Disability Rights Protesters outside Atos Origin HQ, London U.K. 09/05/2011

To kick-off the National Claimants Against Benefit Cuts's "Week of Action Against ATOS Origin", Disability rights campaigners, trade unionists and students demonstrated today outside the London HQ of Atos Origin to protest against the punitive medical testing of those claiming disability and sickness benefits. The new Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) has replaced Incapacity Benefit. Today's protest was the first of many protests this week in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, Liverpool, Plymouth and Truro.

Speakers gave their often harrowing accounts of those who have had their lives devastated by this unfair process designed to accomodate the governments policy of slashing the Welfare budget by 20%. There are many reports of the terminally ill being declared fit for work only to die weeks later, and there was one testimony from one young woman whose disabled brother was left in so much distress after ATOS declared him fit for work (which he clearly wasn't) and having his benfits stopped that he hung himself.

Protesters are angry that in spite of well documented criticisms of the Work Capability Assessment by Professor Malcolm Harrington who was commissioned by the government to review the W.C.A. process, ATOS have again been awarded a £300 million contract by DWP to continue making these flawed assesments which have already ruined many disabled peoples' lives and has already led to several suicides. On appeal - which takes about a year, in which time people's lives can deteriorate massively - around 70% of ATOS Origin's deeply-flawed assessments by unsympathetic staff who are paid by results, are overturned, leaving us to wonder how much money is this actually saving, and what is the appeals process costing, and in the meanwhile how much profound harm is being done to disabled people, their carers and their families, all of whom are experiencing huge amounts of increased stress?

According to NHS Information Centre incidents of self-harm, attempted suicide and actual suicide have increased in recent years since the introduction of the Welfare Reform Programme 2007 and ATOS Origin Work Capability Assessment regime.

Even though the National Audit Office estimated that for the year 2009-2010 fraud costs 0.6% of DWP's budget - massively below the levels stated by Chancellor George Osborne in the Comprehensive Spending Review, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith, added to the recent wave of media disability hatred by saying in the Sun newspaper on December 1st 2011 "We have managed to create a block of people in Britain who do not add anything to the greatness of this country..." and “They have become conditioned to be users of services, not providers of money. This is a huge part of the reason we have this massive deficit. We have had to borrow vast sums of money. We went on this inflated spending spree."

This truly offensive and unfair meme was immediately pounced upon and wielded by right-wing newspapers in the UK, especially the Daily Mail, the Telegraph and more recently the Daily Express, who have all mounted nasty editorial campaigns portraying the weakest, most vulnerable members of our society as nothing more than workshy scroungers. This vilification of the Disabled is rapidly turning back the clock on hard-fought-for Disability Rights, as these newspapers are tapping directly into the ready willingness of some people to physically intimidate and bully disabled people, especially those with mental impairments, and it is reported elsewhere that incidences of bullying against the disabled has increased.

For more information contact press liason Linda Burnip of Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) on +441926 842253 or +447714 927 533

All photos © 2011 Pete Riches

Do not reproduce or reblog my images without my permission.

Disability Rights Protesters outside Atos Origin HQ, London U.K. 09/05/2011

To kick-off the National Claimants Against Benefit Cuts's "Week of Action Against ATOS Origin", Disability rights campaigners, trade unionists and students demonstrated today outside the London HQ of Atos Origin to protest against the punitive medical testing of those claiming disability and sickness benefits. The new Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) has replaced Incapacity Benefit. Today's protest was the first of many protests this week in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, Liverpool, Plymouth and Truro.

Speakers gave their often harrowing accounts of those who have had their lives devastated by this unfair process designed to accomodate the governments policy of slashing the Welfare budget by 20%. There are many reports of the terminally ill being declared fit for work only to die weeks later, and there was one testimony from one young woman whose disabled brother was left in so much distress after ATOS declared him fit for work (which he clearly wasn't) and having his benfits stopped that he hung himself.

Protesters are angry that in spite of well documented criticisms of the Work Capability Assessment by Professor Malcolm Harrington who was commissioned by the government to review the W.C.A. process, ATOS have again been awarded a £300 million contract by DWP to continue making these flawed assesments which have already ruined many disabled peoples' lives and has already led to several suicides. On appeal - which takes about a year, in which time people's lives can deteriorate massively - around 70% of ATOS Origin's deeply-flawed assessments by unsympathetic staff who are paid by results, are overturned, leaving us to wonder how much money is this actually saving, and what is the appeals process costing, and in the meanwhile how much profound harm is being done to disabled people, their carers and their families, all of whom are experiencing huge amounts of increased stress?

According to NHS Information Centre incidents of self-harm, attempted suicide and actual suicide have increased in recent years since the introduction of the Welfare Reform Programme 2007 and ATOS Origin Work Capability Assessment regime.

Even though the National Audit Office estimated that for the year 2009-2010 fraud costs 0.6% of DWP's budget - massively below the levels stated by Chancellor George Osborne in the Comprehensive Spending Review, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith, added to the recent wave of media disability hatred by saying in the Sun newspaper on December 1st 2011 "We have managed to create a block of people in Britain who do not add anything to the greatness of this country..." and “They have become conditioned to be users of services, not providers of money. This is a huge part of the reason we have this massive deficit. We have had to borrow vast sums of money. We went on this inflated spending spree."

This truly offensive and unfair meme was immediately pounced upon and wielded by right-wing newspapers in the UK, especially the Daily Mail, the Telegraph and more recently the Daily Express, who have all mounted nasty editorial campaigns portraying the weakest, most vulnerable members of our society as nothing more than workshy scroungers. This vilification of the Disabled is rapidly turning back the clock on hard-fought-for Disability Rights, as these newspapers are tapping directly into the ready willingness of some people to physically intimidate and bully disabled people, especially those with mental impairments, and it is reported elsewhere that incidences of bullying against the disabled has increased.

For more information contact press liason Linda Burnip of Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) on +441926 842253 or +447714 927 533

All photos © 2011 Pete Riches

Do not reproduce or reblog my images without my permission.

Disability Rights Protesters outside Atos Origin HQ, London U.K. 09/05/2011

To kick-off the National Claimants Against Benefit Cuts's "Week of Action Against ATOS Origin", Disability rights campaigners, trade unionists and students demonstrated today outside the London HQ of Atos Origin to protest against the punitive medical testing of those claiming disability and sickness benefits. The new Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) has replaced Incapacity Benefit. Today's protest was the first of many protests this week in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, Liverpool, Plymouth and Truro.

Speakers gave their often harrowing accounts of those who have had their lives devastated by this unfair process designed to accomodate the governments policy of slashing the Welfare budget by 20%. There are many reports of the terminally ill being declared fit for work only to die weeks later, and there was one testimony from one young woman whose disabled brother was left in so much distress after ATOS declared him fit for work (which he clearly wasn't) and having his benfits stopped that he hung himself.

Protesters are angry that in spite of well documented criticisms of the Work Capability Assessment by Professor Malcolm Harrington who was commissioned by the government to review the W.C.A. process, ATOS have again been awarded a £300 million contract by DWP to continue making these flawed assesments which have already ruined many disabled peoples' lives and has already led to several suicides. On appeal - which takes about a year, in which time people's lives can deteriorate massively - around 70% of ATOS Origin's deeply-flawed assessments by unsympathetic staff who are paid by results, are overturned, leaving us to wonder how much money is this actually saving, and what is the appeals process costing, and in the meanwhile how much profound harm is being done to disabled people, their carers and their families, all of whom are experiencing huge amounts of increased stress?

According to NHS Information Centre incidents of self-harm, attempted suicide and actual suicide have increased in recent years since the introduction of the Welfare Reform Programme 2007 and ATOS Origin Work Capability Assessment regime.

