The government is pressing ahead with Labour legislation to streamline employment equality rules.
Home Secretary Theresa May said the Equality Act, passed in April, would be implemented in October. Mrs May, who is also Equalities Minister, said it would make it easier for firms to comply with anti-discrimination rules.
It will also stop employers using pay secrecy clauses to prevent employees discussing their own pay. In addition, the act bans age discrimination by employers and includes provisions aimed at extending the rights of disabled people.
However, the Government have so far stopped short of forcing employers to reveal how much they pay men compared with women, as had been planned by the Labour government. A Government Equalities Office (GEO) spokesperson said: "We are thinking about what our next steps on equal pay should be and will make an announcement in due course."
Drawing nine separate pieces of legislation into a single act, it was passed on 8 April but has not yet become law.
Among its measures, it imposes a new duty on public bodies - such as education authorities and health trusts - to consider reducing socio-economic inequalities, for example with policies preventing poorer children from missing out on places at the best schools. The GEO said this was "the first wave of implementation" of the Equality Act which would "pave the way for the implementation of landmark provisions to protect disabled people from discrimination and tackle the gender pay gap".
In opposition as shadow minister for women, Mrs May had expressed fears that many of the act's clauses would be too bureaucratic and expensive.
However, she now insists the act demonstrates the coalition government's commitment to equality. "By making the law easier to understand, the Equality Act will help businesses treat staff fairly and meet the needs of a diverse customer base," she said. "The law will be easier to understand and better able to protect people from discrimination. A successful economy needs the full participation of all its citizens and we are committed to implementing the Act in the best way for business."
Trevor Phillips, the chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, welcomed the speed with which the government had moved to implement the legislation."The Equality Act will make Britain a fairer country for all," he said.
DIS-SOLUTION SCHEME OPEN DAY
Would you like to take the first step back into employment with the world’s 3rd largest employer?
Would you like to brush up on your skills or try new things within a healthcare environment?
Would you like to do all this without it affecting your finances?
If you have a disability, are unemployed and would like to find out more, then Leicester City Community Health Service would like to invite you to our open day to discuss our new work placement scheme.
Date: Monday 2nd August 2010
Venue: Merlyn Vaz Health and Social Care
Centre, 1 Spinney Hill Road, Leicester
Time: 11.00am to 3.30pm (drop in anytime)
For more information about the event, please see the PDF file below:
Open Day Invitation 2nd August 10.pdf
A Loughborough-based recycling scheme that provides training and work for disabled employees and people with mental health conditions such as autism and Asperger's syndrome is likely to be scrapped in a bid to save money.
The Charnwood Recycling Project - set up in 2006 by Leicestershire County Council's social services - employs 30 adults and costs £100,000 to run but now the authority is attempting to save £66 million by 2014 and it is possible this could be a casualty, the Leicester Mercury reports.
Max Hunt, county councillor and leader of County Hall's Labour opposition group, called it an "easy target for Tory cuts".
"They are taking away from people who do not have a voice," he continued, while Alyson Hunter, manager at the Glebe House Project - which also supports disabled employees - described the situation as "desperately sad".
This comes after MP for Worcester Robin Walker stated that there is not enough support for disabled employees.
The Coalition Government has tabled regulations today, Tuesday 29 June, to extend eligibility for the Higher Rate Mobility Component of the Disability Living Allowance (DLA)to severely visually impaired people from next April.
The Minister for Disabled People, Maria Miller, said: “The Coalition Government is committed to making sure that help gets to the people who need it.
“This will mean that around 22,000 people will get an additional £30.90 a week,” she added, “giving them greater independence in their everyday work and home life.”
The change will also increase the number of people eligible for the Motability Scheme.
Glastonbury Festival has, since 2005, been working in collaboration with Attitude is Everything to recruit deaf and disabled employees to be part of its stewarding team, as well as improving its facilities.
And this year, a new event called Club Attitude took place, showcasing the talents of disabled - as well as non-disabled - musicians in the Shangri-La field on the Hub Stage, the Independent reports.
Headliners included Drugstore, as well as La Rebla Fam, an unsigned act formed by Simon Suspense Spenser who has cerebral palsy.
What's more, a Deaf Rave was put on, designed to bring both visuals and music to the deaf community, while MC Geezer rapped in sign language, accompanied by DJs Ceri and Inigo on the decks.
Another group of disabled musicians to play at the festival was Staff Benda Bilili from the Congo, made up of four older men, three former street children and a lead singer who uses crutches.
NCB Now: Focus on disability healthcare
Children & Young People Now29 June 2010
Recent years have seen a shift in health policy where patients are no longer seen as passive recipients of care, but active partners who can take increased responsibility for managing their health.
Managing My Way, a project run by the Council for Disabled Children (CDC), is exploring how disabled children and young people can take more responsibility for managing their own health conditions.
Managing My Way is a two-year Department of Health-funded project, which will help health staff to understand the issues disabled children and young people face and what they need in order to feel in control of their own healthcare.
The first phase of the project has been to conduct two literature reviews, one exploring the policy context for all patients but with a focus on children and young people, and the second looking at specific issues faced by disabled children and young people in making decisions about their healthcare.
The views of disabled children are central to this project and, as such, CDC has undertaken a series of focus groups with disabled young people with long-term health conditions, where CDC asked them what they think would enable them to feel more in control.
CDC is about to begin a series of focus groups with healthcare professionals to explore what they perceive are the barriers to supporting disabled young people in managing their health conditions, to identify good practice and to discuss recommendations for future policy.
Managing My Way is supported by health professionals and academics who will also support the project to develop and disseminate materials. A report highlighting the key findings from the focus groups will be published this year, with materials to support professional practice due out in spring 2011.
