One Voice - action for disability
Welcome to the holiday time newsletter!
We’ve got some news, reviews, and quizzes and puzzles (with prizes!) to help you through the holiday period.
We also have some Christmas inspired chairobics exercises—my personal favourite, on page
If you want to contribute to the next newsletter—as editor or by writing, drawing or taping an item or article, contact us and let us know. The deadline for the next newsletter is January 26th
The views in this newsletter are those of the article writers, they are not always what One Voice thinks.
Works and Pensions secretary James Purnell announced the
Government proposals to overhaul the benefits system, including a focus on getting people on Incapacity Benefits (ESA) to do more to prepare for rejoining the labour force. There is also a reform of Housing Benefit, so that it no longer discourages people from getting work because their rent is high and potential wages low.
The plan is that practically everyone will be expected to do something in return for benefits, including those people who are non-claiming, non-working partners of people on benefits—it is
expected by the Government that 300,000 disabled people on
Incapacity (ESA) will be exceptions to this rule, the rest of the
2.6 million people on Incapapacity benefit (now called ESA) will be affected.
The requirements on people on ESA have been toned down from the original proposals— now people over 50 on long-term ESA will be expected to attend one work-focused interview, while people under 50 will be expected to attend 3.
The new work capability assessments are expected to remove 260,000 people off of ESA/Incapacity and onto jobseekers allowance—a saving of £39 per person.
Okay, there’s a bit of a holiday feel at Cassandra Towers—so much so, that I’m going to be cheeky even for me, and review a film I haven't seen!
Blindness is the latest effort by Mexican Director Fernanado Mierelles—he shot to fame with the violent arty film “City of God”
Since its premiere at Cannes this year, Meirelles's new film “Blindness” has been hammered by critics.
I have to say, it sounds kind of good.
Based on the novel by José Saramago it is about an outbreak of contagious blindness in an unnamed modern city. The authorities leave the newly blind to fend for themselves in a quarantined camp which descends into a hellish kind of anarchy.
The mass blindness starts with a Japanese businessman going blind in his car then passing it on to a thief who has supposedly come to his aid. The blindness plague then goes through a doctor, a prostitute, a barman etc until it is widespread.
I know a lot of you are thinking—here we go again, blindness as a metaphor. And when I first heard about this film, I couldn’t help thinking of Hurricane Katrina, and how the American Government herded desperate and shocked people into the astrodome and then left them to their own devices.
But that’s what made it sound interesting to me.
You could also say that it is a very forceful comment on how society used to view disabled people (put them in homes and leave them to rot) until the recent past.
But it does sound like an interesting premise with lots to think about, so why not see it and make up your minds for yourselves?
We have also watched “There will be blood” recently, which has a deaf character in it—also worth a watch if you don’t mind Daniel (Left Foot) Day-Lewis’s occasionally booming and possibly hammy acting.
For those of you who like tv soaps, I have read that Hollyoaks has signed up it’s first disabled actor to play a character called Hayley Ramsey.
For those of you in the know about Hollyoaks she is the sister of Zak, and is a feisty young woman who challenges people’s stereotypes head on. Any Hollyoaks watchers who want to do a review about the introduction of this new character for this newsletter should contact the editor!
Oh and finally on the tele: what are the chances that the most successful GB Team ever—the paraolympians—win the sports personalities of the year award?
Let’s say it again:
32 Golds, 29 Silvers 31 Bronzes
- there has been no more impressive sporting achievement this year, so will they get the award? We say “yes”!
Court Access Case—A woman wheelchair user in Salisbury has won a case against her local Magistrates court. Because of limited access she was unable to see her son’s court hearing, so she took the Court to Court—and won. In future cases, people will be offered the opportunity of having a hearing in an accessible court room.
Olympic Effort – London Olympics minister Tessa Jowell says that the Government aim is not just to make disabled athletes household names in 2012, it is also to make sure that London’s legacy is a more accessible infrastructure, with more access to public transport and eating and social venues, and ensuring that the athlete accommodation includes good accessible housing to be available for disabled people after the Olympics are over.
Minister Jowell has said that the Government’s access and inclusivity approach to the 2012 games will not be sacrificed to save money—Good news!
Disabled workers more likely to be bullied—research carried out for the Equality and Human Rights Commission found that 22.5% of disabled employees said they had been subject to “persistent and unfair criticism”, and 11.6% had been subject to violence at work—twice as many as their non-disabled counterparts.
The EHRC’s chief executive, Nicola Brewer, said: “Disabled people and those with long term ill-health should be supported to get into, or back into, work, but they'll only stay in work if they are treated with dignity and respect.”