Even though the National Audit Office estimated that for the year 2009-2010 fraud costs 0.6% of DWP's budget - massively below the levels stated by Chancellor George Osborne in the Comprehensive Spending Review, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith, added to the recent wave of media disability hatred by saying in the Sun newspaper on December 1st 2011 "We have managed to create a block of people in Britain who do not add anything to the greatness of this country..." and “They have become conditioned to be users of services, not providers of money. This is a huge part of the reason we have this massive deficit. We have had to borrow vast sums of money. We went on this inflated spending spree."

This truly offensive and unfair meme was immediately pounced upon and wielded by right-wing newspapers in the UK, especially the Daily Mail, the Telegraph and more recently the Daily Express, who have all mounted nasty editorial campaigns portraying the weakest, most vulnerable members of our society as nothing more than workshy scroungers. This vilification of the Disabled is rapidly turning back the clock on hard-fought-for Disability Rights, as these newspapers are tapping directly into the ready willingness of some people to physically intimidate and bully disabled people, especially those with mental impairments, and it is reported elsewhere that incidences of bullying against the disabled has increased.

For more information contact press liason Linda Burnip of Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) on +441926 842253 or +447714 927 533

All photos © 2011 Pete Riches

Do not reproduce or reblog my images without my permission.

Disability Rights Protesters outside Atos Origin HQ, London U.K. 09/05/2011

To kick-off the National Claimants Against Benefit Cuts's "Week of Action Against ATOS Origin", Disability rights campaigners, trade unionists and students demonstrated today outside the London HQ of Atos Origin to protest against the punitive medical testing of those claiming disability and sickness benefits. The new Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) has replaced Incapacity Benefit. Today's protest was the first of many protests this week in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, Liverpool, Plymouth and Truro.

Speakers gave their often harrowing accounts of those who have had their lives devastated by this unfair process designed to accomodate the governments policy of slashing the Welfare budget by 20%. There are many reports of the terminally ill being declared fit for work only to die weeks later, and there was one testimony from one young woman whose disabled brother was left in so much distress after ATOS declared him fit for work (which he clearly wasn't) and having his benfits stopped that he hung himself.

Protesters are angry that in spite of well documented criticisms of the Work Capability Assessment by Professor Malcolm Harrington who was commissioned by the government to review the W.C.A. process, ATOS have again been awarded a £300 million contract by DWP to continue making these flawed assesments which have already ruined many disabled peoples' lives and has already led to several suicides. On appeal - which takes about a year, in which time people's lives can deteriorate massively - around 70% of ATOS Origin's deeply-flawed assessments by unsympathetic staff who are paid by results, are overturned, leaving us to wonder how much money is this actually saving, and what is the appeals process costing, and in the meanwhile how much profound harm is being done to disabled people, their carers and their families, all of whom are experiencing huge amounts of increased stress?

According to NHS Information Centre incidents of self-harm, attempted suicide and actual suicide have increased in recent years since the introduction of the Welfare Reform Programme 2007 and ATOS Origin Work Capability Assessment regime.

Even though the National Audit Office estimated that for the year 2009-2010 fraud costs 0.6% of DWP's budget - massively below the levels stated by Chancellor George Osborne in the Comprehensive Spending Review, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith, added to the recent wave of media disability hatred by saying in the Sun newspaper on December 1st 2011 "We have managed to create a block of people in Britain who do not add anything to the greatness of this country..." and “They have become conditioned to be users of services, not providers of money. This is a huge part of the reason we have this massive deficit. We have had to borrow vast sums of money. We went on this inflated spending spree."

This truly offensive and unfair meme was immediately pounced upon and wielded by right-wing newspapers in the UK, especially the Daily Mail, the Telegraph and more recently the Daily Express, who have all mounted nasty editorial campaigns portraying the weakest, most vulnerable members of our society as nothing more than workshy scroungers. This vilification of the Disabled is rapidly turning back the clock on hard-fought-for Disability Rights, as these newspapers are tapping directly into the ready willingness of some people to physically intimidate and bully disabled people, especially those with mental impairments, and it is reported elsewhere that incidences of bullying against the disabled has increased.

For more information contact press liason Linda Burnip of Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) on +441926 842253 or +447714 927 533

All photos © 2011 Pete Riches

Do not reproduce or reblog my images without my permission.

Disability Rights Protesters outside Atos Origin HQ, London U.K. 09/05/2011

To kick-off the National Claimants Against Benefit Cuts's "Week of Action Against ATOS Origin", Disability rights campaigners, trade unionists and students demonstrated today outside the London HQ of Atos Origin to protest against the punitive medical testing of those claiming disability and sickness benefits. The new Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) has replaced Incapacity Benefit. Today's protest was the first of many protests this week in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, Liverpool, Plymouth and Truro.

Speakers gave their often harrowing accounts of those who have had their lives devastated by this unfair process designed to accomodate the governments policy of slashing the Welfare budget by 20%. There are many reports of the terminally ill being declared fit for work only to die weeks later, and there was one testimony from one young woman whose disabled brother was left in so much distress after ATOS declared him fit for work (which he clearly wasn't) and having his benfits stopped that he hung himself.

Protesters are angry that in spite of well documented criticisms of the Work Capability Assessment by Professor Malcolm Harrington who was commissioned by the government to review the W.C.A. process, ATOS have again been awarded a £300 million contract by DWP to continue making these flawed assesments which have already ruined many disabled peoples' lives and has already led to several suicides. On appeal - which takes about a year, in which time people's lives can deteriorate massively - around 70% of ATOS Origin's deeply-flawed assessments by unsympathetic staff who are paid by results, are overturned, leaving us to wonder how much money is this actually saving, and what is the appeals process costing, and in the meanwhile how much profound harm is being done to disabled people, their carers and their families, all of whom are experiencing huge amounts of increased stress?

According to NHS Information Centre incidents of self-harm, attempted suicide and actual suicide have increased in recent years since the introduction of the Welfare Reform Programme 2007 and ATOS Origin Work Capability Assessment regime.

Even though the National Audit Office estimated that for the year 2009-2010 fraud costs 0.6% of DWP's budget - massively below the levels stated by Chancellor George Osborne in the Comprehensive Spending Review, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith, added to the recent wave of media disability hatred by saying in the Sun newspaper on December 1st 2011 "We have managed to create a block of people in Britain who do not add anything to the greatness of this country..." and “They have become conditioned to be users of services, not providers of money. This is a huge part of the reason we have this massive deficit. We have had to borrow vast sums of money. We went on this inflated spending spree."

This truly offensive and unfair meme was immediately pounced upon and wielded by right-wing newspapers in the UK, especially the Daily Mail, the Telegraph and more recently the Daily Express, who have all mounted nasty editorial campaigns portraying the weakest, most vulnerable members of our society as nothing more than workshy scroungers. This vilification of the Disabled is rapidly turning back the clock on hard-fought-for Disability Rights, as these newspapers are tapping directly into the ready willingness of some people to physically intimidate and bully disabled people, especially those with mental impairments, and it is reported elsewhere that incidences of bullying against the disabled has increased.

For more information contact press liason Linda Burnip of Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) on +441926 842253 or +447714 927 533

All photos © 2011 Pete Riches

Do not reproduce or reblog my images without my permission.

Disability Rights Protesters outside Atos Origin HQ, London U.K. 09/05/2011

To kick-off the National Claimants Against Benefit Cuts's "Week of Action Against ATOS Origin", Disability rights campaigners, trade unionists and students demonstrated today outside the London HQ of Atos Origin to protest against the punitive medical testing of those claiming disability and sickness benefits. The new Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) has replaced Incapacity Benefit. Today's protest was the first of many protests this week in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, Liverpool, Plymouth and Truro.

Speakers gave their often harrowing accounts of those who have had their lives devastated by this unfair process designed to accomodate the governments policy of slashing the Welfare budget by 20%. There are many reports of the terminally ill being declared fit for work only to die weeks later, and there was one testimony from one young woman whose disabled brother was left in so much distress after ATOS declared him fit for work (which he clearly wasn't) and having his benfits stopped that he hung himself.

