A significant reduction in the number of older people getting care for free, or partly funded by the council means a vast difference in costs. Which councils charge the most and which have the lowest rate?
Government proposes more flexible leave and shakeup of justice system to introduce father-friendly access arrangements More flexible leave for parents, father-friendly access arrangements following relationship breakups, faster adoption processes and better help for special needs pupils will be included in a new children and families bill, designed to be a central plank of government policy. Focusing on the shakeup of family justice to deliver a “fairer” system for parents, ministers signalled that the government did not accept last year’s family justice review, which warned against introducing a legal presumption of shared parenting
Government will not bring forward bill in next session of parliament to overhaul care of elderly and disabled people The government has delayed plans to overhaul long-term care of elderly and disabled people, despite promising “legislation in the second session of this parliament” when the coalition took office. Instead, the government will put forward a white paper in the Queen’s speech to bring together the “piecemeal and labyrinthine” social care system run by councils highlighted last year by a landmark Law Commission report , which would confer upon local authorities a duty – rather than, as at present, a power – to meet carers’ eligible needs.
Letters warning of £500-a-week benefit cap are sent to thousands of households that will not be affected Thousands of households, including families with disabled children, have been incorrectly told they are likely to see their welfare payments cut, charities and social security advisers say. From next year, couples or single parents in England who receive more than £500 a week in benefits will have their payments cut
TV show adverts prompted 21 complaints that they offended disabled people and encouraged bullying and stereotyping Channel 4′s ad campaign for controversial show The Undateables has been cleared by the advertising watchdog, despite more than 20 complaints that it is offensive toward disabled people and encourages sterotyping and bullying. The ad campaign for the show, which has been a hit for Channel 4 attracting almost 3 million viewers , featured photographs of people from the programme with the advertising strapline “Love is blind, disfigured, autistic … “.
Wheelchair users chain themselves together in latest in a series of direct action protests against welfare cuts Disability activists blocked one of central London’s busiest road junctions on Wednesday with a line of wheelchair users chaining themselves together in the latest in a series of direct action protests against welfare cuts. The protesters used metal chains and security locks to block two junctions around Trafalgar Square bringing traffic to a standstill for more than two hours. The demonstration was organised by Disabled People Against the Cuts (Dpac) which has taken the lead in several direct action anti-cuts protests over the past two months
Protesters include Adam Lotun, 49, a father of baby twin girls, has been severely affected by the government cuts after his disability living allowance was taken from him after six years Ole Alsaker
Private Jaco van Gass plans to use axe attached to prosthetic arm to help him scale Everest in May A soldier whose left arm was blown off in Afghanistan has helped design a prosthetic ice axe which he will use to climb Mount Everest. Private Jaco van Gass, 25, from Middleburg, South Africa, was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade while serving with the Parachute Regiment in 2009. He is one of a group of five injured servicemen who will set off on a 10-day walk to Everest Base Camp on Saturday and then push on to the 8,848-metre summit in May.
Dutch company’s attempt to trademark name for use on electric mobility aid vetoed by European court of justice A bid to trademark the word BEATLE for use on electric wheelchairs has been blocked by EU judges. They ruled there was a risk of confusion with the pop group – even though the youth and vigour represented by the group contrasted with the reduced mobility of wheelchair customers. There was in fact a connection, the judges said on Thursday, because some original Beatles fans may now be wheelchair users.
The comedian and his wife Adele both have cerebral palsy, but that doesn’t stop them raising two children while campaigning for disability rights When Laurence Clark tells people he is a comedian, he gets one of two reactions.
