Homeless family ‘can’t use £500,000 trust fund’ – BBC News

‘A woman awarded £500,000 after being left with severe physical and mental disabilities is homeless after her mother was barred from buying them a home with the money.’

Full Story

BBC News, 14th January 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Parents to take government to High Court over special needs funding cuts – The Independent

Posted December 20th, 2018 in disabled persons, education, judicial review, news, special educational needs by tracey

‘A group of parents are taking the government to court over its lack of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) funding which they say leave “thousands of children across the country in limbo”.

Full Story

The Independent, 19th December 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Home Office trying to force two disabled children to leave country – The Guardian

‘The Home Office is trying to force two British-born children with lifelong and complex physical and mental disabilities out of Britain in a move which experts say breaches UK and UN law.’

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The Guardian, 12th December 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Girl starved of oxygen at birth gets £22m compensation from hospital – BBC News

Posted December 13th, 2018 in birth, children, compensation, disabled persons, families, hospitals, negligence, news, pregnancy by tracey

‘A girl starved of oxygen during birth who needs 24-hour care has been awarded compensation totalling £22m.’

Full Story

BBC News, 12th December 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Landlord fined £25,000 over lack of hot water for disabled tenant – The Guardian

‘The wife of Britain’s most controversial buy-to-let landlord, Fergus Wilson, has been ordered to pay £25,000 in fines and legal costs after a court ruled that she had failed to supply hot water to a disabled tenant.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 12th December 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

How has the Wessely Review grappled with the CRPD? – Doughty Street Chambers

Posted December 11th, 2018 in disabled persons, human rights, interpretation, mental health, news by sally

‘A couple of weeks ago we held a seminar on how the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (“CRPD”) could be argued in UK courts and tribunals. The seminar explored the approach that courts around the world have taken in citing and interpreting the CRPD. The judicial route is only one way for international law to trickle down into domestic law. Another obvious way to implement human rights is via law and policy reform.’

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Doughty Street Chambers, 6th December 2018

Source: insights.doughtystreet.co.uk

Families threaten county with legal action over cuts to services for disabled children – Local Government Lawyer

Posted December 10th, 2018 in budgets, children, disabled persons, education, local government, news by sally

‘Lawyers acting for families with disabled children have threatened Somerset County Council with a legal challenge over proposed cuts to services that would save £2m over the next two years.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 10th December 2018

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

A tendency to physical abuse: Upper Tribunal clarifies scope of Equality Act in education context — Katie Ayres – UK Human Rights Blog

‘The Upper Tribunal decision in of C&C v Governing Body [2018] UKUT 269 (AAC) has provided important clarification to the scope of the Equality Act 2010 in an education context.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 26th November 2018

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

The limits of doctors’ liability for wrongful birth – UK Human Rights Blog

‘Khan v MNX [2017] EWHC 2990 (QB). The Court of Appeal has held that a mother who consults a doctor in order to avoid the birth of a child with one disability may not recover damages for the costs associated with a different disability.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 27th November 2018

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Bus driver sacked for positive cocaine test awarded £40k as tribunal agrees drug came from students’ notes – Daily Telegraph

‘A bus driver who was sacked for testing positive for cocaine has been awarded £40,000 after a tribunal ruled the drug could have got into his system when he licked his fingers after accepting notes from students.’

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Daily Telegraph, 20th November 2018

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Orkambi: Family of girl with cystic fibrosis launch legal challenge over lack of NHS funding for breakthrough drug – The Independent

‘The family of a six-year-old girl with cystic fibrosis who was denied funding for a breakthrough drug which could extend her life has launched a judicial review against the NHS.’

Full Story

The Independent, 14th November 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

High Court agrees to hear challenge over voting device for blind people – Local Government Lawyer

Posted November 14th, 2018 in disability discrimination, disabled persons, elections, news by sally

‘The High Court has granted permission for a legal challenge brought by Rachael Andrews, who is blind, over the Government’s choice of device to enable blind people to vote without assistance.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 14th November 2018

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Rogue bailiffs face crackdown as MP urges government to act – The Guardian

Posted November 14th, 2018 in bailiffs, debts, disabled persons, identification, news by sally

‘The government has pledged to crack down on rogue bailiffs after an MP raised the case of a disabled constituent who thought she was being burgled when debt collectors burst into her home without showing ID and took cash from her purse.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 13th November 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

City council faces judicial review challenge over day centre closure – Local Government Lawyer

‘Campaigners have launched a judicial review challenge over a decision by Birmingham City Council to close a day centre used by people with a range of physical and learning disabilities.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 1st November 2018

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Welsh policy on FE provision for young people with learning difficulties “lawful” – Local Government Lawyer

‘Welsh ministers and the quango Careers Wales did not act unreasonably when they decided not to reassess the educational and training needs of a young man with a learning disability, a High Court judge has ruled.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 25th October 2018

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Britain’s equality efforts overshadowed by ‘backwards steps’, EHRC warns – The Guardian

Posted October 25th, 2018 in benefits, budgets, disabled persons, equality, health, minorities, news by tracey

‘Progress on making Britain a more equal country has been overshadowed over the last three years by “alarming backward steps”, the government’s own equalities watchdog has warned.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 25th October 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Disabled victims of hate crime receiving improved service from prosecutors – report – Crown Prosecution Service

Posted October 9th, 2018 in Crown Prosecution Service, disabled persons, hate crime, press releases by tracey

‘A network of prosecutors dedicated to tackling hate crime has helped the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) improve the experience of disabled victims, an inspection report has found.’

Full press release

Crown Prosecution Service, 9th October 2018

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

Ombudsman finds against council after family left waiting for house adaptations for disabled son for three years – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 3rd, 2018 in children, delay, disabled persons, housing, local government, news, ombudsmen by sally

‘A severely disabled Doncaster boy’s family has had to wait three years for Doncaster Council to provide them with the special adaptations their home needs, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGO) has found.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 31st August 2018

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Disabled activists launch legal fund to take transport companies to court – The Guardian

Posted August 29th, 2018 in disability discrimination, disabled persons, news, transport by sally

‘A new legal fund is being launched on Wednesday to hold transport companies to account when they fail to provide equal treatment for disabled passengers.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 29th August 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Equality Act and ‘reasonable to remain’ – Nearly Legal

Posted August 10th, 2018 in disabled persons, equality, homelessness, housing, local government, news by sally

‘Ms L “suffers from a number of both physical and mental problems. She is wheelchair bound and is confined to bed for large portions of the day. She requires 24-hour care, including intimate care which for the time being is provided by her former partner.” She had the tenancy of a housing association property – a two bedroomed bungalow in sheltered accommodation, which was adapted for her needs.’

Full Story

Nearly Legal, 9th August 2018

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk