Rob Murthwaite – No Evictions! Rich Mix Center Tower Hamlets 12th May 2013
lokis luck·29 videos
May 262013
May 132013
ATOS/DWP Damages Disabled People’s Health and Well Being!
• Close ATOS inaccessible building
• Scrap Work Capability Assessments
• Scrap the Bedroom Tax
• Stop the closure of the Independent Living Fund
St Mary’s House, Duke St, Norwich,
NR3 1QA
7th June 2013
1pm – 2pm
Jan 262013
Protest against the planned £10 million cuts to Adult Social Care in Croydon
Monday 28 January, 5.30pm
Croydon Town Hall
Croydon Council are in the process of agreeing their budget setting which includes a proposed set of cuts to services across Adult Social Care, that amount to £10million being taken out of the budget.
The Council carried out a consultation that was inaccessible to disabled people and included no detailed information about the cuts proposed to vital support services that the most disadvantaged members of the community depend upon.
We are very concerned that on top of year on year reductions by Croydon, and the huge central government cuts to disability-related benefits and entitlements, these cuts represent a further attack on the quality of life of disabled people. The cuts are adding injury to injury, and mean yet morepainfordisabledpeopleinCroydon.
Disabledpeopleshouldnothavetochoosebetweeneatingandheating!
Sep 012012
Reposted from Kate Belgrave with thanks
Protestors clash with police at the department for work and pensions.
Have a lot of video to upload from today – here’s the start.
This protest was called by UK Uncut and Disabled People Against Cuts as the closing ceremony to the Atos Games week – five days of events and demonstrations against Atos’ involvement in the fiasco that is work capability assessments for people on employment and support allowance.
These first videos were taken inside the protest outside the Department for Work and Pensions in the afternoon. It’s shaky, because I was pushed over a few times, but it rights itself here and there. There were fiery scenes, all right, and the police were pretty free with their hands:
More pushing from the police:
The protest began in Triton Square at Atos headquarters, then moved across town to the DWP’s Wesminster offices after a couple of hours. That’s where things began to kick off. There were hundreds of people present and things got pretty unpleasant. The lack of mainstream reporting of this protest seems extraordinary – as someone who was in the middle of it all day, I can tell you that it was well-attended and pretty full-on.
Outside the DWP, DPAC’s Adam Lotun tells protestors that people have entered the building with a list of demands for Maria Miller. He also announces his candidacy for the upcoming Corby byelection. That should be interesting – particularly for Labour:
This video is from earlier in the day outside Atos’ headquarters where people started yelling at police, security and a guy in a red tie who refused to answer questions about the company’s WCA record:
Aug 282012
This is reposted from The Void with thanks.
A well attended ceremony took place yesterday evening outside City Hall, London to make the opening of the Atos Games.
Disabled people and supporters held speeches and a mock medal ceremony to launch the Week of Action Against Atos timed to coincide with the Paralympic Games.
Atos are paid £100 million a year to carry out the brutal and demeaning Work Capability Assessments on behalf of the Government. This short computer based health assessment has led to tens of thousands of sick and disabled people being stripped of vital benefits.
Atos have recently won the contract to assess all those claiming Disability Living Allowance, a process which has the stated aim of removing financial support from a fifth of disabled people. Astonishingly Atos are also sponsors of the Olympics Games.
At the mock ceremony last night, Paralympic Gold medal winner, Tara Flood was stripped of her medals as she was declared no longer disabled by Atos assessors. Speakers from Disabled People Against Cuts and Transport For All, who both helped organise the event, spoke of their experiences at the hands of the company and their fury at Atos attempting to gain positive publicity on the back of the Paralympic Games.
Those assembled were warned that Paralympian Athletes will also soon face assessment by the company who have shown no mercy to even those with life threatening conditions. A recent investigation found that 32 people a week die after being judged ‘fit for work’ by the company.
Atos were warned that we are coming for them – in the Courts, in Parliament, in the Courts and most importantly on the streets.
Protests will take place around the UK outside Atos offices today as part of the Week of Action. A Mass Die In will take place in Cardiff on Wednesday whilst a Memorial Service will be held outside their London Headquarters on the same day.
More photos from Pete Riches can be seen from Flickr –
DPAC holds mock ATOS Games medal ceremony at City Hall
‘Seven medals but now the Tories want my benefits’
Aug 262012
Share your fightback. Send pictures, stories and links to mail@dpac.uk.net
On Saturday NORTHAMPTON DPAC held a stall in Abington Street, Northampton
Included in the many that put their name to our petition was deaf and blind medal-winning paralympic swimmer Janice Tillett, from Crofters Close, East Hunsbury,Northampton, who represented Great Britain in the pool at the Barcelona Paralympics in 1992, winning two relay silver medals. She also won four European Championships golds for her country.
