• URGENT - More SEN provision needed in Waveney!!!
    Because children are being failed, families are becoming ill with stress and if something is not done now both the children and the local area will suffer in the future.
    226 of 300 Signatures
    Created by Beth Knight
  • Please Support an Independent Disability Commission Establishment
    To provide a positive national platform in addressing, establishing and supporting the rights of Disabled People and Caregivers.
    1,690 of 2,000 Signatures
    Created by Lorraine Cameron
  • Defend disabled people's right to independent living
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6P-z10pKGdc The new Minister for Disabled People, Justin Tomlinson MP says the most important part of his job is to offer "disabled people the same opportunities to reach their goals as non-disabled people." Yet on 30 June the government will close the Independent Living Fund (ILF) which provides essential support to disabled people with the highest support needs to live in the community amongst friends and family. The closure of the ILF means that the 17,500 disabled people who are currently able to employ assistants to help with everyday tasks from getting out of bed to going to work, will instead be forced into care homes or effectively imprisoned in their own homes. Last year, a high court ruling about the decision to close the fund referred to "the inevitable and considerable adverse effect" this would have on disabled people and how "independent living might well be put seriously in peril for... most (or a substantial number of) ILF users." This is because the government will give responsibility for the fund to cash strapped local authorities which will not be able to cope as they are already suffering huge cuts of 26% to social care funding with a further £10 billion cuts in the pipeline. The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services has said it cannot take any further pressure and disability experts agree that the future looks bleak for disabled people. The governments of Scotland and Northern Ireland have committed to create their own versions of the ILF, and the Welsh government has said it will put money aside to help recipients for 9 months. This leaves people currently receiving the ILF in England unprotected. Sometimes it's hard to know what the right thing is. This is not one of those times. Please sign the petition now and tell Prime Minister David Cameron and his new minister Justin Tomlinson MP to keep the Independent Living Fund open, or at least ring fence the money at local authority level. Remind them that the UK is better than this.
    30,589 of 35,000 Signatures
    Created by Ellen Clifford
  • Make our subtitles on TV better!
    I care about this issue because there are thousands of deaf people in the UK and abroad who are disappointed with the subtitles on TV! I want subtitles to be more clearer than mistakes made very often on TV. If subtitle mistake was made once or twice it would be fine but now it's getting worse. Do your job properly BBC!
    159 of 200 Signatures
    Created by Sam Egerton-Kemp
  • No to Disability/sickness benefit cuts
    Life for a person who is disabled whether it be a physical or a mental disability is hard enough already. People never chose to be disabled and it can happen to anyone at anytime. There are many many more humane ways to save money and a society who does not care for the less fortunate of it's people is doomed, history teaches us that time and time again. The disabled and sick should have never been demonized in the press, even the disabled peoples doctors are being ignored or seen as in collusion with their patients to"sponge" off of the state, in most cases this is categorically untrue. Most of us know directly or indirectly someone who suffers from a mental or a physical disability can we as a civilized society stand by and watch the most vulnerable in our society being targeted yet again as an easy attempt to claw back money while the bankers and large corporations get away with it again. Do we as civilized people condone this behavior as right or just?
    12,599 of 15,000 Signatures
    Created by Roy Butler
  • Stop Access To Work Cuts for the Disabled
    Access to Work has provided a lot of disabled people with the independence to work. Without access to work, disabled people will not be able to do their jobs fully or not at all. Since this petition was started the day after the general election we have over 8,000 signatures. This shows how many of you take this petition to heart. I thank you for all your support and we still need more signatures. Once we have reached over 10,000 this petition will be taken to Lindsay Hoyle MP. Many thanks for your support. We also need to educate the public about Access to Work - what is it? The general public are mostly unaware and if we make them aware we will get more support. I will be updating this petition soon with more info on A2W and what it is to help a better understanding for everyone. Please keep circling this petition without your support we would have not got this far. We need more signatures. Share. We also need to hear from you. How has it effected you? If you have not joined the FB group yet. Please do so and share your story. We need to educate people why we need support in our employment. How do we feel without support? Inferior? More here: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/generalelection/hours-after-the-election-the-dwp-says-it-is-looking-to-cut-a-disabled-access-to-work-scheme-10237191.html
    8,767 of 9,000 Signatures
    Created by Rebecca Pearce
  • child specific autism disabled badge
    as a mother,auntie and sibling of somebody on the spectrum , I know how hard it can be.The reason for my petition is that i believe that the current system of gaining a blue badge for my child is wrong and deliberately discriminates against the condition and displays a clear lack of understanding of the true nature of the condition and the impact it has on its families
    3,289 of 4,000 Signatures
    Created by rachael pearson
  • ABOLISH WORK CAPABILITY ASSESSMENTS