Protesters are angry that in spite of well documented criticisms of the Work Capability Assessment by Professor Malcolm Harrington who was commissioned by the government to review the W.C.A. process, ATOS have again been awarded a £300 million contract by DWP to continue making these flawed assesments which have already ruined many disabled peoples' lives and has already led to several suicides. On appeal - which takes about a year, in which time people's lives can deteriorate massively - around 70% of ATOS Origin's deeply-flawed assessments by unsympathetic staff who are paid by results, are overturned, leaving us to wonder how much money is this actually saving, and what is the appeals process costing, and in the meanwhile how much profound harm is being done to disabled people, their carers and their families, all of whom are experiencing huge amounts of increased stress?

According to NHS Information Centre incidents of self-harm, attempted suicide and actual suicide have increased in recent years since the introduction of the Welfare Reform Programme 2007 and ATOS Origin Work Capability Assessment regime.

Even though the National Audit Office estimated that for the year 2009-2010 fraud costs 0.6% of DWP's budget - massively below the levels stated by Chancellor George Osborne in the Comprehensive Spending Review, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith, added to the recent wave of media disability hatred by saying in the Sun newspaper on December 1st 2011 "We have managed to create a block of people in Britain who do not add anything to the greatness of this country..." and “They have become conditioned to be users of services, not providers of money. This is a huge part of the reason we have this massive deficit. We have had to borrow vast sums of money. We went on this inflated spending spree."

This truly offensive and unfair meme was immediately pounced upon and wielded by right-wing newspapers in the UK, especially the Daily Mail, the Telegraph and more recently the Daily Express, who have all mounted nasty editorial campaigns portraying the weakest, most vulnerable members of our society as nothing more than workshy scroungers. This vilification of the Disabled is rapidly turning back the clock on hard-fought-for Disability Rights, as these newspapers are tapping directly into the ready willingness of some people to physically intimidate and bully disabled people, especially those with mental impairments, and it is reported elsewhere that incidences of bullying against the disabled has increased.

For more information contact press liason Linda Burnip of Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) on +441926 842253 or +447714 927 533

All photos © 2011 Pete Riches

Do not reproduce or reblog my images without my permission.

Disability Rights Protesters outside Atos Origin HQ, London U.K. 09/05/2011

To kick-off the National Claimants Against Benefit Cuts's "Week of Action Against ATOS Origin", Disability rights campaigners, trade unionists and students demonstrated today outside the London HQ of Atos Origin to protest against the punitive medical testing of those claiming disability and sickness benefits. The new Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) has replaced Incapacity Benefit. Today's protest was the first of many protests this week in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, Liverpool, Plymouth and Truro.

Speakers gave their often harrowing accounts of those who have had their lives devastated by this unfair process designed to accomodate the governments policy of slashing the Welfare budget by 20%. There are many reports of the terminally ill being declared fit for work only to die weeks later, and there was one testimony from one young woman whose disabled brother was left in so much distress after ATOS declared him fit for work (which he clearly wasn't) and having his benfits stopped that he hung himself.

Protesters are angry that in spite of well documented criticisms of the Work Capability Assessment by Professor Malcolm Harrington who was commissioned by the government to review the W.C.A. process, ATOS have again been awarded a £300 million contract by DWP to continue making these flawed assesments which have already ruined many disabled peoples' lives and has already led to several suicides. On appeal - which takes about a year, in which time people's lives can deteriorate massively - around 70% of ATOS Origin's deeply-flawed assessments by unsympathetic staff who are paid by results, are overturned, leaving us to wonder how much money is this actually saving, and what is the appeals process costing, and in the meanwhile how much profound harm is being done to disabled people, their carers and their families, all of whom are experiencing huge amounts of increased stress?

According to NHS Information Centre incidents of self-harm, attempted suicide and actual suicide have increased in recent years since the introduction of the Welfare Reform Programme 2007 and ATOS Origin Work Capability Assessment regime.

Even though the National Audit Office estimated that for the year 2009-2010 fraud costs 0.6% of DWP's budget - massively below the levels stated by Chancellor George Osborne in the Comprehensive Spending Review, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith, added to the recent wave of media disability hatred by saying in the Sun newspaper on December 1st 2011 "We have managed to create a block of people in Britain who do not add anything to the greatness of this country..." and “They have become conditioned to be users of services, not providers of money. This is a huge part of the reason we have this massive deficit. We have had to borrow vast sums of money. We went on this inflated spending spree."

This truly offensive and unfair meme was immediately pounced upon and wielded by right-wing newspapers in the UK, especially the Daily Mail, the Telegraph and more recently the Daily Express, who have all mounted nasty editorial campaigns portraying the weakest, most vulnerable members of our society as nothing more than workshy scroungers. This vilification of the Disabled is rapidly turning back the clock on hard-fought-for Disability Rights, as these newspapers are tapping directly into the ready willingness of some people to physically intimidate and bully disabled people, especially those with mental impairments, and it is reported elsewhere that incidences of bullying against the disabled has increased.

For more information contact press liason Linda Burnip of Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) on +441926 842253 or +447714 927 533

All photos © 2011 Pete Riches

Do not reproduce or reblog my images without my permission.

Disability Rights Protesters outside Atos Origin HQ, London U.K. 09/05/2011

To kick-off the National Claimants Against Benefit Cuts's "Week of Action Against ATOS Origin", Disability rights campaigners, trade unionists and students demonstrated today outside the London HQ of Atos Origin to protest against the punitive medical testing of those claiming disability and sickness benefits. The new Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) has replaced Incapacity Benefit. Today's protest was the first of many protests this week in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, Liverpool, Plymouth and Truro.

Speakers gave their often harrowing accounts of those who have had their lives devastated by this unfair process designed to accomodate the governments policy of slashing the Welfare budget by 20%. There are many reports of the terminally ill being declared fit for work only to die weeks later, and there was one testimony from one young woman whose disabled brother was left in so much distress after ATOS declared him fit for work (which he clearly wasn't) and having his benfits stopped that he hung himself.

Protesters are angry that in spite of well documented criticisms of the Work Capability Assessment by Professor Malcolm Harrington who was commissioned by the government to review the W.C.A. process, ATOS have again been awarded a £300 million contract by DWP to continue making these flawed assesments which have already ruined many disabled peoples' lives and has already led to several suicides. On appeal - which takes about a year, in which time people's lives can deteriorate massively - around 70% of ATOS Origin's deeply-flawed assessments by unsympathetic staff who are paid by results, are overturned, leaving us to wonder how much money is this actually saving, and what is the appeals process costing, and in the meanwhile how much profound harm is being done to disabled people, their carers and their families, all of whom are experiencing huge amounts of increased stress?

According to NHS Information Centre incidents of self-harm, attempted suicide and actual suicide have increased in recent years since the introduction of the Welfare Reform Programme 2007 and ATOS Origin Work Capability Assessment regime.

Even though the National Audit Office estimated that for the year 2009-2010 fraud costs 0.6% of DWP's budget - massively below the levels stated by Chancellor George Osborne in the Comprehensive Spending Review, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith, added to the recent wave of media disability hatred by saying in the Sun newspaper on December 1st 2011 "We have managed to create a block of people in Britain who do not add anything to the greatness of this country..." and “They have become conditioned to be users of services, not providers of money. This is a huge part of the reason we have this massive deficit. We have had to borrow vast sums of money. We went on this inflated spending spree."

This truly offensive and unfair meme was immediately pounced upon and wielded by right-wing newspapers in the UK, especially the Daily Mail, the Telegraph and more recently the Daily Express, who have all mounted nasty editorial campaigns portraying the weakest, most vulnerable members of our society as nothing more than workshy scroungers. This vilification of the Disabled is rapidly turning back the clock on hard-fought-for Disability Rights, as these newspapers are tapping directly into the ready willingness of some people to physically intimidate and bully disabled people, especially those with mental impairments, and it is reported elsewhere that incidences of bullying against the disabled has increased.