Janice as been recorded in the local press:
We hope that Janice will join us at Atos on the 28 Aug.
Anti-Atos images sent in by Fred Peachum:
Jul 222012
Right to Ride, disabled activists block traffic outside Westminster
DPAC is pleased that London’s 28,000 bus drivers who threatened strike action on 5 and 24 July have won their right to receive an Olympic bonus which other transport workers have been offered in recognition of the extra strain the Games will put on their working conditions. The deal follows the first capital-wide bus strike in decades and six days of negotiations. It has been signed by all 20 bus operators amid fears the network could be brought to a standstill, heaping embarrassment on the London as it staged the Games.
DPAC calls for a fully accessible public transport system that provides disabled passengers with the same opportunities to travel as anyone else. We recognise that an important part of a fully functioning system entails respect and fair terms and conditions for transport staff in order to enable them to do their jobs fairly. DPAC supports the bus drivers in any action they feel they need to take in order to get their voices heard.
Last month DPAC and Transport for All staged a successful direct action with activists blocking the path of an 87 bus outside Westminster for more than two hours. The action which was featured on a Channel Four news debate drew attention to the barriers that disabled people face in accessing London buses ahead of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games when campaigners fear that poor disability access will make London a laughing stock. https://www.dpac.uk.net/2012/06/right-to-ride-report/
In speaking out against the daily discrimination and frustration disabled people experience trying to access bus transport DPAC does not blame the bus drivers themselves. Drivers are held back from delivering a fair service to disabled passengers by cutbacks which have seen conductors removed from buses whilst drivers are not allowed to leave their cabs for safety reason, by strict regulation of timetables that do not give drivers adequate time to meet the needs of disabled people and by a lack of investment in fully user led disability equality training that could be delivered around drivers’ shift patterns.
DPAC encourages our members to show solidarity to bus drivers in any further actions.
May 112012
Andrew Lansley will be in Birmingham on 15 May & there is a protest meeting at 5pm Centenary Square outside the ICC
Apr 132012
Protest at Grayling
“Policy Exchange is hosting a major full day conference looking at the future of the labour market and welfare and skills policy in the UK. The key theme will be how the employment and skills agendas could be coordinated to ensure that unemployment is reduced and that the labour market meets the needs of business in the future. The day will be a great opportunity to hear the views of expert speakers and for businesses, policy makers, politicians and academics to get together to discuss these vital issues.”
Keynote speakers include Minister for Workfare Chris Grayling.
This is on the day the latest unemployment figures are released. It is estimated that over the summer 100,000 public sector will lose their jobs.
Protest at the Policy Exchange conference
9am, Wednesday 18th April, Microsoft, 80-100 Victoria Street, Westminster, London, SW1E 5JL
DPAC protest
Action will be around benefit cuts, care funding and Loss of Remploy jobs.
April 18th meet for 1.30 pm McDonalds Leicester Square.
Remploy Not For Sale
After previous rounds of closures at Remploy, which provides work for thousands of disabled people, the Tories plan to finish the job. Of the 54 remaining workplaces 36 have already received 90 days notice of closure on Monday 19 March.
Norwich demonstration
GMB and Unite, the unions for Remploy workers, will hold a demonstration in Norwich on Saturday 14th April.
10am to 1pm, Saturday 14th April
Hay Hill, Opposite Primark, 7-9 Haymarket Norwich,Norfolk NR2 1QD
Public Meeting – Fight the Remploy Closures
Thursday 19 April – 7.30pm
The Venue, ULU, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HY
Speakers include:
John McDonnell MP – Chair Right to Work campaign; Gail Cartmail – Unite Assistant General Secretary; Les Woodward – GMB National Convenor of Remploy; Rob Murthwaite – Disabled People Against Cuts
John McDonnell MP – Chair Right to Work campaign; Gail Cartmail – Unite Assistant General Secretary; Les Woodward – GMB National Convenor of Remploy; Rob Murthwaite – Disabled People Against Cuts
Download the meeting leaflet .
Fight Remploy Closures meeting – April 19
National Demonstration – Friday 20 April 2012
Lobby the DWP in Sheffield – The campaign to save Remploy factories continues
Assemble 12.30 for a 1pm start outside the Department of Work and Pensions office in Sheffield (Steel City House) at the junction of West Street, Church Street and Tripit Lane.
Assemble 12.30 for a 1pm start outside the Department of Work and Pensions office in Sheffield (Steel City House) at the junction of West Street, Church Street and Tripit Lane.
Rally and March to the Town Hall
Called by UNITE
Petition
Sign the petition to save Remploy factories and send cheques payable to ‘The Remploy Fighting Fund’ to: Phil Davies, Manufacturing Section, GMB National Office, 22-24 Worple Road, Wimbledon, London SW19 4DD
Tell Richard Branson … Keep Virgin profiteering out of our NHS!
