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Read the latest news & blogs on how we are working to create a London free from poverty
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Discretion is an injustice: DWP threatens to sanction disabled people challenging flawed health assessments under Universal Credit
Over 112,000 signed our petition, many of whom are shocked and upset about the DWP' discouraging GPs from providing fit notes and allowing people to access the appeal rate of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). But under Universal Credit no equivalent exists, leaving disabled people like “Aaron” threatened with sanctions.
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From Assessment to Assessment, from 65 Points to Zero: No Safety in the System
Our head of casework writes about one of our disabled clients who in 2016 was awarded 65 points on her Employment and Support Allowance with the recommendation never to be reassessed at Tribunal. She was then reassessed and awarded ZERO points. UPDATE: After 6 months of waiting, Joyce was placed back in the support group without her case being listed for a hearing on the basis of her previous award.
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A plea to Amber Rudd: The Work Capability Assessment is in its 10th year, and it is killing people.
"When news broke at the weekend about the tragic death of Stephen Smith who was wrongly deemed fit for work and repeatedly denied crucial benefits by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), my first thought was, how much more tragedy needs to be reported before the DWP is finally persuaded to make urgent changes to the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) process?" Ella, on why we need urgent reform and why we need it now.
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The Benefit Cap: after a damning indictment of one of the Government’s flagship welfare reform policies, the question now is what happens next?
Marc Francis reflects on the Work and Pensions Select Committee's recent report on the Benefit Cap and writes about next steps.
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Blocked from bidding: FOIs reveal Boroughs blocking homeless families on Universal Credit from successfully bidding for permanent accommodation
Daniel writes a piece based on one of his complaints and Freedom of Information requests revealing which Boroughs are effectively blocking homeless families on Universal Credit from successfully bidding for social housing because they are automatically in arrears.
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DWP Letters to GPs: Why it Matters
Raji writes about our #ScraptheLetters campaign which launched on Monday calling on the department for work and pensions to withdraw their misleading and damaging letters telling GPs to withhold sick notes from the ill and disabled people seeking Employment and Support Allowance.
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My 8 Year Journey with Z2K: From volunteer, to staff member to deputy chair of the board
For International Women's Day, Emma Lough writes about her 8 year journey with us from a volunteer, to staff member to deputy chair of the board.
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Important News from Newham Council in Support of Poorest Residents
Last month Marc addressed Newham's Mayor and councillors in support of their decision to halve Council Tax Support charges for disabled and unemployed residents and end use of bailiffs against poorest claimants.
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Universal Credit: When “Natural Migration” causes more harm than good
When Judy found herself being moved on to Universal Credit, she had not anticipated the stress and financial anxiety it would cause her. Rather than helping her to take control of her life, it has set her back in her mental health and ability to live independently. Z2K Caseworker, Natasha Cross, on UC and natural migration. UPDATE: Our evidence to the Work and Pensions committee has now been published.
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An Exciting Collaboration with the ice&fire theatre Group
The end of November 2018 welcomed a very exciting pilot: an ice&fire theatre group collaborative project with Z2K and South West London Law Centre’s Stepping Stones project. The project is a participatory theatre group drama workshop with a focus on using arts and creative activism to explore human rights stories through performance. Z2K's Caseworker, Vier Baptiste, writes about the project.
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The importance of tenant voice, particularly for those most at risk of poverty and homelessness
'As Shelter pushes forward with its campaign demand for 3.1 million more social homes over the next 20 years, we must also continue to argue for greater tenant voice, particularly for those most at risk of poverty and homelessness'. Raji, our CEO, on her work as Commissioner for the Shelter report and campaign.
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A Culture of Disbelief
In her first blog as Policy and Campaigns Officer, Ella reflects on her first few weeks at Z2K and her experience of shadowing our caseworkers. She focuses on attending one of our clients' Employment and Support Allowance Tribunal and expands on the disability benefits process as a whole.
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