imagined austerity and the impact on disabled people in the uk debbie jolly (dpac)
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Imagined Austerity and the Impact on Disabled People in the UKDebbie Jolly (DPAC)
Disabled People against Cuts (DPAC)Oct 2010 disabled people led the march against the in-coming Gov at the conservative conference-we did this because our own DPOs were silent on the plans Gov had for disabled peopleReactions: scaremongering/these terrible things would never happen in the UK-worse things happened!
DPAC has over 15,000 supporters and members-plus anti-cuts groups/other organisations/DPOs24 local DPAC groups and growing across the UK
International support-Ontario group recently held a protest outside British Embassy at the things happening to disabled people in the UK
All funds go direct to getting people to protests, any costs for BSL etc. no one is paid for work at DPAC, but numbers increase dailyPolicy, legal cases, working with UN, Human rights orgs, European parliament, MPs, lawyers, media, run direct actions, protests, joint actions.
Attacks on Disabled People in the UK-Bedroom tax –for those on lowest incomes in social housing 3 quarters of those affected are disabled people: legal cases
-Closure of ILF to enable disabled people to obtain P.A.s : legal cases
-Cuts on support from local authorities: legal cases
-Reassessment of all on incapacity support through private contractors Atos (paid 110 mil p.a.): legal cases
-Increasing numbers of suicides and premature deaths amongst disabled people on those ‘assessed’ as ‘fit for work’ under the Atos process –numbers were hitting 73 per week 2010/11 within 6 weeks of an assessment–now Gov has refused to publish up dated figures
-Millions are being spent on appeals against decisions:70% win their appeals if they have representation
-GPs refusing to give supporting evidence to disabled people for round of re-assessments: legal case being constructed against this
-Increase in food banks for those increasingly left with no money or food through these sanctions-food banks limited to 3 visits per year-Gov say this is the big society at work and a credit to the ‘marketing processes’ of the Gov!
-Massive increase in child poverty figures (compared to 50 years ago up to 3.5 million) -Amnesty UK launched a campaign on child poverty, launching one on disabled people end of this year beginning of next year
-Increase in ‘hate crimes’ against disabled people because of the media demonization and Gov sound bites describing disabled people as ‘scroungers’, ‘burdens’, people ‘faking’ impairments-rate of disability benefits paid out incorrectly is 0.05%
-UK 7th richest area in the world -£136 million owed in taxes by big corporations/over 100 million has been wasted on Gov ‘reforms’
UN Rapporteur on Housing Visit to UK
Disabled people are being evicted from their homes because the Gov in its wisdom has imposed a tax on any spare rooms in social housing, if people need a room for a P.A. overnight or for medical equipment they are being summoned to court to pay extra costs from £14-25 a week-the bailiffs who carry out these evictions are often late as they deal with suicides from those that cant pay and/or do not want to go to an institution. On this the Daily Mail a UK National newspaper says:
“The news [of Rapporteurs visit] provoked a furious reaction from MPs who described the bureaucrat as ‘over mighty and unaccountable’ . A Spokesman for Mrs Rolnik, described as the special rapporteur on housing said she was invited at the invitation of the Government. However it is understood that she invited herself” A Tory MP said “she does not represent the views of Britons who want to get on in life” Another said “ It may be news to Mrs Rolink but in this country we have something called democracy. This means people vote for their representatives.. And not overpaid , over mighty and unaccountable UN officials”
DPAC 7 days of action: ‘reclaiming our futures’
Just had our own Freedom drive as part of the DPAC 7 days of action in which we launched a UK Disabled Peoples manifesto ‘reclaiming our futures’ at parliament
Local actions, art exhibitions, entertainment evening, conference on the social model, protests outside charities, and other ‘worthies’
Live-streamed, online activities/social media for those that couldn’t travel, but also DPAC paid travel, accommodation and provided P.A type support if needed –so that no one who wanted to take part was excluded
Thousands of disabled people took part across the UK
The BBC BlockadeBBC seen as the democratic voice of Britain: royal babies, Royal celebrations, Paralympics, but NOT reporting what is happening to disabled people and those on low incomes : we call them state TV-3 groups DPAC, MHRN, and Black Triangle
DPAC 7 days of action and Freedom Drive
Launch of the UK Disabled Peoples’ Manifesto: ‘Reclaiming our Futures’ at Parliament