London Keep Our NHS Public groups are targeting Virgin stores and gyms for a weekend of protests on 21st / 22nd April
London May Day March
Tuesday 1st May, 11am
Clerkenwell Green, EC1R 0DU
March to Trafalgar Square
Join the Caravan for Climate Jobs: 12th – 25th May 2012
- Fighting for a million new jobs
- Fighting the threat of catastrophic climate change
The CLIMATE JOBS CARAVAN – backed by a number of national unions and campaign groups – is a 2000 mile campaign tour of towns and cities to promote the ONE MILLION CLIMATE JOBS REPORT and raise public discussion of how jobs lost in your locality can be replaced through the creation of the new industries and services that we need to ensure an environmentally sustainable future.
The Caravan goes on the road on 12 May. It will be greeted by meetings and other public events in dozens of localities where jobs are currently being shed. Join it when it arrives near you.
May 23rd advance warning Lord Freud at National Housing Federation event explaining the need for Welfare abolition.
Apr 112012
by Holmey
via social warriors
In view of the welfare reforms that the ConDem’s have forced through parliament, reforms that are forcing many sick and disabled people deep into poverty and misery, it’s time to tell the DWP what we feel, where we think they are driving society, with you being invited to download and complete the DWP Euthanasia Assistance Form below and asked to post it off to –
Euthanasia Assistance Scheme
The Ministers
Department of Works and Pensions
Caxton House
Tothill Street
London
SW1H 9DA
Next Tuesday or Wednesday, (17th/18th April), so that they get deluged with them on Thursday & Friday, perhaps having to work over the weekend to clear the mail backlog – Hopefully get to the attention of the decision makers.
A couple more websites I know are also hosting this campaign, and if you’re seeing it for the first time and have a website, please feel free to copy it. I’ll notify what media contacts I have, if everybody else makes a noise out of it, it may get some much needed publicity for what’s going on.
Also, on the Friday, (21st), perhaps you would like to emulate Stuart on his excellent recording (on social warriors’ web site)
Let’s shout out loud, give them all something to think about over the weekend.
Copy and paste this URL into your browser to get form and info:
https://socialwarriors.co.uk/
Mar 202012
Today, Labour have forced a Commons debate on whether MPs can consider planned NHS changes for a final time before an assessment of the potential risks to the health service is published. And opponents are trying to mobilise support behind a last-ditch attempt to try and delay the bill.
Lord Owen lost his amendment this afternoon by 213 to 328 votes with the enemies of open government resorting to increasingly ridiculous arguments to defend the government’s refusal to release the risk register. Andy Burnham has made a last-minute request which will lead to a brief debate on the risk register, this time in the Commons, to be held tomorrow as first item of public business. It’s hard to see it having any effect.
Read Tim Hardy’s analysis at Beyond Clicktivism.
If you need some background, watch The Professional Case for Withdrawing The Health and Social Care Bill from Daniel Saul on Vimeo.
There is much protest which is not being reported by the main stream media.
Many thanks to Steven Sumpter for letting us repost some of this blog (from March 17th). Read the rest about how Heavy handed police threaten NHS protest and follow the links at his blog.
Several hundred people gathered today in front of the Ministry of Health to protest against the Health and Social Care bill and what it will do to the NHS. During the course of the protest riot police intimidated and grabbed at protesters, held them against their will, and broke up the protest into small groups that petered out. This was suppression of protest, something that I have written about many times before. As yet the mainstream media outlets have been silent about the protest and about the policing of it. Read on for some images, videos and tweets from the day. For a detailed personal account with many pictures and videos please read This blog post by Cai Wingfield, and see the links at the end of this post for more.
https://twitter.com/#!/HeardinLondon/status/181040095707672576
"protest in Whitehall" - photo by @COPDdoc
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Feb 182012
Heated: Angry Right to Work campaigners stormed the Tesco store in Westminster, London (from the Mirror)
Read the full Article in the Mirror : “We won’t work if you won’t pay”: Police break up protest at Tesco over ‘misunderstood’ job advert .
Jan 302012
Many thanks to Emma (@pseudodeviant) for letting us repost this.
This morning I got up very early and (with help from my wonderful partner & carer) got dressed, drugged and ready to catch a train to London.
After the normal mess around with trains and alike we made it to Euston station in a fairly bright mood. We decided to save some money and roll down to the DPAC meeting point (MacDonalds on Regent Street at 11.30am) which took a while. Luckily for me, the first face I saw was that of blogger Latent Existence which was a lovely surprise, especially when it transpired we had actually met at an action in Birmingham ages ago. There was a bit of milling about whilst the plan was explained to us;
- Collect a D-Lock and keys.
- Get into place at Oxford Circus (where Oxford Street & Regent Street cross).
