Huge ESA victory – now you have till Tuesday to save DLA

Stop Press:  Spartacus Report lead author Sue Marsh will be on Newsnight tonight (Thursday) head-to-head with employment minister Chris Grayling.  Good luck Sue.
Dear rob,

It’s not often we get to celebrate here at Benefits and Work.  So there has been enormous delight at the government suffering three – or possibly two - unexpected defeats in succession in the House of Lords over welfare reform

But if you want real joy, then please take part in the fight to save DLA.  It really is possible - but only if you act before Tuesday’s vote.  Please help to nail the latest government lie that you’re actually in favour of axing DLA.

Also in this newsletter, the shameful revelation that DWP decision makers can now have your appeal struck out before providing any evidence at all. They just need to tell the tribunal clerk that you said on the telephone that you no longer wished to continue and that’s it.

Mayor Boris Johnson victim of DLA con trick

Dear rob,
London Mayor Boris Johnson is just one of thousands of individuals and organisations whose overwhelming opposition to axing disability living allowance has been grossly misrepresented by the government in an effort to force through the highly controversial change.

This is the claim made by an ad hoc group of disabled campaigners in a highly detailed report ‘Responsible reform’ released today.  If true it could lead to legal challenges to the welfare reform bill and to questions as to whether conservative ministers deliberately misled parliament.  The authors of the report are calling for a pause of at least six months before legislation introducing PIP is voted on, in order to allow the views of disabled people to be properly taken into account.  They are also calling for help from Benefits and Work readers.

In December 2010 the government began a consultation on reforming DLA by replacing it with PIP.  Over 5,000 individuals and more than 500 organisations took part in the consultation.