For more information contact press liason Linda Burnip of Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) on +441926 842253 or +447714 927 533

All photos © 2011 Pete Riches

Do not reproduce or reblog my images without my permission.

Disability Rights Protesters outside Atos Origin HQ, London U.K. 09/05/2011

To kick-off the National Claimants Against Benefit Cuts's "Week of Action Against ATOS Origin", Disability rights campaigners, trade unionists and students demonstrated today outside the London HQ of Atos Origin to protest against the punitive medical testing of those claiming disability and sickness benefits. The new Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) has replaced Incapacity Benefit. Today's protest was the first of many protests this week in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, Liverpool, Plymouth and Truro.

Speakers gave their often harrowing accounts of those who have had their lives devastated by this unfair process designed to accomodate the governments policy of slashing the Welfare budget by 20%. There are many reports of the terminally ill being declared fit for work only to die weeks later, and there was one testimony from one young woman whose disabled brother was left in so much distress after ATOS declared him fit for work (which he clearly wasn't) and having his benfits stopped that he hung himself.

Protesters are angry that in spite of well documented criticisms of the Work Capability Assessment by Professor Malcolm Harrington who was commissioned by the government to review the W.C.A. process, ATOS have again been awarded a £300 million contract by DWP to continue making these flawed assesments which have already ruined many disabled peoples' lives and has already led to several suicides. On appeal - which takes about a year, in which time people's lives can deteriorate massively - around 70% of ATOS Origin's deeply-flawed assessments by unsympathetic staff who are paid by results, are overturned, leaving us to wonder how much money is this actually saving, and what is the appeals process costing, and in the meanwhile how much profound harm is being done to disabled people, their carers and their families, all of whom are experiencing huge amounts of increased stress?

According to NHS Information Centre incidents of self-harm, attempted suicide and actual suicide have increased in recent years since the introduction of the Welfare Reform Programme 2007 and ATOS Origin Work Capability Assessment regime.

Even though the National Audit Office estimated that for the year 2009-2010 fraud costs 0.6% of DWP's budget - massively below the levels stated by Chancellor George Osborne in the Comprehensive Spending Review, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith, added to the recent wave of media disability hatred by saying in the Sun newspaper on December 1st 2011 "We have managed to create a block of people in Britain who do not add anything to the greatness of this country..." and “They have become conditioned to be users of services, not providers of money. This is a huge part of the reason we have this massive deficit. We have had to borrow vast sums of money. We went on this inflated spending spree."

This truly offensive and unfair meme was immediately pounced upon and wielded by right-wing newspapers in the UK, especially the Daily Mail, the Telegraph and more recently the Daily Express, who have all mounted nasty editorial campaigns portraying the weakest, most vulnerable members of our society as nothing more than workshy scroungers. This vilification of the Disabled is rapidly turning back the clock on hard-fought-for Disability Rights, as these newspapers are tapping directly into the ready willingness of some people to physically intimidate and bully disabled people, especially those with mental impairments, and it is reported elsewhere that incidences of bullying against the disabled has increased.

For more information contact press liason Linda Burnip of Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) on +441926 842253 or +447714 927 533

All photos © 2011 Pete Riches

Do not reproduce or reblog my images without my permission.

Disability Rights Protesters outside Atos Origin HQ, London U.K. 09/05/2011

To kick-off the National Claimants Against Benefit Cuts's "Week of Action Against ATOS Origin", Disability rights campaigners, trade unionists and students demonstrated today outside the London HQ of Atos Origin to protest against the punitive medical testing of those claiming disability and sickness benefits. The new Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) has replaced Incapacity Benefit. Today's protest was the first of many protests this week in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, Liverpool, Plymouth and Truro.

Speakers gave their often harrowing accounts of those who have had their lives devastated by this unfair process designed to accomodate the governments policy of slashing the Welfare budget by 20%. There are many reports of the terminally ill being declared fit for work only to die weeks later, and there was one testimony from one young woman whose disabled brother was left in so much distress after ATOS declared him fit for work (which he clearly wasn't) and having his benfits stopped that he hung himself.

Protesters are angry that in spite of well documented criticisms of the Work Capability Assessment by Professor Malcolm Harrington who was commissioned by the government to review the W.C.A. process, ATOS have again been awarded a £300 million contract by DWP to continue making these flawed assesments which have already ruined many disabled peoples' lives and has already led to several suicides. On appeal - which takes about a year, in which time people's lives can deteriorate massively - around 70% of ATOS Origin's deeply-flawed assessments by unsympathetic staff who are paid by results, are overturned, leaving us to wonder how much money is this actually saving, and what is the appeals process costing, and in the meanwhile how much profound harm is being done to disabled people, their carers and their families, all of whom are experiencing huge amounts of increased stress?

According to NHS Information Centre incidents of self-harm, attempted suicide and actual suicide have increased in recent years since the introduction of the Welfare Reform Programme 2007 and ATOS Origin Work Capability Assessment regime.

Even though the National Audit Office estimated that for the year 2009-2010 fraud costs 0.6% of DWP's budget - massively below the levels stated by Chancellor George Osborne in the Comprehensive Spending Review, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith, added to the recent wave of media disability hatred by saying in the Sun newspaper on December 1st 2011 "We have managed to create a block of people in Britain who do not add anything to the greatness of this country..." and “They have become conditioned to be users of services, not providers of money. This is a huge part of the reason we have this massive deficit. We have had to borrow vast sums of money. We went on this inflated spending spree."

This truly offensive and unfair meme was immediately pounced upon and wielded by right-wing newspapers in the UK, especially the Daily Mail, the Telegraph and more recently the Daily Express, who have all mounted nasty editorial campaigns portraying the weakest, most vulnerable members of our society as nothing more than workshy scroungers. This vilification of the Disabled is rapidly turning back the clock on hard-fought-for Disability Rights, as these newspapers are tapping directly into the ready willingness of some people to physically intimidate and bully disabled people, especially those with mental impairments, and it is reported elsewhere that incidences of bullying against the disabled has increased.

For more information contact press liason Linda Burnip of Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) on +441926 842253 or +447714 927 533

All photos © 2011 Pete Riches

Do not reproduce or reblog my images without my permission.

Disability Rights Protesters outside Atos Origin HQ, London U.K. 09/05/2011

To kick-off the National Claimants Against Benefit Cuts's "Week of Action Against ATOS Origin", Disability rights campaigners, trade unionists and students demonstrated today outside the London HQ of Atos Origin to protest against the punitive medical testing of those claiming disability and sickness benefits. The new Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) has replaced Incapacity Benefit. Today's protest was the first of many protests this week in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, Liverpool, Plymouth and Truro.

Speakers gave their often harrowing accounts of those who have had their lives devastated by this unfair process designed to accomodate the governments policy of slashing the Welfare budget by 20%. There are many reports of the terminally ill being declared fit for work only to die weeks later, and there was one testimony from one young woman whose disabled brother was left in so much distress after ATOS declared him fit for work (which he clearly wasn't) and having his benfits stopped that he hung himself.

Protesters are angry that in spite of well documented criticisms of the Work Capability Assessment by Professor Malcolm Harrington who was commissioned by the government to review the W.C.A. process, ATOS have again been awarded a £300 million contract by DWP to continue making these flawed assesments which have already ruined many disabled peoples' lives and has already led to several suicides. On appeal - which takes about a year, in which time people's lives can deteriorate massively - around 70% of ATOS Origin's deeply-flawed assessments by unsympathetic staff who are paid by results, are overturned, leaving us to wonder how much money is this actually saving, and what is the appeals process costing, and in the meanwhile how much profound harm is being done to disabled people, their carers and their families, all of whom are experiencing huge amounts of increased stress?

According to NHS Information Centre incidents of self-harm, attempted suicide and actual suicide have increased in recent years since the introduction of the Welfare Reform Programme 2007 and ATOS Origin Work Capability Assessment regime.