- When the lights change UK Uncut activist would run across with a chain which would have each end attached to a lamppost.
- Wheelchairs were to roll over to the crossing and line up along the chain.
- Lock the wheelchair to the chain and start protesting!
Whilst waiting for it to begin I spoke to a few journalists that had found us and explained my reasons for being there;
I wanted to protest against the both the Welfare Reform Bill and the cruel way it effects disabled people & children as well as the associated vilification of the disabled, poor and vulnerable. The government has decided to combat a fraud rate of 0.5% that they will take 20% off Disability Living Allowance by re-branding and reforming it into Personal Independence Payments (PIP). In doing so they are removing the assistance from DLA/PIP from 199 genuinely disabled people for every 1 ‘fraudster’* they catch. So they can remove so many they have made the criteria for PIP even more stringent than with DLA and they are including regular repeat assessments – regardless of whether your disability can ever improve or not. I wrote about how important my DLA is to me and the struggles I had obtaining it recently. The Responsible Reform Report (dubbed the Spartacus Report) details many areas of key concern better than I could here and it makes interesting reading if you fancy it.
The Conservative led government has done what it always does when they want to cut benefits to the poor and the vulnerable. First they leak press stories vilifying the targets, then when public opinion is on their side they strike with cruel reforms & cuts. We’ve been watching over the last couple of years as more and more horrid and twisted headlines about fake disabled people, scroungers and those seeking an easy life on ‘lavish’ benefits have filled up our press. I’ve popped some examples of recent press headlines on the right. All of these are real and all of them have helped shape public opinion. We’ve seen disability hate crime soar up by 75% and most I’ve spoken to have noticed it. I blogged this December about my experiences at the local Christmas market and I’ve been stopped in the street by strangers who ask me “Do you really need that wheelchair or are you just pretending?”. It’s both annoying and painful but still, I’m lucky that I’ve not been on the end of some of the violent abuse that many others cite having experienced.To make it all the more poignant, yesterday was Holocaust Memorial Day. A day during which we remembered those who suffered and died at the hands of the Nazi party. The party wished for racial purity and in 1933 began forcibly sterilising disabled people under the “Law for the Prevention of Hereditarily Diseased Offspring”. By 1939 they began “euthanising” children born with severe defects and within months the criteria for eligibility for “euthanasia” was both relaxed and extended to older children, adolescents, and adults. But before this started happening the Nazi propaganda mill tried to make sure that the public were on side with gems like this poster:
A German propaganda poster from 1938″60000 Riechmarks, this is what this person suffering from hereditary defects costs the Community of Germans during his lifetime. Fellow Citizen, that is your money, too.” It’s so similar to last years tabloid headlines it chills my blood looking at it.
That’s why I joined the protest. That’s why I and many others chained ourselves in our wheelchairs across Oxford Circus. We see what is happening, how our rights are being eroded away and how thoughtless government propaganda is ruining our right to live free from fear and intimidation. We see all this and we are angry. We won’t go down without a fight. Even if it near kills us.
The protest itself was brilliant. No sooner had we done up our D-locks and settled into a chorus of “No ifs, no buts, no disability cuts!” than the sound of sirens filled the air. The police & some people that I assume were fancy shop security (given the odd beefeater meets bellhop uniforms) surrounded us quite quickly but did nothing. The atmosphere was great, angry yet positive, vulnerable yet strong as steel. We had a wonderful time and met some fantastic people. I spoke to journalists, independent media and radio crews and watched as some amazing people got filmed by the BBC & Sky. We had initially thought we would get an hour at the most before the bolt-cutters cam out and we were either arrested or dispersed. I think that because of the amount of media attention we had the police were loathe to act and risk bad publicity. They also would have had a big job trying to arrest all of the wheelchair users as I don’t think their vans are particularly accessible. Still, by 12.45 the police were telling us that we could either move over and just block one side of the road (the street behind us was strewn with abandoned buses) or we could stay and they would take ‘appropriate action’. Many of those chained up expressed a wish to stay and risk arrest simply to show how serious they were about protesting the Welfare Reform Bill. Sadly we had to leave before the end as we had a train to catch but twitter informed me that everything broke up peacefully at around 2pm with no arrests or trouble.
To finish on a brighter note are some pictures from today’s demo;
The wheelchair line getting into place.
Me and my partner fashionably sporting chains and a Green Party flag.
(Picture via @HeardInLondon)
DPAC protesters – not all of us use wheelchairs (Picture via @HeardInLondon)
Legal Observers – the person in orange was from Green and Black Cross, the person at the back with a camcorder works for the Met.
* let us remember that this term also includes disabled people that aren’t technically ‘disabled enough’ to receive DLA.
