In recent weeks, the focus has been on the daily living element of PIP (Personal Independence Payment), with the government announcing cuts which they subsequently pulled back from.

There has been less news lately about the mobility component, which is even more controversial, primarily because the transition from DLA (Disability Living Allowance) to PIP also entailed an unexpected – and many would argue unjustifiable – change in the eligibility threshold from being able to walk 50 metres, down to just 20 metres.  

The government has now offered to talk with Disability Rights UK and the Disability Benefits Consortium about PIP mobility criteria, following a House of Lords debate last week, where the Lords voted to accept a motion proposed by LibDem peer Baroness Thomas of Winchester that called for urgent talks, in the light of the impact on reassessed claimants and the resulting large number of successful appeals.

You can read more details here and do please get in touch if you can walk less than 50 metres and have lost PIP mobility.

 

Hearing the news that your child has a life-shortening condition and is likely to die young is completely devastating. Sadly, such a diagnosis affects tens of thousands of families in Britain every year.

To make a ghastly situation even worse, parent carers can find themselves spending long hours trying to find their way around the confusing array of medical appointments, social care, educational support and specialist services their child needs. 

Together for Short Lives, the charity that supports families in this situation, has just produced a free interactive guide to the new SEND (special educational needs and disability) system, which should save a lot of time and help parents understand their rights and make the most of the services available.

You can read more here

 

Many of us take the internet for granted – but if you have a disability, you soon discover that not every website is as accessible as it should be.

The EU Parliament has come up with draft regulations requiring all public bodies' websites and mobile apps to be fully accessible: as lead negotiator, Dita Charanzová, says, "inaccessibility belongs in digital prehistory".

Unfortunately, it will be some time before the regulations come into force – they must be approved by the relevant Council Committee and by the Parliament itself, following which member states have 21 months to incorporate the directive into national law. 

In the event of "Brexit", clearly all bets are off! 

You can read more about the proposed directive here

 

Tom Yendell, who you probably know as a talented mouth and foot painting artist, or as the driving force behind Flat Spaces, totally accessible holiday accommodation, is enthused about a new accessibility project.

GlassOuse (the name came about by conflating glasses and mouse) is a piece of kit that enables a disabled person to control any Bluetooth equipped computer, smart phone, tablet, et cetera with slight head movements. Not only is it less tiring than other assistive devices for people with significantly limited input options, but it is also quite a lot cheaper – thanks to the inventor's adamant intention not to make any money from his creation.

Mehmet Turker, a young man from Turkey who writes military software for a living, designed GlassOuse to help a friend who broke his neck in a diving accident, and found himself unable to use his computer any longer.

You can read more about the project here

 

Now that the dust has settled following this year's Naidex, there seems to be a general consensus that the longest-established exhibition in the mobility and independence market is facing challenging times.

Visitor and exhibitor numbers are on a downward trend, with newer, more targeted events taking chunks out of their traditional business. The OT Show and Trade Days, both focusing on professional visitors, have done well, while The Mobility Roadshow and regional "Kidz" events – now also embracing Adultz - are increasingly popular with the public.

It is hard to know where a show like Naidex fits into the landscape.

But the development that has probably proved the most difficult to deal with is this one! The internet, with dedicated portals like Independent Living, brings a virtual exhibition to both professional and general public visitors, at a time and place of their choosing. Almost certainly, there are more OTs reading this than ever visit the NEC, and the days when you could justify an outing from work to wander the aisles of an exhibition are largely over, as far as most busy professionals are concerned.

If you provide high quality products and services, and you would like to reach our site visitors and newsletter readers, please email derek@independentliving.co.uk

 

I think we all love roundabouts – always one of the most popular attractions in a play area, and a source of instant nostalgia for us grown-ups. GL Jones' latest addition to their inclusive range is this self propelling AbilityWhirl roundabout, which has new features such as safety gates that allow access for larger wheelchairs and buggies, enabling more children (and adults!) to get on board, and spin the carousel. You can see more on GL Jones' showcase page

In Control, the charity which seeks a more inclusive society, where everyone has the support they need to live the good life and make a valued contribution, is conducting a survey of people's experiences of the care and support services they receive from their local authority.

They carried out a similar exercise last year, and want to know whether choice and control over services has changed under the Care Act 2014. Here is a link to complete the survey

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Until next time, all good wishes,

Frances