Action Blog
Viewing entries posted in February 2009
Miraculous decisions
January was a very quiet month in my little Welfare Rights world. So quiet in fact that I was beginning to worry about my shrinking caseload. If only I'd thought about it, I would have realised the cold was not to blame. The answer of course was that the DLA Decision Maker's haven't been making decisions over the Christmas and New Year break. I needn't have worried; for now they are back their decisions should keep me in employment for at least the coming year.
Don’t get fleeced!
There is growing concern about a company called Benefits Helpline www.benefitshelpline.com that is providing advice on welfare benefits through a £1.50 per minute premium telephone service. Not only is this extortionate, but customers have reported being inundated with texts and emails urging them to use the service further. It's also worth noting that they come up prominently if you Google 'benefits advice', so the unwary may be easily caught.
Fighting Hypocrisy
My work as a Welfare Rights Officer for Action for Blind People in Lancashire involves helping visually impaired people to obtain their correct benefit entitlement, and it looks impressive when large amounts of money are involved.
‘Ere Wot’s This 60 quid?’
‘Ere wot’s this 60 quid?’ has been the question of the week. Several people have rung me to ask about a mysterious £60 that has been paid into their bank account by the DWP in the last month. Allow me to explain.
Truly taken for a ride
You are probably aware of the RNIB campaign to have the higher rate of the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance made available to people with severe sight impairment. The crux of the argument is that it costs someone with severe sight impairment just as much, if not more, to get around as it does for someone with a physical disability. Lack of mobility leads to isolation and presents serious barriers to education, training, seeking work and socializing. It is these kinds of barriers that actually ‘disable’ a person.
Tag cloud
accessibility, apple, assistive technology, beauty, benefits, braille, burnley, christmas, confidence, coping, disability, discrimination, dla, dwp, education, employment, esa, family, fashion, grieving, guide dogs, holidays, human rights, inclusive design, inclusivity, independence, independent living, iphone, life, lifestyle, living with sight loss, money, pension, people, personal independence payment, pip, registration, rp, sailing, shopping, sight loss, social inclusion, stereotypes, technology, travel, vi people, web accessibility, welfare rights, white cane, work,
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