Disabled

Hated Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith is to target some of the most seriously ill benefit claimants for cuts.

They include people with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.

Smith is proposing to  dump the work-related activity group (WRAG), which provides support including training and interview practice to those who are deemed fit-to-work with help.

550,000 people are in this group, and half have got back into work within three years despite their issues, but this is considered insufficient.

The coalition's flagship Work Programme is not working for the disabled, a government advisor has said.

A court challenge to the government's bedroom tax has failed today.

The bedroom tax takes an average of £14 from the housing benefit of people with a spare bedroom with the aim of getting people to move to properties of the right size, but it has been criticised for not taking into account the lack of smaller flats available in most areas and for not understanding the care needs of disabled people.

Those who have carers who stay overnight still lose money if the arrangement is not full-time.

The UK government has launched a campaign to get more disabled people into mainstream work.

Research has shown that companies' attitudes are significant barriers to people with disabilities entering jobs, and the campaign, under the slogan 'Disability Confident', aims to overcome these.

Activities will include internships provided to those aged 16-24 with learning difficulties and disabilities, who will get careers advice, CV and interview preparation, training in English language and maths and five-month work placements supervised by further education colleges.