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Disability benefits – Burnham only has to ask as Scotland already offers a large majority of what is proposed for a ‘truly progressive system’

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In the Guardian today, once more, complete Anglocentrism as a writer does not think to ask if any other part of the UK has already done what she wants Andy Burnham to do. There’s not a mention of Scotland in the above but to what extent does the Scottish system already offer what is suggested? Scotland’s Adult Disability Payment (ADP) system already delivers a substantial portion of what the article advocates, particularly in shifting away from the most criticised elements of the current PIP system in England and Wales. It provides a more humane, less intrusive process and greater security … Continue reading Disability benefits – Burnham only has to ask as Scotland already offers a large majority of what is proposed for a ‘truly progressive system’

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How Scotland’s disability benefits system has been kinder and crucially remains affordable but is not apparently worthy of proper media coverage

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In the midst of this damning finding, hot on the heels of England’s maternity unit horrors report, BBC Scotland have not managed to find something to suggest things are the same up here. They have done so, in the recent past with individual tales of over-complex and delayed processing of claims. Here’s why it’s difficult for them: What is the most important recent historical fact in disability payments in the UK? This: A leading disability rights charity has described new suicide statistics as the “tragic face of systemic inequality”. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) suggested disabled people had the highest rate … Continue reading How Scotland’s disability benefits system has been kinder and crucially remains affordable but is not apparently worthy of proper media coverage

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SNP Government’s defence of the disabled against ‘a cruel penalty’ portrayed as economic mismanagement by BBC Scotland

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In the Guardian, today, the above (left) and: Hundreds of thousands of severely ill and disabled people making new claims will have their benefits cut if the government assesses that their condition might improve, charities have said. In April, the health element of universal credit – an extra payment for people assessed as too unwell to work or prepare for work – will be halved to £50 a week and frozen for new claimants unless their condition is found to be terminal or severe and lifelong with no prospect of improvement. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/mar/29/disabled-benefit-claimants-face-lower-payments-if-conditions-not-deemed-lifelong-charities-say Will this apply in Scotland? PIP and equivalent … Continue reading SNP Government’s defence of the disabled against ‘a cruel penalty’ portrayed as economic mismanagement by BBC Scotland

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Scotland completes disability benefit assessments in half the time and with dignity so as to avoid the DWP’s record of 590 suicides – ‘How a society treats its most vulnerable is always the measure of its humanity’

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In June 2015: How a society treats its most vulnerable is always the measure of its humanity1 Statement by Ambassador Matthew Rycroft of the UK Mission to the UN at the Security Council Open Debate on Children and Armed Conflict in June 2015. In the same year, Ryland’s government’s treatment of the disabled in the UK, featured in the research report: ‘First, do no harm’: are disability assessments associated with adverse trends in mental health? A longitudinal ecological study, with these shocking results: Each additional 10 000 people reassessed in each area was associated with an additional 6 suicides (95% … Continue reading Scotland completes disability benefit assessments in half the time and with dignity so as to avoid the DWP’s record of 590 suicides – ‘How a society treats its most vulnerable is always the measure of its humanity’

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The UK DWP is 20 times bigger and costs 20 times more than Social Security Scotland as well as having a reputation for driving the disabled to suicide

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The Scottish elections loom and universally the media are coalescing around a drive to try to stem support for the SNP with reports of supposed evidence of incompetence by that party in government. This, they and the opposition will repeat daily along the lines of – ‘If they can manage….how could they expect to run a country?’ We’re going to be busy here these next 5 months. As with the Sunday Mail today (previous post), there’s no way I’m paying whatever the SOS costs to find out what dodgy sums they’re using to compare the DWP and the SSS. They … Continue reading The UK DWP is 20 times bigger and costs 20 times more than Social Security Scotland as well as having a reputation for driving the disabled to suicide

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BBC Scotland conceals disability charity chief’s comment in letter rejecting MBE that ‘Scotland is doing better than UK’ – Here’s why it matters so much -suicide prevention – and why it CAN be afforded