Even though the National Audit Office estimated that for the year 2009-2010 fraud costs 0.6% of DWP's budget - massively below the levels stated by Chancellor George Osborne in the Comprehensive Spending Review, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith, added to the recent wave of media disability hatred by saying in the Sun newspaper on December 1st 2011 "We have managed to create a block of people in Britain who do not add anything to the greatness of this country..." and “They have become conditioned to be users of services, not providers of money. This is a huge part of the reason we have this massive deficit. We have had to borrow vast sums of money. We went on this inflated spending spree."

This truly offensive and unfair meme was immediately pounced upon and wielded by right-wing newspapers in the UK, especially the Daily Mail, the Telegraph and more recently the Daily Express, who have all mounted nasty editorial campaigns portraying the weakest, most vulnerable members of our society as nothing more than workshy scroungers. This vilification of the Disabled is rapidly turning back the clock on hard-fought-for Disability Rights, as these newspapers are tapping directly into the ready willingness of some people to physically intimidate and bully disabled people, especially those with mental impairments, and it is reported elsewhere that incidences of bullying against the disabled has increased.

For more information contact press liason Linda Burnip of Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) on +441926 842253 or +447714 927 533

All photos © 2011 Pete Riches

Do not reproduce or reblog my images without my permission.

The launch party of Heart n Soul at The Hub, a Heart n Soul research project happening at Wellcome Collection. Photographs by Wellcome Collection.

Disability Rights Protesters outside Atos Origin HQ, London U.K. 09/05/2011

To kick-off the National Claimants Against Benefit Cuts's "Week of Action Against ATOS Origin", Disability rights campaigners, trade unionists and students demonstrated today outside the London HQ of Atos Origin to protest against the punitive medical testing of those claiming disability and sickness benefits. The new Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) has replaced Incapacity Benefit. Today's protest was the first of many protests this week in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, Liverpool, Plymouth and Truro.

Speakers gave their often harrowing accounts of those who have had their lives devastated by this unfair process designed to accomodate the governments policy of slashing the Welfare budget by 20%. There are many reports of the terminally ill being declared fit for work only to die weeks later, and there was one testimony from one young woman whose disabled brother was left in so much distress after ATOS declared him fit for work (which he clearly wasn't) and having his benfits stopped that he hung himself.

Protesters are angry that in spite of well documented criticisms of the Work Capability Assessment by Professor Malcolm Harrington who was commissioned by the government to review the W.C.A. process, ATOS have again been awarded a £300 million contract by DWP to continue making these flawed assesments which have already ruined many disabled peoples' lives and has already led to several suicides. On appeal - which takes about a year, in which time people's lives can deteriorate massively - around 70% of ATOS Origin's deeply-flawed assessments by unsympathetic staff who are paid by results, are overturned, leaving us to wonder how much money is this actually saving, and what is the appeals process costing, and in the meanwhile how much profound harm is being done to disabled people, their carers and their families, all of whom are experiencing huge amounts of increased stress?

According to NHS Information Centre incidents of self-harm, attempted suicide and actual suicide have increased in recent years since the introduction of the Welfare Reform Programme 2007 and ATOS Origin Work Capability Assessment regime.

Even though the National Audit Office estimated that for the year 2009-2010 fraud costs 0.6% of DWP's budget - massively below the levels stated by Chancellor George Osborne in the Comprehensive Spending Review, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith, added to the recent wave of media disability hatred by saying in the Sun newspaper on December 1st 2011 "We have managed to create a block of people in Britain who do not add anything to the greatness of this country..." and “They have become conditioned to be users of services, not providers of money. This is a huge part of the reason we have this massive deficit. We have had to borrow vast sums of money. We went on this inflated spending spree."

This truly offensive and unfair meme was immediately pounced upon and wielded by right-wing newspapers in the UK, especially the Daily Mail, the Telegraph and more recently the Daily Express, who have all mounted nasty editorial campaigns portraying the weakest, most vulnerable members of our society as nothing more than workshy scroungers. This vilification of the Disabled is rapidly turning back the clock on hard-fought-for Disability Rights, as these newspapers are tapping directly into the ready willingness of some people to physically intimidate and bully disabled people, especially those with mental impairments, and it is reported elsewhere that incidences of bullying against the disabled has increased.

For more information contact press liason Linda Burnip of Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) on +441926 842253 or +447714 927 533

All photos © 2011 Pete Riches

Do not reproduce or reblog my images without my permission.

Disability Rights Protesters outside Atos Origin HQ, London U.K. 09/05/2011

To kick-off the National Claimants Against Benefit Cuts's "Week of Action Against ATOS Origin", Disability rights campaigners, trade unionists and students demonstrated today outside the London HQ of Atos Origin to protest against the punitive medical testing of those claiming disability and sickness benefits. The new Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) has replaced Incapacity Benefit. Today's protest was the first of many protests this week in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, Liverpool, Plymouth and Truro.

Speakers gave their often harrowing accounts of those who have had their lives devastated by this unfair process designed to accomodate the governments policy of slashing the Welfare budget by 20%. There are many reports of the terminally ill being declared fit for work only to die weeks later, and there was one testimony from one young woman whose disabled brother was left in so much distress after ATOS declared him fit for work (which he clearly wasn't) and having his benfits stopped that he hung himself.

Protesters are angry that in spite of well documented criticisms of the Work Capability Assessment by Professor Malcolm Harrington who was commissioned by the government to review the W.C.A. process, ATOS have again been awarded a £300 million contract by DWP to continue making these flawed assesments which have already ruined many disabled peoples' lives and has already led to several suicides. On appeal - which takes about a year, in which time people's lives can deteriorate massively - around 70% of ATOS Origin's deeply-flawed assessments by unsympathetic staff who are paid by results, are overturned, leaving us to wonder how much money is this actually saving, and what is the appeals process costing, and in the meanwhile how much profound harm is being done to disabled people, their carers and their families, all of whom are experiencing huge amounts of increased stress?

According to NHS Information Centre incidents of self-harm, attempted suicide and actual suicide have increased in recent years since the introduction of the Welfare Reform Programme 2007 and ATOS Origin Work Capability Assessment regime.

Even though the National Audit Office estimated that for the year 2009-2010 fraud costs 0.6% of DWP's budget - massively below the levels stated by Chancellor George Osborne in the Comprehensive Spending Review, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith, added to the recent wave of media disability hatred by saying in the Sun newspaper on December 1st 2011 "We have managed to create a block of people in Britain who do not add anything to the greatness of this country..." and “They have become conditioned to be users of services, not providers of money. This is a huge part of the reason we have this massive deficit. We have had to borrow vast sums of money. We went on this inflated spending spree."

This truly offensive and unfair meme was immediately pounced upon and wielded by right-wing newspapers in the UK, especially the Daily Mail, the Telegraph and more recently the Daily Express, who have all mounted nasty editorial campaigns portraying the weakest, most vulnerable members of our society as nothing more than workshy scroungers. This vilification of the Disabled is rapidly turning back the clock on hard-fought-for Disability Rights, as these newspapers are tapping directly into the ready willingness of some people to physically intimidate and bully disabled people, especially those with mental impairments, and it is reported elsewhere that incidences of bullying against the disabled has increased.

For more information contact press liason Linda Burnip of Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) on +441926 842253 or +447714 927 533

All photos © 2011 Pete Riches

Do not reproduce or reblog my images without my permission.

Disability Rights Protesters outside Atos Origin HQ, London U.K. 09/05/2011

To kick-off the National Claimants Against Benefit Cuts's "Week of Action Against ATOS Origin", Disability rights campaigners, trade unionists and students demonstrated today outside the London HQ of Atos Origin to protest against the punitive medical testing of those claiming disability and sickness benefits. The new Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) has replaced Incapacity Benefit. Today's protest was the first of many protests this week in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, Liverpool, Plymouth and Truro.

