Disability News Round Up By John Pring - Week Ending 14/09/2012

9/18/2012 09:53:00 am BenefitScroungingScum 0 Comments

• Disabled people with high support needs who protested outside government offices have described the “terrifying” reality they face if the coalition pushes ahead with plans to abolish the Independent Living Fund in 2015.
• New government figures show that one in five decisions to find someone “fit for work” made by the company that carries out the controversial disability benefit test is wrong.
• A former Department for Work and Pensions medical director has pledged to speak out about the government’s “fitness for work” test if he finds it is “not proper”, after he was ambushed by campaigners at a conference.
• Disabled people increasingly believe that coverage of welfare reform and other disability issues in national newspapers is helping to fuel hate crime, according to a new report.
• The editor of a local newspaper has angered disability hate crime campaigners by telling users of Motability vehicles that they should “hang their heads in shame” in comparison with medal-winning Paralympians.
• Every one of Britain’s Paralympic squad faces extra living costs because of their impairment, according to the captain of Britain’s blind football team, the latest Paralympian to speak out on the importance of disability living allowance.
• David Weir helped carry the British flag at the closing ceremony of the London 2012 Paralympics on Sunday, hours after another astonishing performance to win gold in the T54 marathon, a race he described as his “toughest” yet.
• A second medal-winning athlete has spoken of how disability living allowance has allowed him and other British Paralympians to “be the best we can be”.
• A British Paralympian has spoken of the crucial contribution disability living allowance has made to her independence, and to her gold-medal-winning performance at London 2012.