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Professor John Robertson OBA The Guardian today has: Campaigner turned down MBE over ‘scapegoating’ of people with disabilities – Exclusive: In letter declining proposed award, Tressa Burke, CEO of Glasgow Disability Alliance, accused government of ‘fuelling hatred’ and While she argues that “Scotland is doing better than the UK for sure”, Burke says her members will be watching carefully for the practical implementation of the Scottish government’s new disability equality plan, as well as what manifesto commitments are made before May’s Holyrood elections. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/30/campaigner-turned-down-mbe-over-scapegoating-of-people-with-disabilities BBC Scotland’s report is careful to avoid her comments on Scotland: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gvdz4y6dgo What did she mean? … Continue reading BBC Scotland conceals disability charity chief’s comment in letter rejecting MBE that ‘Scotland is doing better than UK’ – Here’s why it matters so much -suicide prevention – and why it CAN be afforded

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Labour-run Wales has by far the highest rate of the economically inactive due to long-term illness or disability in the UK

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By stewartb The number of people economically inactive due to long term sickness or disability is a UK-wide ‘problem’ . From the Bevan Foundation on the situation in Wales where the Daily Record’s favoured political party, the British Labour Party has been in power for c.26 years (see https://www.bevanfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/SoW-Get-Wales-Working-Feb-25.pdf ): The Foundation’s report adds: ‘Across the UK, around a quarter of people aged 16 to 64 have a long-term health condition that limits their day-to-day activities (which means that they are classed as disabled). In Wales the proportion of people who have a long-term health condition is higher, at 28% in September … Continue reading Labour-run Wales has by far the highest rate of the economically inactive due to long-term illness or disability in the UK

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As UK Labour plan big cuts and more face-to-face assessments of the kind which increased suicide rates, SNP introduces new humanely-assessed benefit for elderly and disabled to media silence

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Professor John Robertson OBA Getting little media coverage today – the National, the Record, the Mirror, some locals, but not BBC Scotland or STV: ‘Milestone’ as SNP launch new disability benefit across Scotland That’s the Ardrossan Herald, above, recognising the headline-worthy, you’d think, nature of this announcement. From Econostratum today: A new benefit has been introduced for older people in Scotland, offering monthly payments of up to £441 for individuals with disabilities or long-term health conditions. The Pension Age Disability Payment (PADP) is designed to replace Attendance Allowance for new claimants, starting on April 22, 2025. This measure aims to enhance financial … Continue reading As UK Labour plan big cuts and more face-to-face assessments of the kind which increased suicide rates, SNP introduces new humanely-assessed benefit for elderly and disabled to media silence

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Sickening hypocrisy – Will the Browns now condemn Starmer as their research project proves that poverty risks the development of babies as much as premature birth?

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Professor John Robertson OBA Only 18 paragraphs down in this headlining story, after much detail on the loss of a baby to former PM Gordon Brown and his wife, do we see this key finding mentioned: Prof James Boardman, from the University of Edinburgh, is the cohort’s chief investigator. His team uses a series of brain scans and psychological studies at various ages. He says one of the key findings so far is that poverty has an impact on brain development. “It would be fair to say that a baby born at full term to a more deprived couple has … Continue reading Sickening hypocrisy – Will the Browns now condemn Starmer as their research project proves that poverty risks the development of babies as much as premature birth?

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Labour to push 250,000 people into poverty but Gordon Brown campaigns against it apparently untroubled by the contradictions

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stewartb While we’re on the subject of egregious omissions in the wake of Labour’s ‘Spring Statement’ … From Birmingham Live on March 12, 2025 this headline: ‘Former PM Gordon Brown in Birmingham backs child poverty urgent action call’. We’re told the sage of British Labour in Scotland and saviour of solidarity in the precious Union attended an event at which: ‘He took the opportunity to press fellow guest, Government employment minister Alison McGovern, to do more to fix child poverty. She is one of three ministers leading the Child Poverty Taskforce set up by Sir Keir Starmer and due to report its … Continue reading Labour to push 250,000 people into poverty but Gordon Brown campaigns against it apparently untroubled by the contradictions