I am a disabled stepmother to a beautiful and bright 4 year old who started school this September. As September drew closer, I became excited by the idea of being able to have an active part in his school life, meeting other parents, and even helping out in school. But as I am also a disabled person, this dream has not been so straightforward. Whilst my appeal was upheld by the independent schools' admission appeals panel, this is not the case for all disabled parents who are allocated inaccessible school placement for their child(ren) under Birmingham City Council’s schools admissions policy. Many disabled parents are being given school places at schools that are both inaccessible to travel to and to get around. Had I not been successful with my appeal my stepson would have either had to have been home-schooled (which is not a decision I feel is right for him) or we would have had to pay out for before and after school care that we wouldn't actually need, purely because of being given a school place at a school that wasn't accessible for me to get to. Our case is not isolated. Across the country there are 2.1 million disabled parents, many of whom are either having to fit the bill of expensive childcare that they wouldn't need if they were non-disabled, or travel costs, which are frequently not covered by the local authority. Some disabled parents have even chosen to home school simply because the childcare costs are not sustainable. I believe that Birmingham City Council schools admission policy is both discriminatory and illegal as the city council does not often make reasonable adjustments for disabled parents and carers as is required under the equality act (2010). If Birmingham City Council changed their admissions policy it would be a step towards making disabled parents far more included in their children's education. It would be helpful for the Department for Education’s Schools Admissions Code to include guidance on how councils’ schools admissions policies should comply with their Equality Act 2010 duties around disabled parents request for an accessible school for themselves. This has been recommended on a national level by various charities - including the Alliance for inclusive Education

It is important to for a government to support and look after those who are most vunerable in society. If we lose track of the basic fundamentals of decency, then we have no right to call our country 'great'. Added to this, the threat of reducing the income for those in support to the level of JSA - regardless of the pain suffering and extra cost that being severely ill incurs. To be placed in the support group proves that the person has illness that shows they are unfit for work. To push these people who are already trying to cope with the most basic day to day needs, is barbaric, cruel and shows a government with no empathy at all.'

These plans stem from REFORM and the Green Paper https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/work-health-and-disability-improving-lives/work-health-and-disability-green-paper-improving-lives You can further object to these plans here https://consultations.dh.gov.uk/workandhealth/consult/ The consultation ends February 2017.It is not clear what the Government's timetable for rolling out these changes are.I have heard reports that some disabled people are already being assigned to work coaches.The government has announced plans to employ a further 500 advisors( to work as work coaches).Trials are intended to go ahead next year when a certain number of claimants of the support group will be asked to attend work coach sessions. We have information that charities are being invited to work for the DWP.The mental health charity MIND have expressed an interest. http://mentalhealthresistance.org/ The government proposes to reduce the benefits of the severely disabled and to subject them to a punitive regime whereby they are forced to aim towards finding work whether they are able to or not. They will be forced to be subject to conditionality whereby they get paid benefits on condition that they attend work coach sessions ,if they do attend their benefits will be cut to JSA levels and governments propose that they can then be subject to sanctions like many unemployed people who are not ill suffer under already. This will affect seriously ill and disabled people,some of whom already are being found wrongly fit for work and have committed suicide. This is inhumane and violent treatment and abuse of incapacitated people. We cannot allow this nor allow the government to dress these proposals up as support for the disabled or any form of empowerment. It is designed to reduce the welfare budget by 12 billion and is part of government strategy to dismantle the welfare state. It is extreme far right policy not Conservatism. Please object to this and get all your friends to object to it. I am one of those affected by these changes, I am physically and mentally disabled having many chronic illnesses like diabetes and hypothyroidism and a mental illness and a spinal misalignment, I am also currently being investigated for possible uterine cancer. I cannot survive on JSA or work and any employer would consider me unemployable. Here is a link to a short video where Charlotte Pickles unveils the plans to attack disabled people and cut their financial support. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6p6iBqsuiyk