Speakers gave their often harrowing accounts of those who have had their lives devastated by this unfair process designed to accomodate the governments policy of slashing the Welfare budget by 20%. There are many reports of the terminally ill being declared fit for work only to die weeks later, and there was one testimony from one young woman whose disabled brother was left in so much distress after ATOS declared him fit for work (which he clearly wasn't) and having his benfits stopped that he hung himself.

Protesters are angry that in spite of well documented criticisms of the Work Capability Assessment by Professor Malcolm Harrington who was commissioned by the government to review the W.C.A. process, ATOS have again been awarded a £300 million contract by DWP to continue making these flawed assesments which have already ruined many disabled peoples' lives and has already led to several suicides. On appeal - which takes about a year, in which time people's lives can deteriorate massively - around 70% of ATOS Origin's deeply-flawed assessments by unsympathetic staff who are paid by results, are overturned, leaving us to wonder how much money is this actually saving, and what is the appeals process costing, and in the meanwhile how much profound harm is being done to disabled people, their carers and their families, all of whom are experiencing huge amounts of increased stress?

According to NHS Information Centre incidents of self-harm, attempted suicide and actual suicide have increased in recent years since the introduction of the Welfare Reform Programme 2007 and ATOS Origin Work Capability Assessment regime.

Even though the National Audit Office estimated that for the year 2009-2010 fraud costs 0.6% of DWP's budget - massively below the levels stated by Chancellor George Osborne in the Comprehensive Spending Review, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith, added to the recent wave of media disability hatred by saying in the Sun newspaper on December 1st 2011 "We have managed to create a block of people in Britain who do not add anything to the greatness of this country..." and “They have become conditioned to be users of services, not providers of money. This is a huge part of the reason we have this massive deficit. We have had to borrow vast sums of money. We went on this inflated spending spree."

This truly offensive and unfair meme was immediately pounced upon and wielded by right-wing newspapers in the UK, especially the Daily Mail, the Telegraph and more recently the Daily Express, who have all mounted nasty editorial campaigns portraying the weakest, most vulnerable members of our society as nothing more than workshy scroungers. This vilification of the Disabled is rapidly turning back the clock on hard-fought-for Disability Rights, as these newspapers are tapping directly into the ready willingness of some people to physically intimidate and bully disabled people, especially those with mental impairments, and it is reported elsewhere that incidences of bullying against the disabled has increased.

For more information contact press liason Linda Burnip of Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) on +441926 842253 or +447714 927 533

All photos © 2011 Pete Riches

Do not reproduce or reblog my images without my permission.

Disability Rights Protesters outside Atos Origin HQ, London U.K. 09/05/2011

To kick-off the National Claimants Against Benefit Cuts's "Week of Action Against ATOS Origin", Disability rights campaigners, trade unionists and students demonstrated today outside the London HQ of Atos Origin to protest against the punitive medical testing of those claiming disability and sickness benefits. The new Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) has replaced Incapacity Benefit. Today's protest was the first of many protests this week in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, Liverpool, Plymouth and Truro.

Speakers gave their often harrowing accounts of those who have had their lives devastated by this unfair process designed to accomodate the governments policy of slashing the Welfare budget by 20%. There are many reports of the terminally ill being declared fit for work only to die weeks later, and there was one testimony from one young woman whose disabled brother was left in so much distress after ATOS declared him fit for work (which he clearly wasn't) and having his benfits stopped that he hung himself.

Protesters are angry that in spite of well documented criticisms of the Work Capability Assessment by Professor Malcolm Harrington who was commissioned by the government to review the W.C.A. process, ATOS have again been awarded a £300 million contract by DWP to continue making these flawed assesments which have already ruined many disabled peoples' lives and has already led to several suicides. On appeal - which takes about a year, in which time people's lives can deteriorate massively - around 70% of ATOS Origin's deeply-flawed assessments by unsympathetic staff who are paid by results, are overturned, leaving us to wonder how much money is this actually saving, and what is the appeals process costing, and in the meanwhile how much profound harm is being done to disabled people, their carers and their families, all of whom are experiencing huge amounts of increased stress?

According to NHS Information Centre incidents of self-harm, attempted suicide and actual suicide have increased in recent years since the introduction of the Welfare Reform Programme 2007 and ATOS Origin Work Capability Assessment regime.

Even though the National Audit Office estimated that for the year 2009-2010 fraud costs 0.6% of DWP's budget - massively below the levels stated by Chancellor George Osborne in the Comprehensive Spending Review, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith, added to the recent wave of media disability hatred by saying in the Sun newspaper on December 1st 2011 "We have managed to create a block of people in Britain who do not add anything to the greatness of this country..." and “They have become conditioned to be users of services, not providers of money. This is a huge part of the reason we have this massive deficit. We have had to borrow vast sums of money. We went on this inflated spending spree."

This truly offensive and unfair meme was immediately pounced upon and wielded by right-wing newspapers in the UK, especially the Daily Mail, the Telegraph and more recently the Daily Express, who have all mounted nasty editorial campaigns portraying the weakest, most vulnerable members of our society as nothing more than workshy scroungers. This vilification of the Disabled is rapidly turning back the clock on hard-fought-for Disability Rights, as these newspapers are tapping directly into the ready willingness of some people to physically intimidate and bully disabled people, especially those with mental impairments, and it is reported elsewhere that incidences of bullying against the disabled has increased.

For more information contact press liason Linda Burnip of Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) on +441926 842253 or +447714 927 533

All photos © 2011 Pete Riches

Do not reproduce or reblog my images without my permission.

Disability Rights Protesters outside Atos Origin HQ, London U.K. 09/05/2011

To kick-off the National Claimants Against Benefit Cuts's "Week of Action Against ATOS Origin", Disability rights campaigners, trade unionists and students demonstrated today outside the London HQ of Atos Origin to protest against the punitive medical testing of those claiming disability and sickness benefits. The new Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) has replaced Incapacity Benefit. Today's protest was the first of many protests this week in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, Liverpool, Plymouth and Truro.

Speakers gave their often harrowing accounts of those who have had their lives devastated by this unfair process designed to accomodate the governments policy of slashing the Welfare budget by 20%. There are many reports of the terminally ill being declared fit for work only to die weeks later, and there was one testimony from one young woman whose disabled brother was left in so much distress after ATOS declared him fit for work (which he clearly wasn't) and having his benfits stopped that he hung himself.

Protesters are angry that in spite of well documented criticisms of the Work Capability Assessment by Professor Malcolm Harrington who was commissioned by the government to review the W.C.A. process, ATOS have again been awarded a £300 million contract by DWP to continue making these flawed assesments which have already ruined many disabled peoples' lives and has already led to several suicides. On appeal - which takes about a year, in which time people's lives can deteriorate massively - around 70% of ATOS Origin's deeply-flawed assessments by unsympathetic staff who are paid by results, are overturned, leaving us to wonder how much money is this actually saving, and what is the appeals process costing, and in the meanwhile how much profound harm is being done to disabled people, their carers and their families, all of whom are experiencing huge amounts of increased stress?

According to NHS Information Centre incidents of self-harm, attempted suicide and actual suicide have increased in recent years since the introduction of the Welfare Reform Programme 2007 and ATOS Origin Work Capability Assessment regime.

Even though the National Audit Office estimated that for the year 2009-2010 fraud costs 0.6% of DWP's budget - massively below the levels stated by Chancellor George Osborne in the Comprehensive Spending Review, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith, added to the recent wave of media disability hatred by saying in the Sun newspaper on December 1st 2011 "We have managed to create a block of people in Britain who do not add anything to the greatness of this country..." and “They have become conditioned to be users of services, not providers of money. This is a huge part of the reason we have this massive deficit. We have had to borrow vast sums of money. We went on this inflated spending spree."