For more information, contact Kate Martin, senior development officer, Council for Disabled Children. kmartin@ncb.org.uk
WHAT YOUNG PEOPLE SAID
When asked about their health experiences, disabled children said:
· "When I go to the doctor, they talk to Mum and not me. It's like I'm invisible"
· "It's more to do with how they see disabled people. You have to shout 'I'm still here. I might be disabled but I'm still here'"
· "They see me as a child and then as disabled, so they think I can't understand or make choices"
· "I'm the one that knows what I'm going through, what's going on in my body"
· "It would be nice if there was a doctor who knew me for a while, so he would understand me"
· "Doctors always say what you can't do 'you can't do this, you can't do that."
· "They should also look at what we can do"
Those on disability or housing benefits faced another attack from the chancellor, further raising concerns about his commitment to a "progressive" Budget.
George Osborne stressed that rules surrounding incapacity benefit and its successor, the employment and support allowance, needed to be tightened up, as did housing benefit. Housing benefit has already been mentioned by Mr Osborne, but the comments on incapacity benefit come on top of those directed towards disability living allowance.
Some commentators have questioned the chancellor's commitment to ensuring the rich suffer as much as the poor when it comes to reducing the deficit as a result."We have given very specific commitments on some and we have not given specific commitments on others,"
Mr Osborne said. "That is what I want to be part of the spending review over the summer. It is a trade-off and some of these benefits are very much larger than most government departments.
"We have got to look at all these things, make sure it protects those in genuine need, protects those with disabilities and protects those who can't work but also encourages those who can work into work. That is the purpose behind our welfare reform."
The total annual cost of the employment and support allowance stands at £12.5 billion, with some 2.6 million people claiming the welfare payment.
The government also has its hands tied behind its back in terms of which benefits it can slash.
David Cameron repeatedly accused Labour of lying about Tory plans to cut benefits for the elderly, such as pension credit, free bus passes and the winter fuel payment, making it politically impossible to do so now.
The spending review is due on October 20th
By Ian Dunt.
Motown music legend Stevie Wonder made a heartfelt plea at the close of his headline performance at Glastonbury, asking for everyone to ‘encourage’ improved accessibility for the world’s disabled people.
Having entertained the crowd with renditions of hits including ‘Signed, Sealed, Delivered’, ‘Superstition’ and ‘We Can Work It Out’, the singer, music producer and activist – who has been blind from soon after birth – made an emotional appeal.
“I want you to encourage the world to make things more accessible for those who are physically challenged,” he said. “Make it more accessible. Let there be nowhere that I can’t go being blind, that someone cannot go being deaf, someone cannot go being paraplegic or quadriplegic. Make it accessible so that we can celebrate the world as well as you can.”
Stevie Wonder, who is a United Nations Messenger of Peace, has often spoken out for the rights of disabled people, having previously asked computer games manufacturers to consider the needs of blind people and also asked mobile phone companies to consider ways of increasing accessibility.
Paralympic gold medallist Danielle Brown has been named in England's able-bodied archery squad for the Commonwealth Games in Delhi.
The 22-year-old will be the first Paralympian to represent England in an able-bodied event at the Games, She said: "I did not think that I would even make it as far as this weekend's qualifying event. To be selected for the Commonwealth Games is fantastic."
Team chef de mission Craig Hunter said her selection was a "historic moment".
Brown has a condition called reflex sympathetic dystrophy which affects her ability to stand because of chronic pain in her feet. She shoots while leaning on a stool.
Alison Williamson, bronze medallist at the 2004 Olympics, is also in the team. "It is a great opportunity for me to go to a Commonwealth Games as an archer. I am looking forward to competing in Delhi and being part of the England team," she commented.
Liam Grimwood, Chris White and Duncan Busby will form the men's compound team. "We have a really strong team this year. The qualifying event was a very tough, challenging and competitive process for all involved," said English Archery team manager Hilda Gibson. "The team going to Delhi have all achieved at world level and will be looking for medals."
This week’s emergency Budget could have a disproportionate impact on disabled people, according to the Disability Benefits Consortium (DBC).
While accepting that some disabled people will benefit from additional housing benefit to cover the costs of a live-in carer, the DBC – a coalition of disability and welfare advice organisations including Action for Blind People, Age UK, Citizens Advice, Leonard Cheshire Disability, Macmillan Cancer Suppor, Mencap, Scope, and the TUC – has concerns about potential changes to disability benefits.
Mark Baker, Head of Social Research and Policy at RNID and co-chair of the DBC policy group, explained: “We are concerned that the introduction of the new medical test for working age DLA will create additional stress and anxiety for disabled people claiming this benefit. It will create unnecessary bureaucracy as well as increasing those costs associated with both the assessment and appeals process.”
The DBC is also concerned about the switch to using the Consumer Prices Index for the annual uprating of benefits, which they believe is based more on saving money rather than ensuring sufficient support for disabled people.
Rebecca Rennison, Senior Policy Officer at Leonard Cheshire Disability and co-chair of the DBC policy group also pointed to reductions in Local Housing Allowance (LHA). “Local Housing Allowance provides vital support to many disabled people on low incomes,” she said. “If the Government is serious about tackling disability poverty it has to ensure that all disabled people are able to access suitable and affordable housing.”
Local Housing Allowance (LHA) is a benefit that provides vital support to disabled people on low incomes. Disabled people experience extra barriers to finding suitable homes – e.g. the need for ground floor access, space for specialist equipment and wider entranceways to allow for wheelchair access.
Many disabled people are restricted in their choice of location, needing to live near local support services or accessible transport. All these factors increase the cost and reduce the availability of suitable housing. According to the DBC, reducing LHA payments, placing a cap on the overall limit for LHA and annually uprating LHA by CPI (which excludes housing costs) risks leaving many disabled people unable to afford suitable accommodation.
