I take my rights

As The British Survey of Social Attitudes shows more people think disabled people need more support I ask if they understand that we need not passive protection but our rights back? We don't need looking after but to be empowered.

The Government want disabled people to be full participants of society. I agree I want that too. I want to take an active part in society, to be able to choose to study or volunteer, if I want to. I want to have a social life, I want to be able to pay my bills without worrying. I want those who can work to be able to do so, not by force but by being given real choices that empower them I want disabled pople to able to choose where and how they live in the same way as anyone else does. I am not asking to be given these things as a favour, I'm claiming rights I have in law, the right everyone has to live life on their own terms. These are human rights and disabled people are human beings too.

To be able to use these rights disabled people need support and that has been stolen from us by The Government. Cuts that have taken our benefits have reduced our imcome so that many people can no longer make real financial choices. These changes are not because as the Govenment wants you to believe, we aren't as disabled as we claim, or so they can support those more in need. It is just because they can. Its not even because there isn't the money. The government find money to support the rich, we pay the price. It isn't possible to participate in society if keeping your home or buying food is a challenge you cannot meet. It costs more to live with a disability than to be  non disabled and the income aimed at meeting those needs often doesn't and many are being denied this at all under new rules. Cuts take away our rights.

Many disabled people need support to do daily activities, from the basic getting up and eating, to going out and being part of our community. The law says we have the right to this but the government have taken it away. The reality is that many have no support at all or so little they have to choose between eating and peeing. Without support we cannot have the lifestyle of choice other people we are denied that right.

Rights theft thats what the Government are doing. Whatever they say its nothing more or less. Its not targeting support, its not stopping fraud, disability benefit fraud is less than 1%, some other benefits are significantly higher. They are not tackling equality, giving us rights or helping us be part of society. Their actions do the exact opposite on all counts. They claim they want to support us, I don't want what passes for support on their terms, I don't even want to be given my rights that will have Tory conditions attached, not the same as rights in law. I want to be empowered to live as I choose. I take my rights, they are mine to take, not theirs to give.

Blog based on a conversation with Neil Crowther via Twitter.

Action not reflection needed

As civil servants faced the UN Committee on the Rights of Disabled People and faced criticism, the Government have pledged to reflect on its failure to engage with disabled people and their organisations.  It is nowhere near enough, and lack of engagement is not the only serious failing

After tens of thousands of deaths, and many more disabled and vulnerable people seriously harmed urgent action is needed to stop further welfare related deaths.

The Govenment has a record of hiding death rates and other information that hides the truth of the dangers of this regime. It is currently pursuing court action to hide a Work Capability Assessment outcome report in order to protect commercisl.inrerests. Those who facilitate this regime should not be protected, those subject to the risks of it must be.

Many of those subject to the punitive regime had genuine reasons for not complying. Some were in hospital seriously ill, even close to death, or they had already died before being sanctioned. Some had appointments cancelled or rearranged by contractors but still face sanctions for not attending the original assessment. Othera had genuine disability related reasons such as mental health that affected their ability to comply, not being able to read letters, or not being able to access assistance with claims. This is meant to allowed for instead many were sactioned. Not having money to pay rent or buy food puts people at serious risk. Many have lost their homes or been malnourished, some starved to death.

A court decison found those needing assistance because of psychological distress should qualify for PIP, or get increased payments. The government response was to change criteria to exclude those claiments from PIP. Other such changes have been made when Government decided too many people qualified under equipment provisions.

Many Government policies involving cuts  have been aimed at disabled and vulnerable people and despite many demands the Govern refused to carry out a culmative risk assessment.

There were concerns about the effects of the WCA expressed, and known to the Government they were ignored, many claimaints paid the ultimate price.

David Gauke, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, lied in parliament only recently that PIP appeals were low, on the day they reached record levels. Around 2/3 are successful. They clearly want to hide the fact the system is failing, and more so that challenges to it are mainly successful.

The time for reflection is over, there must be speedy and definite action to correct a system that causes serious harm to those it is designed to support. The welfare system itself is not fit for work. This must stop, there must be no more deaths.

Source Disability News Service