This truly offensive and unfair meme was immediately pounced upon and wielded by right-wing newspapers in the UK, especially the Daily Mail, the Telegraph and more recently the Daily Express, who have all mounted nasty editorial campaigns portraying the weakest, most vulnerable members of our society as nothing more than workshy scroungers. This vilification of the Disabled is rapidly turning back the clock on hard-fought-for Disability Rights, as these newspapers are tapping directly into the ready willingness of some people to physically intimidate and bully disabled people, especially those with mental impairments, and it is reported elsewhere that incidences of bullying against the disabled has increased.

For more information contact press liason Linda Burnip of Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) on +441926 842253 or +447714 927 533

All photos © 2011 Pete Riches

Do not reproduce or reblog my images without my permission.

Disability Rights Protesters outside Atos Origin HQ, London U.K. 09/05/2011

To kick-off the National Claimants Against Benefit Cuts's "Week of Action Against ATOS Origin", Disability rights campaigners, trade unionists and students demonstrated today outside the London HQ of Atos Origin to protest against the punitive medical testing of those claiming disability and sickness benefits. The new Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) has replaced Incapacity Benefit. Today's protest was the first of many protests this week in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, Liverpool, Plymouth and Truro.

Speakers gave their often harrowing accounts of those who have had their lives devastated by this unfair process designed to accomodate the governments policy of slashing the Welfare budget by 20%. There are many reports of the terminally ill being declared fit for work only to die weeks later, and there was one testimony from one young woman whose disabled brother was left in so much distress after ATOS declared him fit for work (which he clearly wasn't) and having his benfits stopped that he hung himself.

Protesters are angry that in spite of well documented criticisms of the Work Capability Assessment by Professor Malcolm Harrington who was commissioned by the government to review the W.C.A. process, ATOS have again been awarded a £300 million contract by DWP to continue making these flawed assesments which have already ruined many disabled peoples' lives and has already led to several suicides. On appeal - which takes about a year, in which time people's lives can deteriorate massively - around 70% of ATOS Origin's deeply-flawed assessments by unsympathetic staff who are paid by results, are overturned, leaving us to wonder how much money is this actually saving, and what is the appeals process costing, and in the meanwhile how much profound harm is being done to disabled people, their carers and their families, all of whom are experiencing huge amounts of increased stress?

According to NHS Information Centre incidents of self-harm, attempted suicide and actual suicide have increased in recent years since the introduction of the Welfare Reform Programme 2007 and ATOS Origin Work Capability Assessment regime.

Even though the National Audit Office estimated that for the year 2009-2010 fraud costs 0.6% of DWP's budget - massively below the levels stated by Chancellor George Osborne in the Comprehensive Spending Review, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith, added to the recent wave of media disability hatred by saying in the Sun newspaper on December 1st 2011 "We have managed to create a block of people in Britain who do not add anything to the greatness of this country..." and “They have become conditioned to be users of services, not providers of money. This is a huge part of the reason we have this massive deficit. We have had to borrow vast sums of money. We went on this inflated spending spree."

This truly offensive and unfair meme was immediately pounced upon and wielded by right-wing newspapers in the UK, especially the Daily Mail, the Telegraph and more recently the Daily Express, who have all mounted nasty editorial campaigns portraying the weakest, most vulnerable members of our society as nothing more than workshy scroungers. This vilification of the Disabled is rapidly turning back the clock on hard-fought-for Disability Rights, as these newspapers are tapping directly into the ready willingness of some people to physically intimidate and bully disabled people, especially those with mental impairments, and it is reported elsewhere that incidences of bullying against the disabled has increased.

For more information contact press liason Linda Burnip of Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) on +441926 842253 or +447714 927 533

All photos © 2011 Pete Riches

Do not reproduce or reblog my images without my permission.

Disability Rights Protesters outside Atos Origin HQ, London U.K. 09/05/2011

To kick-off the National Claimants Against Benefit Cuts's "Week of Action Against ATOS Origin", Disability rights campaigners, trade unionists and students demonstrated today outside the London HQ of Atos Origin to protest against the punitive medical testing of those claiming disability and sickness benefits. The new Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) has replaced Incapacity Benefit. Today's protest was the first of many protests this week in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, Liverpool, Plymouth and Truro.

Speakers gave their often harrowing accounts of those who have had their lives devastated by this unfair process designed to accomodate the governments policy of slashing the Welfare budget by 20%. There are many reports of the terminally ill being declared fit for work only to die weeks later, and there was one testimony from one young woman whose disabled brother was left in so much distress after ATOS declared him fit for work (which he clearly wasn't) and having his benfits stopped that he hung himself.

Protesters are angry that in spite of well documented criticisms of the Work Capability Assessment by Professor Malcolm Harrington who was commissioned by the government to review the W.C.A. process, ATOS have again been awarded a £300 million contract by DWP to continue making these flawed assesments which have already ruined many disabled peoples' lives and has already led to several suicides. On appeal - which takes about a year, in which time people's lives can deteriorate massively - around 70% of ATOS Origin's deeply-flawed assessments by unsympathetic staff who are paid by results, are overturned, leaving us to wonder how much money is this actually saving, and what is the appeals process costing, and in the meanwhile how much profound harm is being done to disabled people, their carers and their families, all of whom are experiencing huge amounts of increased stress?

According to NHS Information Centre incidents of self-harm, attempted suicide and actual suicide have increased in recent years since the introduction of the Welfare Reform Programme 2007 and ATOS Origin Work Capability Assessment regime.

Even though the National Audit Office estimated that for the year 2009-2010 fraud costs 0.6% of DWP's budget - massively below the levels stated by Chancellor George Osborne in the Comprehensive Spending Review, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith, added to the recent wave of media disability hatred by saying in the Sun newspaper on December 1st 2011 "We have managed to create a block of people in Britain who do not add anything to the greatness of this country..." and “They have become conditioned to be users of services, not providers of money. This is a huge part of the reason we have this massive deficit. We have had to borrow vast sums of money. We went on this inflated spending spree."

This truly offensive and unfair meme was immediately pounced upon and wielded by right-wing newspapers in the UK, especially the Daily Mail, the Telegraph and more recently the Daily Express, who have all mounted nasty editorial campaigns portraying the weakest, most vulnerable members of our society as nothing more than workshy scroungers. This vilification of the Disabled is rapidly turning back the clock on hard-fought-for Disability Rights, as these newspapers are tapping directly into the ready willingness of some people to physically intimidate and bully disabled people, especially those with mental impairments, and it is reported elsewhere that incidences of bullying against the disabled has increased.

For more information contact press liason Linda Burnip of Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) on +441926 842253 or +447714 927 533

All photos © 2011 Pete Riches

Do not reproduce or reblog my images without my permission.

Disability Rights Protesters outside Atos Origin HQ, London U.K. 09/05/2011

To kick-off the National Claimants Against Benefit Cuts's "Week of Action Against ATOS Origin", Disability rights campaigners, trade unionists and students demonstrated today outside the London HQ of Atos Origin to protest against the punitive medical testing of those claiming disability and sickness benefits. The new Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) has replaced Incapacity Benefit. Today's protest was the first of many protests this week in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, Liverpool, Plymouth and Truro.

Speakers gave their often harrowing accounts of those who have had their lives devastated by this unfair process designed to accomodate the governments policy of slashing the Welfare budget by 20%. There are many reports of the terminally ill being declared fit for work only to die weeks later, and there was one testimony from one young woman whose disabled brother was left in so much distress after ATOS declared him fit for work (which he clearly wasn't) and having his benfits stopped that he hung himself.

Protesters are angry that in spite of well documented criticisms of the Work Capability Assessment by Professor Malcolm Harrington who was commissioned by the government to review the W.C.A. process, ATOS have again been awarded a £300 million contract by DWP to continue making these flawed assesments which have already ruined many disabled peoples' lives and has already led to several suicides. On appeal - which takes about a year, in which time people's lives can deteriorate massively - around 70% of ATOS Origin's deeply-flawed assessments by unsympathetic staff who are paid by results, are overturned, leaving us to wonder how much money is this actually saving, and what is the appeals process costing, and in the meanwhile how much profound harm is being done to disabled people, their carers and their families, all of whom are experiencing huge amounts of increased stress?

