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Why Labour MPs must continue to reject the cuts
I recently published two briefings about social security for sick and disabled people, in an attempt to help MPs see why Labour's planned...
Jun 264 min read
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A letter to Stephen Timms... by Stephen Timms
On 1st May 2025, I was part of a small group of women who had a brief meeting with Stephen Timms, to discuss the cuts that Labour plan to...
Jun 1814 min read
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A response to Stephen Timms
I recently had the opportunity to meet with Stephen Timms, the Labour MP who is Minister for Social Security and Disability. This was as...
May 279 min read
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Evidence that Labour is ignoring: Solent Jobs Programme
The Learning and Work Institute recently released a briefing which, rather optimistically to my mind, suggested that 45,000-95,000 sick...
May 266 min read
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Evidence that Labour is ignoring: Additional Work Coach Support
This is the fifth in my series of blog posts looking at the impact of employment support for sick and disabled people. So far, a handful...
May 169 min read
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Evidence that Labour is ignoring: Employment Advisers in IAPT
This is the fourth in my series of blog posts looking at employment support programmes for sick and disabled people. So far, the most...
Apr 214 min read
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Evidence that Labour is ignoring: 18-24 month WRAG
This is the third blog in a series looking at various employment support programmes that have tried to support sick and disabled people...
Apr 76 min read
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Initial response to the Green Paper
There are so many issues with Liz Kendall’s speech today, and the Green Paper proposals, that it is really hard to know where to begin....
Apr 711 min read
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Evidence that Labour is ignoring: the Health-Led Employment Trials
My last blog post covered the Work and Health Programme (W&HP) for disabled people who had been “identified as being capable of finding...
Mar 175 min read
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Evidence that Labour is ignoring: The Work and Health Programme
The current Labour government is very keen for people with chronic illness to somehow move into work. Despite all the evidence which...
Mar 117 min read
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Sunak perpetuates the myth of the 'sick note culture'
The UK PM perpetuates the myth of the sick note culture, as an excuse to cut support to sick and disabled people.
Apr 19, 20244 min read
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Turning a terrible mess into a toxic one: #Budget2023
The budget today announced a lot of stuff, and most of it I’m not qualified to comment on. I’m interested, because I have a sister with...
Mar 15, 202310 min read
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How successful is the Work Programme?
Compared to previous programmes, the Work Programme is not helping more people into work or keeping them in work longer. As we move into...
Jul 5, 20142 min read
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Atos to leave WCA contract early
On Thursday the DWP announced that Atos is withdrawing from its contract to run Work Capability Assessments, the controversial assessment...
Mar 27, 20142 min read
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Evidence-based review of the WCA
The government has been carrying out a study of suitable descriptors to use for assessments for ESA. The results were supposed to be...
Dec 14, 20134 min read
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The benefits system, workfare and public opinion
We cannot afford to base policy on public opinion when the public opinion is based on false information. ESA is a good example of this....
Sep 28, 20133 min read
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The importance of medical evidence for disability assessments
When it’s their word against yours, medical evidence is what proves you’re not the one lying. Medical evidence is what says that you are...
Aug 23, 20134 min read
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Who pays to employ sick people?
Many people are disabled because they are chronically sick. These people cannot turn up to work regularly, because any given day they...
Jun 3, 20133 min read
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Do people leave sickness benefits ‘rather than’ face an assessment?
I received a request to write about the 878 300 people who drop their ESA claims early. The government’s line – repeated several times –...
Apr 6, 20133 min read
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Sickness and suicide
“84% of GPs say they have patients who have presented with mental health problems such as stress, anxiety or depression as a result of...
Oct 10, 20123 min read
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