    If this country is going to be economically successful then it is vital to ensure that people who need it, have a support system in place to take care of them at their greatest time of need. People do not choose to be ill or disabled, therefore it makes no sense to penalise these people, either morally or economically. During the election campaign the Prime Minister spoke a great deal about his disabled son, who is now, very sadly no longer with us, therefore, I cannot believe that such a person adopts policies which takes vital support money away from this group of people. To any sensible economist this flies in the face of what normal conventional wisdom tells you should be done when an economy is in trouble. Having studied micro macro and global economics, I am aware that conventional wisdom, and common sense dictates that you adopt a spending policy in order to help the country to recover. After all one mans spending money is another man's wages. Another reason this system must be abolished now is that there are more than one million appeal cases pending. The success rate of these appeals indicates that by far the majority of the people who claim these benefits are people who are in genuine need. Finally, I think it is an absolute disgrace that the hardworking doctors, nurses and GP's are having their diagnosis and medical notes questioned in this way, which is very disrespectful and shows a lack of gratitude for the fantastic work they do, without which none of us would be here. This action represents privatisation of the Benefit system and the NHS back the back door as the result of employing a profit making American company, whose employees are paid bonuses for achieving their target figures of refusing or denying the poorest and most vulnerable people in the country access to money which they need just to fulfill their basic needs, and meet their most basic human rights of having enough money to feed themselves and any family they may have, warmth and shelter. Therefore, for the sake of the recovery of the economy, and the poorest and most vulnerable people in the country, I would implore you to abolish this unworkable system immediately.
    3,688 of 4,000 Signatures
    Created by Nicola Kirton Picture
  • OVERTURN BAN ON SAFE TRADITIONAL BULBS & REVIEW POTENTIALLY HARMFUL MODERN ENERGY SAVING BULBS
    Most types of modern lighting emit Ultraviolet rays and Blue light which can be harmful to people who suffer from Light Sensitivity. https://www.anses.fr/en/content/lighting-systems-using-light-emitting-diodes-leds-health-issues-be-considered LED/CFL/Halogen Lighting can cause serious health consequences including the following: 1. Extreme eye pain for people who suffer from photo-sensitivity as these lights generate large spikes in the blue wavelengths. 2. Skin Cancer and other less threatening skin conditions such as burning sensation, rash, blisters. 3. Severe headaches (which aren’t migraines), nausea, inability to concentrate, unexplained exhaustion and other symptoms. According to French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES) the intense wavelengths in the blue part of the spectrum of light emitted by LEDs, and the associated radiation intensity, raise the question of new health risks related to these sources of lighting. In this context, ANSES published a report on the health effects of LED-based lighting systems in October 2010, along with recommendations intended in particular to improve controls on marketing of these products. https://www.anses.fr/en/content/led-%E2%80%93-light-emitting-diodes The expert appraisal carried out by ANSES showed that the risks of greatest concern, both in terms of the associated hazards and the probability of occurrence in a context of generalised use of LEDs, are related to the photochemical effects of blue light and glare. They are caused by: spectral imbalance (significant proportion of blue light in white LEDs); high levels of radiance5 (high brightness density per surface unit emitted by these very small sources). The photochemical risk is associated with blue light and the level of risk depends on the cumulative dose of blue light to which an individual is exposed. It is generally the result of low-intensity, repeated exposure over long periods of time. There is significant evidence of this risk. Populations that are particularly sensitive to this risk or that are highly exposed to blue light have been identified and include children, people with certain eye diseases and certain professional groups exposed to high-intensity light. On the basis of these findings, ANSES considered it necessary to restrict sales of LED light systems to the general public to those systems that do not involve higher risks associated with blue light than conventional lighting. Furthermore, ANSES recommends revision of Standard NF EN 62 471 on the photobiological safety of lamps to adapt it to the specific characteristics of LEDs, to take into account sensitive populations and high exposure groups including certain professions such as lighting installers, entertainment industry workers. Letters of support from UK based medical experts are available here:- http://www.spectrumalliance.co.uk/support-from-medical-professionals A consortium of charities represented through the Spectrum Alliance believe that around 2 million people in the United Kingdom are negatively affected by modern lighting. http://www.spectrumalliance.co.uk/faq Whilst energy saving modern bulbs may help in the campaign to reduce CO2 emissions, there are other negative environmental consequences to consider. A study (Environmental Science and Technology, January 2011) has found that LEDs contain lead, arsenic and a dozen other potentially hazardous substances. http://eclipse.lupusuk.org.uk/guidetoartificiallighting.htm http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/122-a81/ LED Lighting and Retinal Damage in Rats There are numerous cases of people suffering from a range of medical problems related to exposure to all new light bulbs. Increasingly people are exposed to these bulbs in most homes and businesses. Due to increased exposure, the problem will persist unless steps are taken to reverse the widespread installation of modern lights across the UK. As there are serious health consequences for a number of people right throughout the UK and the rest of Europe, it is imperative that action is taken to scrap the ban on traditional lights and reverse the EU wide installation of dangerous modern lighting. If modern lighting is installed in all public buildings and street lights, many people risk suffering serious, long-term symptoms which may mean having to give up their place of work unless adjustments are made. Please sign this petition to request that the EU Commission and UK Department for Energy and Climate Change agree to the following:- 1. Overturn the absolute ban of all traditional incandescent light bulbs. 2. Order a review and research into the health/environmental impact arising from the use of modern lighting including LED, CFL & Halogen. 3. Suspend the mandated requirement to use modern lighting throughout the UK and EU.