As per the UN Findings, Grave Violations is serious and it appears Ministers / MPs think they can merely dismiss. Large numbers of people have been seriously affected by policies and measures, cuts and 'austerity'. Lives have been lost and many more are extremely suffering, distressed at how they will keep a roof over head or put food on the table and so on. It has also been observed that there is a great unfairness in that Corporations and the rich have tax cuts, banks were previously bailed out, MPs claim expenses for second homes and there is a trait of 'Government mates' deals by Conservative Government. It is also observed in such matters that management consultants are employed unnecessarily, that charge the public purse excessive amounts for template reports on how councils can make cuts - yet this was exposed recently by BBC 2 under 'Who's Spending Britain's Billions'. Plus there are unknown expenditures on systems with pretend aim to save monies, that cost more (on the face of things). What this reflects is the constant attacks on the poor or sick and disabled or low income families should have been avoided. Had the focus been on retrieving unpaid taxes by tax 'dodgers' and we believe HMRC had stated £34 Billion uncollected tax as a total, you can see there was a great imbalance when discriminating with those policies that the UN deems to have breached Human Rights and Discriminated against protected groups.

It impacts on the mental health and wellbeing of so many claimants who have long term illness, disabilities or mental health issues. Article 3 of the Human Rights Act states that it is illegal to subject people to inhumane or degrading treatment. Althoughno causal link between Work capability assessments, deaths and suicides can be categorically proven , there is evidence of hundreds of deaths for people subject to benefit sanctions made after these assessments . Endthis inhumane practice now! Call upon the PM to abolish these degradinginhumane assessments now

People are having their Mobility benefits cut unfairly

Because this is a life skill which would enable them to live full lives post hearing loss. It could help to prevent social isolation and the onset of dementia.

'I, Daniel Blake' is the most important British film of this millennium, highlighting many pressing issues such as - the absurd inhumanity of benefits bureaucracy - how revenge evictions can have disastrous knock-on effects - how the housing crisis impacts many children's educations and upbringings by forcing them to change schools - the shameful prevalence of food bank dependency, and - how some single mothers are forced into sex work through sheer desperation the film should be mandatory viewing for anyone who cares at all about the plight of their neighbour. 'Cathy Come Home' made a huge impact 50 years ago by igniting public consciousness of homelessness, ultimately leading to the creation of Crisis. it was able to have such a profound effect because it was broadcast to the nation on BBC1; it is imperative that Loach's final film be given the same platform today with over 3,500 people sleeping rough, over 73,000 homeless households living in temporary accommodation (of which more than 20,000 were forced to relocate), and more than 1.1 million three-day food supplies given out last year by Trussell Trust food banks alone, our country is truly in crisis as TV licensees, we demand that the BBC plays its part in highlighting the severity of the situation, by acquiring the rights to broadcast 'I, Daniel Blake' at the earliest possible oppportunity

Ability Bow is the only place in inner London that provides long term rehabilitation to help people who have a disability, an injury or a long-term health condition. For many it is be a life-changing experience. There are thousands of people that Ability Bow has helped over the last 10 years. Margaret is a stroke survivor who regained near full use of her body after doctors wrote her off. Albert had a spine broken in two places and learned to walk again. There are hundreds of stories like these here. We are asking for the assistance of a government partner to safeguard the future of this vital service. I do not know where I would be without this place. I started this campaign to raise awareness and make sure that people get the help they need to improve their lives.

As a mother of two young children, I have found myself in the position of having to carry a pram and still hold onto the other child, leaving me and the kids exposed to trips and falls. During the day the station may be quiet and there will be no individuals there to help you. This is not ideal especially if a parent has had a c-section. I have also seen many other parents struggle to navigate the steep staircase located at the station.

Families where the spouse of a disabled adult are already on an extremely low income so having to pay the bedroom tax, which carers for children where for example one parent may be earning an adequate wage are already exempted from, is not only discriminatory, it leads to further financial pressure on top of the stress of being a carer.

Because genuine disabled people are often deprived of this service when they desperately need it.