Media Links (edited to add more as they arrive):
- Guardian – Disability campaigners stage Central London protest against welfare reforms and also Video footage from the protest (which includes me)
- Indymedia UK – Photos and Audio (which I think includes me) from the protest.
- Ian Birrell in the Observer, Dec 2011 – The demonisation of the disabled is a chilling sign of the times.
- Huffington Post – UK Uncut protest brings Oxford Circus to a standstill
- BBC News – Protesters show anger over the welfare reform bill and footage of DPAC’s Adam Lotun on BBC Breakfast.
- DPAC Photo’s on Flikr.
- Daily Mail – Wheelchair users chain themselves together and block central London over welfare cuts.
- Mirror – Disabled bring Oxford Circus to a halt in welfare cuts demonstration.
- Coalition of Resistance – An ‘amazing’ success – disabled protest blocks Oxford Circus.
- MSN video – Disability campaigners block Oxford Circus. (video)
- ITN – Disability Campaigners in welfare protest. (has video)
Jan 292012
Disabled activists from as far away as Edinburgh and Cornwall descended on central London yesterday afternoon determined to make a space for their voices and concerns to be heard.
With the utmost ease 20 wheelchair users were chained up across the road near Oxford Circus bringing the traffic in Regent Street to a total halt. The wheelchair users were supported by many more disabled activists with invisible impairments and supporters from UKUNCUT and Right to Work.
A coach driver who was trying to take passengers to the theatre said he stopped at the traffic lights and then suddenly the coach was trapped and unable to move anywhere. Busses were backed up all along Regent Street for over 2 hours.
It remains wrong that when tax evasion by the wealthy runs at £25 billion and neither the government or opposition parties make any attempt to collect this money disabled people, single parents and unemployed people are being made the scapegoats for the Condems savage and unnecessary austerity cuts.
Disabled people heartened by the success of yesterday’s actions say this is only the beginning of renewed efforts on their part to have the Welfare Reform Bill overturned, and that even if this is passed their battle against it will continue.
Maria a DPAC supporter said ” we’ve shown today that we aren’t invisible and it’s now time that politicians stop viewing us as vulnerable. We’re not vulnerable and together we can wreak havoc to the streets of London”
More links to press coverage are at https://www.facebook.com/groups/DPAC2011/ and www.dpac.uk.net
What needs to be done NOW
More information about the Welfare Reform Bill and how it will push many people including those working on low incomes into destitution and further poverty can be found on DPAC’s website together with a template letter which we are asking people to send to their MPs now asking them to vote against the Welfare Reform Bill in its current form.
On Wednesday February 1st Condem MPs are planning to overturn democracy and vote to ignore amendments to the Welfare Reform Bill passed in the Lords. Please tell your MP this is wrong.
Welfare Reform Bill Next Vigils & Lobbies: 1pm-3pm, MONDAY 23 JAN, WEDNESDAY 25 JAN, TUESDAY 31 JAN.
Jan 212012
Welfare Reform Bill — no going back to Dickensian days
Next Vigils & Lobbies: 1pm-3pm, MONDAY 23 JAN, WEDNESDAY 25 JAN, TUESDAY 31 JAN.
* Defend Child Benefit for all * Oppose all benefit caps and sanctions
*Cap greedy landlords, not low-income people!
called by
Single Mothers’ Self-Defence, WinVisible, Zacchaeus 2000 Trust
Meet opposite Parliament – Lords’ entrance
Old Palace Yard, Abingdon St SW1 – Westminster tube
All welcome
We have had two very successful vigils attended by over 30 people – people with disabilities, single mothers, claimants and other activists. The Royal College of Nursing joined the vigil last Tuesday. Alex Callaghan, who leads their policy work on the social determinants of health, had photos taken for Nursing Times.
- Monday 23 January, the Bishop of Ripon and Leeds plans to raise his amendment to keep Child Benefit out of the benefit cap which will be taken from the poorest families. See SMSD & Global Women’s Strike press release: https://globalwomenstrike.net/content/press-release-child-benefit-all-%E2%80%93-mothers-earn-it-children-need-it
Baroness Hollis and Lord Ramsbotham will raise amendments proposed by Zacchaeus 2000, protecting people forced to repay overpayments made in error, and consideration of claimants’ circumstances before sanctions.
- Wednesday 25 January, last day of Report stage.
- Tuesday 31st January, 3rd reading of the Bill where it will be passed or not as a whole by Lords.
Government defeats so far:
- no cut to Housing Benefit for having a spare room.
- to keep benefit entitlement for young people who are severely disabled, so they have financial independence coming into adulthood;
- increasing to two years the one-year time limit on National Insurance-based sickness benefit for people who are recovering;
- entitlement for terminally-ill people – the government wanted to force people who have longer than six months to live, to attend work-focussed interviews to get benefit.
