Beth’s life to find out how she copes and where she finds support.

Watch video here 

A practical guide to caring

 

CarerWatch attends Hardest Hit Protest in Newcastle

Report will follow but here are some photos for now

Joint Committee on Human Rights: The implementation of the right of disabled people to independent living

 2:20 pm; Room 5, Palace of Westminster

Witnesses: Maria Miller MP, Minister for Disabled People, Department for Work and Pensions;

Paul Burstow MP, Minister of State for Care Services, Department of Health;

and Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP, Minister of State for Housing and Local Government, Department for Communities and Local Government

see full details here of upcoming business

Hardest Hit Protest – Newcastle October 22nd 2011

Newcastle
Saturday 22 October, 2011
March: 10.30 Bigg Market
Rally: 11.30-12.30 Monument

Disabled people in the North East, along with their families and friends, are taking to the streets in Newcastle to protest against Government cuts to disability benefits and services. Join us and help to
make sure all our voices are heard.

The march will leave Bigg Market at 10.30, walking to The Monument where a rally will start at 11.30. We plan to have a range of speakers who will keep us informed and entertained. Confirmed so far is MP for Wansbeck Ian Lavery, Clare Williams from the Norther Public Services Alliance and Kevin Rowan the TUC Regional Secretary who will share their views on the proposed changes. We will also be joined by a number of local people who can speak from their own experiences about what the proposed cuts to benefits and services will mean to them as disabled
people trying to live independent and fulfilling lives. One of those people will be Claire Parker whose story will also be appearing in The Journal in the run up to the Rally.

A map of Newcastle City Centre showing Bigg Market and the Monument  can
be found here.

This also shows the nearest rail and bus stations, city centre parking and accessible toilets.

As new speakers and contributors are confirmed we will be adding them to
this page, so do keep an eye out for any changes. Please also help us spread the word about Hardest Hit. By bringing together disabled people from across the North East we will be able to make our stand against the cuts to DLA and unfair changes to Employment Support Allowance.

Listening to the stories of disabled people and hearing of the support of key local figures from politicians to civil society leaders will show that people across the city and wider region are on our side. Speakers will help us make our argument, whilst those coming along will have the chance to show how strongly they feel, either as disabled people themselves, their friends and family, or just as people who believe that the disabled are being hit the hardest by the government cuts.

Please come along, and bring as many friends and family as you can. Help us to send a clear message to the Government: stop these cuts

If you require any further info please contact

Henri Murison   Henri.Murison@rnib.org.uk 

Events are taking place across the country and full details can be found here

Several CarerWatch members will be attending a protest local to them.

What EVERY MP should know about welfare reform

Sue Marsh of Diary of a Benefit Scrounger  has sent this over asking everyone to help raise awareness.

Since Employment and Support Allowance was introduced back in 2008, campaigners and those affected have warned that it is flawed. Not because people must face assessment to qualify for support but because the wrong people are declared “fit for work”.

People clearly too disabled to work get harassed and pressurised into work programmes they clearly cannot comply with, while the number of “cheats” or “scroungers” caught, remains at exactly the same level it always did.

Throughout the last year, we have warned of a tipping point.  With over 110,000 decisions already found to be wrong and overturned, 11,000 people a week are being put through flawed assessments. It is only a matter of time before this becomes the toxic story of recent years. MP mailbags are already bursting with letters about this.

Read in full here

What EVERY MP should know about welfare reform

Can you help raise awareness by sharing this post with your contacts, on Facebook and twitter too.

Contact your MP with your concerns.

Please leave a comment on Sues’ blog or contact her direct with links to any reports in your own local newspapers. suey2yblog@hotmail.co.uk

For those that dont know, Sue is one of the founder members of  The Broken Of Britain team

 

Welfare Reform Bill – Letter to Peers

We have been asked to share this letter below, organised by Disabled People Against Cuts.  Please take time to read through and then contact Peers with your own concerns.

You can find names and addresses here . DPAC have suggested these names in particular :

Jenny Willott MP and Ian Swales MP in the House of Commons, and Lord German in the House of Lords. Other peers who are involved are Baroness Thomas, Lord Kirkwood, Lord Stoneham and Lord Addington.

Letter already sent to Peers as follows :

Help at hand for those with benefit concerns

 

BENEFIT advisers have rallied organisations and charities together for a day-long event to show help is at hand for disabled people worried about welfare reform.

Barrow District and Disability Association’s disability advice and benefit service is holding a day-long conference designed to help thousands of people in the area who are worried about the government’s changes to what they are entitled to claim.

Incapacity Benefit, Income Support paid because of an illness or disability and Severe Disablement Allowance are all being phased out.

North West Evening Mail | News | Help at hand for those with benefit concerns

Major shake-up of adult social care in Lincolnshire is approved

 

HUNDREDS of elderly and vulnerable people will have their home help removed as part of the biggest shake-up of adult social care in Lincolnshire for more than 60 years.

County councillors agreed yesterday to remove care allowances to people who need help with simple household tasks like cooking or cleaning.

Major shake-up of adult social care in Lincolnshire is approved | This is Lincolnshire