Author: Anne Pridmore

PUBLISHED: 24 SEPTEMBER 2024 Labour is to revive the hated Tory plan to force banks to carry out surveillance on claimants’ accounts and give the DWP police type power to search premises and seize possessions. The Tory provisions were contained in the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill, but this failed to be passed into … Continue reading “Labour adopts hated Tory bank surveillance and DWP search and seize powers”

DWP issues guidance for claimants migrating to universal credit on how the transitional element is calculated Department advises that element is calculated by comparing universal credit award based on circumstances on day before claim with amount received from legacy benefits The DWP has issued new guidance for claimants migrating to universal credit on how the … Continue reading “DWP issues guidance for claimants migrating to universal credit”

LIVES will be lost, campaigners warned today after a survey revealed that more than 1.7 million households do not plan on turning on their heating this year. The number of those who said they will keep the heating off in polling for Uswitch is nearly double the 972,000 who said they did not heat their … Continue reading “LIVES will be lost”

The upcoming changes to the Winter Fuel Payment scheme fundamentally alter its identity, shifting it from a universal benefit targeted at older people (in recognition of older people’ higher needs for energy use) to a means-tested payment available only to those receiving Pension Credit. 10 million people will lose the payment as a result. According … Continue reading “Changes to Winter fuel payment”

DWP needs ‘fundamental reform’ because tinkering at the edges of the benefit system will never solve the problems of the broader economy Employment Minister says we need to be looking at the options that people have in the labour market and asking ourselves whether those choices are good enough The DWP is in need of … Continue reading “DWP needs ‘fundamental reform’”

Being the Boss A series of FREE online sessions on Zoom delivered by Iggy Patel and Anne Pridmore, supported by Bringing Us Together and Adult Social Care Warriors. • Understanding how the law works and using the Care Act for maximising your budget – Thursday 26th September 2024, 1.00pm to 3.00pm • PA recruitment, interviews, … Continue reading “Workshops for Individual Employers and those receiving Direct Payments”

“The delivery of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Work Capability Assessments (WCA) is set to change for residents in England, Wales and Northern Ireland from next month. However, these changes will not affect those living in Scotland currently on PIP as they are due to transition from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to … Continue reading ““The delivery of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)”

The report from Disability Law Service (DLS) sets out the social injustices that result from charging disabled people for their support to remain at home. It substantiates powerfully the case for abolition of charges for non-residential care following the lead of Hammersmith and Fulham (H&F) who did so in 2015. The following sets out the … Continue reading “Abolishing non-residential charging: A winnable campaign objective”

Alex Seabrook Local Democracy Reporting Service More working age adults in Bristol are now in need of social care and support than elderly people, new figures have revealed. Bristol City Council supported more than 5,500 adults in the last financial year and said 2,774 were adults of working age, compared to 2,754 of those over … Continue reading “More working age adults in need of social care”

Families have been left devastated and struggling to provide round-the-clock care to loved ones with severe disabilities after health trusts blocked unqualified carers from providing nursing tasks they have been doing for years. The families have said the Trusts have told them that carers paid through the Direct Payments system can no longer carry out … Continue reading “Northern Ireland health trusts reviewing Direct Payment care provision policy”