Please join us again, and publicise it on Facebook, Twitter and email lists. If you can’t come, you can ring and write to the Lords (0207 219 3000, fax 020 7219 5979). More info and email addresses are here.
Press coverage:
Morning Star reports from 17 January Vigil
Guardian video and report – watch here.
Guardian blog
BBC interview with Baroness Meacher explaining the three votes
The Commissioner for Children says the Bill contravenes the UN Convention
THINGS YOU CAN DO
Come and raise your concerns on the Vigils ♦ Bring placards with your organisation’s name and issues you are concerned about ♦ Lobby the Lords – support amendments to keep Child Benefit out of the benefit cap, extend concessions for women fleeing domestic violence, ensure immediate benefit payments for people coming out of prison, and Zacchaeus 2000 amendments to protect claimants from unliveable benefit repayments, sanctions and bailiffs ♦ Lobby your MP; contact them to make an appointment or write to them about your personal situation – find your MP here. If you are unable to come on the day, ring them or write, for Lords’ addresses see here; and sign the Zacchaeus 2000 Trust e-petition against the benefit caps here.
More info:
smsd@allwomencount.net 0207 482 2496 PaulNicolson@z2k.org 07961177889
PRESS NOTICE.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE.
Rev Paul Nicolson, Chair, Zacchaeus 2000.
020 83765455
07961 177889
Welfare Reform Bill
The Ramsbotham and Hollins amendments.
On Monday the 23rd January Peers will consider two amendments to the Welfare Reform Bill which are vital to the mental wellbeing of the poorest citizens of the UK because they provide safeguards against the damage done to mental health when debts are enforced against poverty incomes. The Royal College of Psychiatrists, Mind, the major Christian Churches, CAB and Liberty are among the 20 NGOs supporting;
- Lord Ramsbotham’s amendment 62A, which will ensure that jobcentre and local authority officials do not punish welfare claimants with sanctions and penalties, nor enforce overpayments made in error by officials, when they know there is good reason not to, by requiring officials to examine the facts and circumstances of each case, and
- Baroness Hollins’s amendment 62ZC, which will retain the current legal prohibition on enforcing overpayments of welfare against claimants which are made in error by officials.
Both amendments were proposed by Zacchaeus 2000, a Christian Trust that works with vulnerable and impoverished debtors.
The Rev Paul Nicolson, Chair Zacchaeus 2000, comments.
“The Department of Work and Pensions has been advised by the Royal College of Psychiatrists that poverty is trigger factor for poor mental health, a factor in maintaining poor health and part of the experience of those with poor mental health.
We know from our experience of serving welfare claimants in debt to the State how seriously depressed they are: it hurts their families too.
Welfare incomes are already set at poverty levels to act as an incentive to look for work; but the Welfare Reform Bill, coupled with cuts and caps on one hand and rising prices of food and fuel on the other, is creating debts without the necessary safeguards for welfare claimants or poor people in work.
The Centre for Mental Health has shown that mental health problems already cost the economy in England £105 billion in 2010/11; the Bill will increase that cost”.
Please sign our e-petition on
https://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/25438
Stop the housing benefit and universal credit caps.
Rev Paul Nicolson
Chair, Zacchaeus 2000 Trust
34 Grosvenor Gardens
London SW1
0207 259 0801
0207 259 0701 fax
0208 376 5455 home
07961 177889 mobile
Jan 122012
Baroness Meacher, an independent crossbencher, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “The British public do not accept the idea that the banks screw up and very disabled people pay the bill.”
The Lords vote see the Government defeated by 234 to 186, a majority of 48, over a plan to limit to one year the time people can claim Employment Support Allowance.
Peers agreed a move to replace the one-year cap with the ability for the Government to specify a limit of no less than two years.
Lord Patel, an independent crossbench peer, said: “I am sympathetic to cutting the deficit, but I am highly sympathetic to sick and vulnerable people not being subjected to something that will make their lives even more miserable.”
The Government was also defeated when peers voted by 222 to 166, majority 56, to accept another amendment by Lord Patel removing the time limit on contributory ESA payments from people receiving treatment for cancer.
Employment minister Chris Grayling said the welfare state should be focused on supporting those with the most need quotes the BBC –DPAC agrees that it should too but we think Grayling is a bit confused over whose those might be – fortunately the Lords are not.
Labour said the coalition was defeated for trying to “cross the basic line of British decency”.
DPAC networks should congratulate themselves for the long months of protests and lobbying on Atos, WCA and on ESA since 2010- but the battle is not over yet. As responsible groups we know that the lobbying must continue when the amendments go to the House of Commons.
Pictures of Tuesday’s protest can be found here
https://www.demotix.com/news/999151/welfare-rights-vigil-opposite-houses-parliament-london
and
https://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/video/2012/jan/11/welfare-protest-lords-video
Jan 072012
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No going back to Dickensian days – defend benefit rights, stop evictions
Vigil & lobby of Parliament
1pm Wed 11 January
Oppose the Welfare Reform Bill & benefit caps.
