From news.gov.scot yesterday:
Disabled people will have more choice in how they apply for benefits when the Scottish Government takes responsibility for Disability Assistance next year. Under the current DWP system people can only apply for Disability Assistance by post or telephone. Under the new Scottish system people will be able to choose to apply for the payment in the way that suits their needs – online or face-to-face, as well as by phone or by post.
https://news.gov.scot/news/disability-benefits-applications-made-easier-1
This is merely the latest in a long line of initiatives marking Scotland out as a place which treats disabled folk a bit better than its Tory neighbour in England or its Labour neighbour in Wales:
Scotland’s treatment of disabled citizens is improving
Much remains to be done, of course, but there is evidence of progress in Scotland’s Wellbeing: national outcomes for disabled people, published yesterday. Here are extracts: Crime: In the longer term, evidence suggests that the incidence of crime among disabled…
From a Scottish Government Freedom of Information response (requested by which opposition MSP?) published yesterday, we can see both a dramatic rise in the number of applications processed within only 21 days and yet an equally dramatic fall in…
Scotland’s continuing efforts to improve the lives of disabled
The Scottish government’s action plan announced yesterday, includes: Up to £1 million to develop solutions to the barriers employers face in hiring and retaining disabled people Up to £500,000 to pilot the provision of support similar to Access…
Abuse of women and the disabled far higher in England than in Scotland
As I work on a larger post on the Equality and Human Rights Commission report which has been already covered in full negativity for Scotland, by our Nomedia, I came across these startling graphs on pages 138 and 139. Violence…
‘One in five ‘Britons’ [living in England?] with disabilities have their rights violated, UN told’
The United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities report on the extent to which the UK government complies with its convention was published on 31st August 2018. It condemns them thoroughly (see below for detail). Yesterday, five…
See this, from the Scottish Government, yesterday: ‘A new amendment has been tabled to the Social Security (Scotland) Bill, which would remove any time qualification for people who are terminally ill. Current UK legislation for disability benefits and…
Based on the latest figures for 2016-17 published by Scottish Funding Council, Scotland’s Further Education college sector has delivered across a range of indicators which show that they are fulfilling their essential role in providing meaningful access to the disabled,…
All English hospital trusts charge staff and patients for car parking. Around half of them charge disabled people for parking in disabled spaces. Only three Private Finance Initiative hospital car parks in Scotland at Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee…
Scottish Government to fight alongside UN to defend disabled against Tory cuts.
The UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has written a damning report attacking the UK government’s plans to introduce its Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and called on them to repeal it and to ensure protection and security…
SNP to bring in free personal care for disabled under-65s by April 2019
September 10, 2017
There’s only one problem and that’s the possibility that the nasty Tories will cut disability benefits before they are transferred to the Scottish government and thus limit what they can do. So, according to the news.gov.scot site today: ‘Health Secretary…
Talking-up Scotland 