You can view the full report at: www.equalityhumanrights.com
Assisted suicide—no-one charged: The Director of Public Prosecutions decided not to charge anyone in the assisted suicide of a disabled rugby player—is a change in the law on the horizon?
Drug fit for Alzheimer's —Epilum, the drug widely prescribed for some types of epilepsy has been found useful in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, as it stimulates the body’s natural defences against the disease. Researchers at Leeds University are doing further studies.
Robbers imprisoned—2 women who entered a disabled man’s home then tipped him out of his wheelchair to rob him have been sentenced to 21/2 and 41/2 years in jail.
Chinese Whispers—unbelievable but true—the Chinese media have been featuring a number of articles on the dangers of kissing, as a Chinese girl lost the hearing in her left ear as a result of some serious kissing. (no further comment required!)
Film Board loses plot—The BBFI—the body that awards certificates to films recently put a warning on a film about disabled people:”Sex references and disability theme” - can they really do this in the 21st century? Do people need to be warned that a film contains a disability theme? We are pretty sure that the BBFI has never rated a film with a “female equality theme” warning, so why single out disabled people for this form of discrimination?
Earlier this month, the Government announced that the equalities responsibilities of public bodies (like the Council, Schools and the Health Service) will be brought together under one bill.
The changes it is likely to include are:
* a single equality duty for public bodies, including sexual orientation and religious belief as well as race, disability and gender.
* greater transparency, including an obligation on public authorities to report on disability employment, strengthening the requirement for public bodies to tackle discrimination through their purchasing functions, and an equality 'kite-mark' for the private sector
* a single objective 'justification' test will replace the different tests currently used. The test will be whether the conduct is a 'proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim'. The Government says that with regard to employment, this will be a higher threshold than the present test. In other words employers will not find it so easy to justify less favourable treatment
*service providers could use a wider range of circumstances than at present to justify their conduct, but 'proportionality' will be stricter than 'reasonable opinion' which is used in the current test
* a concept of 'indirect discrimination', to replace 'disability-related discrimination', this has been proposed to deal with the limitations the House of Lords placed on disability-related discrimination, when they overturned Lewisham v Malcolm (One Voice website July 2008)
* It will be easier to claim reasonable adjustments from service providers
* The Government proposes to ignore the DRC guidance on broadening the definition of disability (the DRC advised that it should cover any impairment, without having to demonstrate the impairment was substantial or long term - the DRC recognised that employers may discriminate against you for having an impairment even if that impairment isn't substantial, and that the Act should focus on the discrimination, not the impairment)
* a tribunal will be able to make a recommendation benefiting the wider workforce, even if it is no longer relevant for the individual because he has left the place of employment.
* the Government is expected to consult before the end of 2008 on legislation to protect people 'associated' with a disabled person - in the light of the European Court decision in Coleman v Attridge Law. (Newsletter October)
We will keep you posted of other proposals.
It’s a very unnerving thing to consider that in the winter of 2005/6 over 25’000 people died from cold and damp related illness and, considering the increased cost of electricity and gas, it is possible that this figure will only increase. However there is a scheme in place trying to reduce that total by supporting those experiencing fuel poverty and those immediately affected by heating issues.
In partnership with NHS and the National Energy Action, npower set up the Health through Warmth scheme to bring heat and energy saving initiatives for people. There is a process that will need to be followed, as shown below, that includes a referral and assessment which will need to be completed.
The solutions which they offer are:
A grant for home repairs or improvement to utilise energy efficient and savings.
Sourcing reputable contractors to perform the work.
Self referrals are not accepted however contact with your GP, social worker, key worker or community support could provide you with a reference or means to locate an appropriate person to aid you with this. For more information you can contact Health through Warmth on 0800 512 012 or alternatively, please contact One Voice on 01902 810016 or info@1voice.org.uk
If you are having difficulty maintaining your fuel costs and are struggling to keep your surroundings warm there are a few places you can contact for information and help:
Winter Fuel Payments are generally £200 per household, occupants aged 60 or over but an additional £100 is paid to households that include someone aged 80 or over. To find out if you qualify call the Winter Fuel Payment helpline 08459 151 515 Mon Fri - 8.30am-4.30pm
Michelle Ward
Congrats to One Voice Volunteer and media slut ian joyce who recently featured on the Radio 4 appeal for hearing dogs, lauched by Actor Martin Clunes.
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[Cassandra is an anonomous One Voice columnist who likes to stir things up - this is the second 'Cassandra' in One Voice's history]