    694 of 800 Signatures
    Created by Andy C
  • Restoring the disused railway line from Chepstow to Tintern for a shared use path
    The permission was granted by the Forest of Dean District Council for their ownership, but the Monmouthshire Council have been making excuses for the last few years since the original proposal. All over the UK county after county's citizens have been benefiting from these valuable resources for leisure and transport purposes. Why are we waiting and consistently fobbed off with trivial excuses all the time? There are no cycle paths through Chepstow while everywhere else benefits. Despite all the Bills, Papers, and Consultations you pass and now 'The Wales we Want' campaign, we are ignored. This path would enable less able bodied people to access the beauty of the Wye Valley, it would provide business and opportunities locally, and hold these opportunities within Chepstow and surrounding villages where presently people go further afield for leisure facilities. Also it would encourage forms of sustainable transport such as cycling and walking, enabling many people to leave their cars at home. The already established paths in the UK are used by thousands everyday for multiple purpose. Why are we denied this resource, is it because our Council is blind to the future?
    7,708 of 8,000 Signatures
    Created by Jennifer Goslin Picture
  • Pay Carers a Minimum of Unemployed Benefits and Define them as Employed
    Carers are classed as unemployed yet they get payed less than current unemployed levels. Carers work 24/7 without recognition, Carers at a minimum, need to receive the same amount of Benefits as the unemployed and refine their roles as employed with all rights. Care payments are also taxable so they should be given the same rights as anyone that is working and the same support regardless of their ability to have another Job along with being a care giver. For many caring for someone that has a disability is a 24/7 Job with no holiday pay and no other way of gaining an income. Being a Carer receiving £61.35 a wk whilst the unemployed receive £72.50. As a Carer on £61.35 wk we have to pay our own eye tests and prescriptions, the unemployed don't!! It costs over £500 wk to look after someone in Care but home Carers receive £61.35 wk. Carers save the economy more than £120billion yr but Carers only receive £61.35 wk. Why don't you allow a Carer some Airtime? Lets also be very clear on the Carers Allowance, its a deduction of Benefits the person Being Cared for would normally receive, so in real terms I'm robbing Peter to pay Paul( no pun intended) Its a mockery of the system and abuse of situation. Thousands are giving up work to look after a loved one. We also have over 800.000 kids who receive nothing for the caring they provide whilst missing out on growing up as a child should, enjoying a childhood. Again this wont get Airtime unless we take our concerns directly to those responsible. This Government must stop paying lip service to Carers, they are a vital to the Economy. The SNP have now committed to this.
    14,260 of 15,000 Signatures
    Created by Paul Cooke Picture
  • Stop changes to Access to Work
    Access to Work isn't a benefit and doesn't incur a cost to government - in fact it brings money into the treasury, yet Deaf and disabled people are having their support allowance capped or cuts made (meaning they can no longer afford to use qualified interpreters or the support they need). This places jobs at risk and has already resulted in job losses and demotions. People currently in work are potentially being forced out of work and onto benefits, which goes against everything the government is telling us they are trying to achieve. Deaf and disabled people bring a vast amount of skill and talent to our workforce that we can't afford to lose. We want to ensure that full support is provided, and people are enabled to gain, maintain and progress in their chosen careers. Personal choice and control needs to be handed back to the experts on Deaf and disabled access needs in the workplace - the individual Deaf and disabled people who use the scheme We want to ensure Deaf and disabled people are not subjected to a glass ceiling due to lack of support.
    21,193 of 25,000 Signatures
    Created by Emily Smith