Cap greedy landlords, not low-income people! Meet opposite Parliament – Lords’ entrance Abingdon St SW1
All Welcome
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On 11 January, the Lords’ debate on the Welfare Reform Bill continues. The Bill threatens basic entitlement to housing and other benefits – a roof over our heads.
Protest forced the government to drop plans to cut mobility money for people living in residential homes. But other cuts to disabled children and adults are still in the Bill. On 14 December, after lobbying and testimony from people affected, the Lords defeated government moves to cut housing benefit by £12-22 a week for Council tenants who have a spare room.
Come and raise your concerns on 11 January Bring placards with your organisation’s name and issues you are concerned about
For more info about the day, contact SMSD and the Zacchaeus 2000 Trust
smsd@allwomencount.net 0207 482 2496 PaulNicolson@z2k.org 07961177889
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Dec 172011
URGENT: Less than 48 hours to stop betrayal of the united pensions struggle and fight for our welfare state
On Thursday, 15th December, the TUC’s Public Sector Liaison Group (PSLG) met for the first time since the 30th November public sector strike which DPAC and many of our disabled supporters took part in. Some of us are personally affected by the disgraceful public sector pensions changes which the coalition government are trying to railroad through. Others quite rightly see this as the only legitimate action trade unions can take to try to defend our welfare state and much needed public services from the Condems.
Reports from some of those attending this meeting, say Brendan Barber, General Secretary of the TUC, argued that all of the trade unions should sign up to the government’s latest ‘heads of agreement’ on pensions. This would then allow Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude to announce before Christmas that the dispute has been settled. This was met with outrage by most of the public sector trade unions present.
Not one of the central demands of public sector workers has been met. All public sector workers are still being told to work longer, pay more and get less. The teaching unions NUT and NASUWT reported that they had been offered no serious concessions by the government, as did the civil servants’ union PCS, the Fire Brigades Union and representatives of workers in the NHS.
In local government the only concession is to delay the attacks on pensions until 2014, provided that local government unions promise to accept this without a fight when it comes in. Apparently Dave Prentis – General Secretary of Unison – the biggest union in health and local government – is allegedly arguing for accepting this sell out. Speaking as a UNISON retired member and in a personal capacity I find this disgraceful.
Now the TUC has recalled the PSLG for 3pm on Monday, 19th December to try and force through acceptance of the Government’s plans. Trade union groups, have called a lobby of this next TUC meeting from 2 pm at Congress House.
Online petitions have been set up https://bit.ly/uTV8cR (Socialist party petition) and https://righttowork.org.uk/2011/12/dont-give-up-the-pensions-fight-sign-this-statement/ (Right to Work petition)
Please let anyone who lives in or near London know about this lobby and the on-line petitions.
Dec 142011
As part of the National Month of Festive Action Against Atos we are calling for a rolling mass telephone complaint to poverty pimps Atos in the run up to Christmas.
Beginning on Monday 12th December and running up until Christmas benefit claimants, disabled people and supporters will be ringing both local and national Atos Offices to complain about their obscene treatment of sick and disabled people.
How To Get Involved
We urgently need as many towns, cities, groups and individuals to commit to a morning or afternoon shift in the upcoming days and get as many people as possible to ring Atos and complain about their involvement in the Work Capability Assessment.
To maximise the protest we will aim to have as many groups as possible calling Atos at different times in the run up to Christmas. We’ll maintain a list here and on facebook to try and help co-ordinate times/dates and see if we can keep the phonelines buzzing daily in the run up to Christmas. Please contact us by leaving details in the comments, on facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/events/281777128534663/ or emailing us at: notowelfarecuts@yahoo.co.uk
If you aren’t part of a local group, or even if you are, support the other protests by calling Atos along with them.
Either ring your local Atos Offices, or their corporate headquarters, or why not both! Atos’s main numbers (including a handy freephone number) are:
+44 (0)20 7830 4444 (Tel)
+44 (o)20 7830 4233 (Tel)
+44 (0)800 783 3040 (Freephone)
+44 (0)20 7830 4445 (Fax)
Atos ‘Healthcare’ who run the Work Capability Assessment have a main number at: +44 (0) 113 230 9175
Whilst it’s well worth trying to speak to a manager or senior individual if possible please bear in mind most people taking calls will be low paid receptionist/admin staff so we call on people to be be business-like and non-confrontational. Be aware that is an offence to make telephone calls which are threatening, indecent or offensive. Keep it fluffy. Why not sing them a carol?
Anyone who manages to get through to Atos CEO Keith Wilman will win the customary prize of a free Crisis Loan*
Some calls may be recorded for the purposes of taking the piss.
