Northamptonshire Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) 
Will be hosting the meeting of the East Midlands (DPAC)
on 3rd November 2pm – 4pm
St James Community Centre
St James Square.
St James Road
Northampton NN5 5LQ
POST more detail later….
Northants DPAC Saturday 20th October
Northants DPAC in Northampton getting residents to sign petition to show support against cuts, apart from the petition we had leaflets outlining the following:
The Independent Living Fund (ILF)
The Independent Living Fund (ILF) was set up in 1988 to provide funds for disabled people to manage their own care and support. Funds came from a central Government pot to aid those with the highest support needs to remain independent. ILF was closed to new applicants by the Coalition Government in 2010 preventing many disabled people from accessing this support to remain independent.
The Coalition said They Would Always Support Those with the Greatest Needs
The Closure of ILF Shows they Lied Again.
There are 20,000 existing users of ILF in the UK. The Coalition Government wants to jeopardise their support too by forcing them to rely on local authorities from 2015 by closing the ILF permanently. Local authorities already face severe cuts and cannot provide adequate support. Some local authorities are already saying that residential care homes will be their only option: we expect others to follow….
The Coalition Believe they can Ignore the Years of National Insurance Contributions, Taxes and Unpaid Work You Contributed
Thousands will be forced into Residential ‘Care’ Homes.
We have already seen Well Publicized Forms of Physical, Mental and Sexual Abuse that can occur in these places
It could Happen to You, Your Parents, Your Grandparents, Your Relatives or Your Friends in the Future.
We also had leaflet pointing out we are SICK
SICK OF Benefit cuts
SICK OF the Flawed work capability tests and ATOS and their profits before people
SICK OF services being slashed with CARE support CUTS
SICK of Social Services eligibility criteria cutting support from disabled people
SICK of Disability HATE crime rising
SICK OF HOUSING BENEFIT under attack
SICK OF …Access to work disabling people not enabling disabled people back into work
SICK OF COUNCIL TAX BENEFIT attacks
SICK OF GOVERNMENT chopping DLA !
SICK of ATOS HEALTH CARE KILLING Disabled People
SICK OF BEING LABELLED AS SCROUNGERS AND BENEFIT FRAUDS!!
IF YOU ARE SICK OF THESE ATTACKS THEN JOIN FIGHT TO Defend Our Services and Defend Our Rights
Northamptonshire Disabled people against Cuts –
If you are not going to London 20th October for the big one!
Local DPAC activity… There will be a public Stall in Abington street, Northampton against cuts in welfare for disabled people and attempts to force disabled people back into work, a policy that has already been responsible for hundreds of deaths.
Come and join us from 10.30am onwards Sat 20th October 2012
DPAC – Disabled People against Cuts – A new anti cuts group for disabled people was formed recently in Northamptonshire and got off to a flying start on 28 August supporting the national protests against the involvement of ATOS and Government attacks to force disabled back into unsuitable work and to reduce their benefits. Local protests against welfare changes and attacks on disabled people About 30 disabled people and supporters took part in a peaceful protest outside ATOS’s offices (the private company who implement flawed Work Capability Assessments on behalf of the government) in Kings Heath at midday on August 28th. The BBC and local Press were also in attendance, and interviewed some of those present to learn of their treatment at the hands of ATOS. These assessments have been condemned by the British Medical Association, who’ve asked for them to cease immediately, as the assessments are often carried out by staff who are not qualified doctors. A number of organisations sent representatives to the protest, including the ‘Disabled People Against Cuts’ campaign (DPAC), local Residents’ Associations from St James and Kings Heath, and unions. The demonstration took place between 11.30 and 1.30 midday, and attracted a great deal of support from passing drivers along Gladstone road, who waved and hooted in solidarity and sympathy. A deputation from the demonstration delivered a cardboard ‘Gold Medal’ to the ATOS offices, in recognition of ATOS top-line hypocrisy in helping to fund the paralympic games while at the same time depriving many disabled people of their benefits. ATOS were initially reluctant to accept their award, particularly as several demonstrators wanted a receipt for so valuable a prize, but eventually were pleased enough with it to give a receipt. The so-called ‘assessment tests’ that people are given by ATOS are not medical tests, as you might suppose, but are done by a computer program and staff who are not medically qualified. The British Medical Association wants these false tests to be ended immediately. But because the gov’t wants to take money from the most vulnerable in society, the tests continue. The Atos staff are encouraged to fix a very high ‘fit for work’ pass rate, so as to ensure maximum savings for the government. While those judged ‘fit to work’ can appeal, this can take many months, and in the meantime their benefits are withdrawn. There have been some dreadful cases of people who are terribly crippled being declared ‘fit for work’. Some have committed suicide, and many have died of their illnesses after being declared ‘fit for work’. For those who are interested in what is behind these attempts on the part of the government and its agencies to denigrate the disabled, there is a very good reasoned explanation here on the link below. This learned article requires a focused attention span, but is well worth the reading, even if you have to read it, as I did several times, in order to fully appreciate the extent to which certain illogical ideas have permeated current governmental thinking. http://www.internationalgreensocialist.org/wordpress/?page_id=1716 Even for those who may be capable of work, where is the work? With thousands of young people looking for jobs, and anyone over 50 finding it very difficult to find work, where are the jobs for disabled people? Many partially-disabled people would warmly welcome the chance of a job, but no work is available. Nor is the government making any available. Local news links: http://www.northampton-news-hp.co.uk/News/Northampton-News/Paralympic-sponsor-is-targeted-by-protesters-29082012.htm and: http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/local/protests-outside-paralympic-sponsor-s-northampton-office-1-4205186#.UD0H-6xYSY4 For more information about similar protests/activities see: http://www.dpac.uk.net/blog/
Northants Disabled People against Cuts (NDPAC)
NDPAC is run and directed by disabled people. To ensure they are in control, only disabled people and their organisations have full voting rights as members. We welcome other organisations and individuals who support our mission to join as associate members.
NDPAC’s aims and objectives are:
– to campaign as Disabled People against Cuts on all issues which undermine our disability rights
To provide disabled people and the wider public information about disability rights and the impact of government cuts.
– To campaign with other communities which are also affected by cuts such as trade unions and other grassroots groups so as to pool resources for solidarity while maintaining a distinct voice for disabled people
– All work will be underpinned by the social model of disability and the principle of rights not charity
In order to become a member you need to support these aims and objectives
