The DWP is now largely being held to account not by opposition politicians, not by well-funded charities such as Disability Rights UK, but by activists with virtually no income.

Posted in Benefits, Department of Work & Pensions, DWP by

This is from the ‘Benefits and Work’ newsletter.

THE NEW FORCE IN CLAIMANTS RIGHTS
What is particularly notable about these news items is that they were all brought about by tiny, private sector or unfunded groups or individuals.

The ESA death statistics campaign is the work of Vox Political blogger Mike Sivier.

The bogus sanction claimants were revealed by Welfare Weekly – a one-person online news aggregator.

And the UN investigation has come about due to the tireless work of activist group Disabled People Against Cuts.

Add to this the story of the 49 secret DWP investigations into claimant deaths, revealed earlier this year by John Pring’s Disability News Service, and a startling truth emerges.

The DWP is now largely being held to account not by opposition politicians, not by well-funded charities such as Disability Rights UK, but by activists with virtually no income.

One of the main weapons of these new campaigners is the Freedom of Information Act. But we know that the government is already taking steps to try to dramatically curtail the use of the Act.

How long before the government – or its multinational partners – also decide to take action against the campaigners themselves?

Support for ever more harsh benefits cuts depends on people accepting that claimants are bad and the DWP is good. These campaigners are inconveniently proving that the opposite is true.

12 thoughts on “The DWP is now largely being held to account not by opposition politicians, not by well-funded charities such as Disability Rights UK, but by activists with virtually no income.”

  2. Pingback: The DWP is now largely being held to account not by opposition politicians, not by well-funded charities such as Disability Rights UK, but by activists with virtually no income. | Benefit tales | sdbast

  4. Pingback: The DWP is now largely being held to account by activists with virtually no income | Benefit tales | Vox Political

  5. Reblogged this on Brightonredhot’s Weblog and commented:
    We will always speak out and fight against sick injustices’ like these because otherwise sick and twisted inhumane monsters like IDS think that they can get everything their own way, well they can’t, we will continue to fight until these sick acts are stopped and discontinued and evil monsters like this are destroyed, this government and the sick hate filled ministers like Smith and Patel as well as the corrupt job centres and the DWP are truly fully exposed for all the sick acts that are being used on the most vulnerable of people the disabled are being deliberately hounded and harassed by Smith and the job centre and the DWP, it is time to reveal the real truth to the British public.#thenewrobinhood

    Reply

  6. ive gave up fighting them so been stuck on jobseakers after 20 years of being unfit to work,plus being signed off by my own doctor,but they say im ok for limited work.??.nobody to help me fight them,and im not clever enough for that lot.

    Reply

    • One thing that may help, because I’ve been in the same position, is that when you start not to cope at home, ask for a social services assessment. Although they can be really harsh now, and they limit the help available, they can write a report that will support your application for disability benefits.

      Also, each council will still have a welfare rights officer; they’ve helped my friends time and again. Most housing associations also support benefit applications. My local one helped my ex partner get his disability benefits back, and he had no idea how to oppose them. Also, ‘Benefits and Work’, if you can stump up one yearly fee, have a mine of information. ‘Fight Back’ if you’re in the north Midlands/North West help fill out benefit forms. There are many Facebook groups (some have been infiltrated though, so you have to be careful).

      It took me many years to finally get the support, and you’ve never stopped fighting, but don’t put yourself in a position where you’re going to make your condition worse; it’s not worth it. It’s sad, but you have to keep fighting.

      All the best to you.

      Reply

  10. The DWP has been unaccountable for the last 5 years – new labour supported all they were doing and, indeed, at times said they would be even harder – this really is a one party state, nazi at that

    Reply

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