Brighton DPAC who will be phoning Atos on the mornings of Monday 12th and Monday 19th of December have produced a script/template which can be read out, or emailed/faxed to Atos. Visit their fb event page (below) for details.
Join in online!
You can also contact Atos via email. Their Head of PR can be reached at: caroline.crouch@atos.net and general enquiries can be sent to: ukwebenquiries@atos.ne. Atos ‘Healthcare’ can be reached at: customer-relations@atoshealthcare.com or to ask for a job go to: jobs@sjbmedical.com
Atos have new facebook groups and pages springing up all the time. Search for Atos on facebook to find them. You can also tweet using the hashtags #atos, we’ll be monitoring twitter for any other hashtags Atos use.
Action planned so far
Monday 12th and Monday 19th December from 9am
Brighton DPAC: For details visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/132910660153707/
Please organise and contact us to be added to the list!
If you are planning on braving the cold and holding a protest as part of the month of action please send details asap to: notowelfare@yahoo.co.uk or leave details in the comments.
The main facebook page for the Month of Action can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=122853381158514
Come to the Triton Square Christmas Party and Picnic outside Atos’ Headquarters on December 16th from 2pm: https://benefitclaimantsfightback.wordpress.com/2011/11/25/a-real-victorian-christmas-party-and-picnic-at-triton-square-friday-16th-december/
*actually we still can’t give out Crisis Loans as prizes. The DWP are bastards like that.
Atos are the French IT firm responsible for carrying out the government’s Work Capability Assessment which has led to tens of thousands of sick and disabled people being forced into poverty after being stripped of essential benefits. Despite the process being dubbed unfit for purpose and an increasing number of suicides due to the stressful and vicious health testing regime, this form of assessment is to be extended to everyone on some form of disability or health related benefit.
Nov 262011
As part of December’s month of festive action against Atos and the benefit cuts, disabled people, benefit claimants and supporters will be demonstrating outside the Paralympic Goal Ball test event being held at the Olympic Park in Stratford on Saturday 3rd December from 2pm.
Atos are the French IT firm responsible for carrying out the government’s Work Capability Assessment which has led to tens of thousands of sick and disabled people being forced into poverty after being stripped of essential benefits. Despite the process being dubbed unfit for purpose and an increasing number of suicides due to the stressful and vicious health testing regime, this form of assessment is to be extended to everyone on some form of disability or health related benefit.
When not bullying disabled people Atos are also the official IT partners of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Join us to ensure that Atos do not receive one ounce of positive publicity from this role, as they champion their support for disabled athletes with one hand whilst destroying the lives of of disabled and sick benefit claimants with the other.
On December 3rd, International Disabled People’s Day, protesters will be gathering outside the entrance of the Olympic Park in Stratford at the Paralympic Goalball test event. Join us from 2pm and let’s show the world what Atos really think about disabled people.
Bring banners, placards, noise!
Travel to Stratford station (DLR, Central/Jubilee Lines, London Overground) and then follow the indications to the Olympic Park entrance via Westfield Stratford City shopping centre. The route from the station to the entrance of the Olympic Park is approximately 600 metres.
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/events/313266012034394/
A Real Victorian Christmas Party and Picnic at Triton Square
Friday 16th December – 2pm
Triton Square , London NW1
Join us at the home of poverty pimps Atos for a Christmas Party to celebrate the continuing struggle against disability deniers Atos.
As part of the month of festive action against Atos and the benefit cuts, disabled people, benefit claimants and supporters will be visiting French IT company Atos’ gleaming corporate headquarters to celebrate the real Victorian Christmas being inflicted on hundreds of thousands of sick and disabled people this Christmas.
As Atos CEO Keith Wilman tucks into his organic tax-payer funded Christmas turkey, hundreds of thousands of sick and disabled will be spending Christmas terrified a letter from his company may land on their doorstep demanding that they attend one of Atos’ notorious ‘Work Capability Assessments’. These flawed tests have led to tens of thousands of sick and disabled people being forced into poverty after being stripped of essential benefits.
Despite the process being dubbed unfit for purpose and an increasing number of suicides, due to the stressful and vicious health testing regime, this form of assessment is to be extended to everyone on some form of disability or health related benefit.
Join us on Friday 16th December at 2pm as we continue the struggle against the unending war on benefit claimants and disabled people. We will not pay for their crisis.
Bring scabies, TB, rickets, begging bowls and child labour*. Peelers not invited.
*Also banners, placards, food to share, leaflets, noise.
Atos are based at Triton Square , less than five minutes walk from Warren Street and Great Portland Street tube stations and less than ten minutes from Euston.
Main Month of Action event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/122853381158514/
More details: https://benefitclaimantsfightback.wordpress.com/