According to NHS Information Centre incidents of self-harm, attempted suicide and actual suicide have increased in recent years since the introduction of the Welfare Reform Programme 2007 and ATOS Origin Work Capability Assessment regime.

Even though the National Audit Office estimated that for the year 2009-2010 fraud costs 0.6% of DWP's budget - massively below the levels stated by Chancellor George Osborne in the Comprehensive Spending Review, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith, added to the recent wave of media disability hatred by saying in the Sun newspaper on December 1st 2011 "We have managed to create a block of people in Britain who do not add anything to the greatness of this country..." and “They have become conditioned to be users of services, not providers of money. This is a huge part of the reason we have this massive deficit. We have had to borrow vast sums of money. We went on this inflated spending spree."

This truly offensive and unfair meme was immediately pounced upon and wielded by right-wing newspapers in the UK, especially the Daily Mail, the Telegraph and more recently the Daily Express, who have all mounted nasty editorial campaigns portraying the weakest, most vulnerable members of our society as nothing more than workshy scroungers. This vilification of the Disabled is rapidly turning back the clock on hard-fought-for Disability Rights, as these newspapers are tapping directly into the ready willingness of some people to physically intimidate and bully disabled people, especially those with mental impairments, and it is reported elsewhere that incidences of bullying against the disabled has increased.

For more information contact press liason Linda Burnip of Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) on +441926 842253 or +447714 927 533

All photos © 2011 Pete Riches

Do not reproduce or reblog my images without my permission.

Psychotherapy and Counseling Services

68-22A Forest Ave, 1st Floor

Ridgewood, NY 11385

(917) 251-7437

Psychotherapyn@yahoo.com

psychotherapyn.com

I provide counseling for individuals, couples, and families by creating a positive and caring treatment environment based on specific needs of each client. Using integrative, dynamic, and interactive therapeutic process, I help the client overcome the existing problem, implement behavioral changes, and explore his/her potential more effectively in everyday life.

I am a licensed Mental Health Counselor in the state of New York. I received Masters degrees in Mental Health Counseling and Psychology from the City College of New York/CUNY, as well as an MS in Clinical Psychology, with specialization in Psychoanalytic therapy.

I have flexible working hours and I am open to scheduling counseling sessions on the weekends and late evenings, as well as any emergency appointments, if needed. Call today to get your appointment, (917) 251-7437.

Working Hours: Mon - Fri 9am - 5pm

Payments Accepted: cash, check, credit cards

Opened Since: 2003

Twitter: twitter.com/PSYTCS

Facebook: www.facebook.com/PsychotherapyCounselingServices

Blogger: psychotherapyandcounselingservices.blogspot.com/

Disability Rights Protesters outside Atos Origin HQ, London U.K. 09/05/2011

To kick-off the National Claimants Against Benefit Cuts's "Week of Action Against ATOS Origin", Disability rights campaigners, trade unionists and students demonstrated today outside the London HQ of Atos Origin to protest against the punitive medical testing of those claiming disability and sickness benefits. The new Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) has replaced Incapacity Benefit. Today's protest was the first of many protests this week in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, Liverpool, Plymouth and Truro.

Speakers gave their often harrowing accounts of those who have had their lives devastated by this unfair process designed to accomodate the governments policy of slashing the Welfare budget by 20%. There are many reports of the terminally ill being declared fit for work only to die weeks later, and there was one testimony from one young woman whose disabled brother was left in so much distress after ATOS declared him fit for work (which he clearly wasn't) and having his benfits stopped that he hung himself.

Protesters are angry that in spite of well documented criticisms of the Work Capability Assessment by Professor Malcolm Harrington who was commissioned by the government to review the W.C.A. process, ATOS have again been awarded a £300 million contract by DWP to continue making these flawed assesments which have already ruined many disabled peoples' lives and has already led to several suicides. On appeal - which takes about a year, in which time people's lives can deteriorate massively - around 70% of ATOS Origin's deeply-flawed assessments by unsympathetic staff who are paid by results, are overturned, leaving us to wonder how much money is this actually saving, and what is the appeals process costing, and in the meanwhile how much profound harm is being done to disabled people, their carers and their families, all of whom are experiencing huge amounts of increased stress?

According to NHS Information Centre incidents of self-harm, attempted suicide and actual suicide have increased in recent years since the introduction of the Welfare Reform Programme 2007 and ATOS Origin Work Capability Assessment regime.

Even though the National Audit Office estimated that for the year 2009-2010 fraud costs 0.6% of DWP's budget - massively below the levels stated by Chancellor George Osborne in the Comprehensive Spending Review, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith, added to the recent wave of media disability hatred by saying in the Sun newspaper on December 1st 2011 "We have managed to create a block of people in Britain who do not add anything to the greatness of this country..." and “They have become conditioned to be users of services, not providers of money. This is a huge part of the reason we have this massive deficit. We have had to borrow vast sums of money. We went on this inflated spending spree."

This truly offensive and unfair meme was immediately pounced upon and wielded by right-wing newspapers in the UK, especially the Daily Mail, the Telegraph and more recently the Daily Express, who have all mounted nasty editorial campaigns portraying the weakest, most vulnerable members of our society as nothing more than workshy scroungers. This vilification of the Disabled is rapidly turning back the clock on hard-fought-for Disability Rights, as these newspapers are tapping directly into the ready willingness of some people to physically intimidate and bully disabled people, especially those with mental impairments, and it is reported elsewhere that incidences of bullying against the disabled has increased.

For more information contact press liason Linda Burnip of Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) on +441926 842253 or +447714 927 533

All photos © 2011 Pete Riches

Do not reproduce or reblog my images without my permission.

Disability Rights Protesters outside Atos Origin HQ, London U.K. 09/05/2011

To kick-off the National Claimants Against Benefit Cuts's "Week of Action Against ATOS Origin", Disability rights campaigners, trade unionists and students demonstrated today outside the London HQ of Atos Origin to protest against the punitive medical testing of those claiming disability and sickness benefits. The new Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) has replaced Incapacity Benefit. Today's protest was the first of many protests this week in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, Liverpool, Plymouth and Truro.

Speakers gave their often harrowing accounts of those who have had their lives devastated by this unfair process designed to accomodate the governments policy of slashing the Welfare budget by 20%. There are many reports of the terminally ill being declared fit for work only to die weeks later, and there was one testimony from one young woman whose disabled brother was left in so much distress after ATOS declared him fit for work (which he clearly wasn't) and having his benfits stopped that he hung himself.

Protesters are angry that in spite of well documented criticisms of the Work Capability Assessment by Professor Malcolm Harrington who was commissioned by the government to review the W.C.A. process, ATOS have again been awarded a £300 million contract by DWP to continue making these flawed assesments which have already ruined many disabled peoples' lives and has already led to several suicides. On appeal - which takes about a year, in which time people's lives can deteriorate massively - around 70% of ATOS Origin's deeply-flawed assessments by unsympathetic staff who are paid by results, are overturned, leaving us to wonder how much money is this actually saving, and what is the appeals process costing, and in the meanwhile how much profound harm is being done to disabled people, their carers and their families, all of whom are experiencing huge amounts of increased stress?

According to NHS Information Centre incidents of self-harm, attempted suicide and actual suicide have increased in recent years since the introduction of the Welfare Reform Programme 2007 and ATOS Origin Work Capability Assessment regime.

Even though the National Audit Office estimated that for the year 2009-2010 fraud costs 0.6% of DWP's budget - massively below the levels stated by Chancellor George Osborne in the Comprehensive Spending Review, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith, added to the recent wave of media disability hatred by saying in the Sun newspaper on December 1st 2011 "We have managed to create a block of people in Britain who do not add anything to the greatness of this country..." and “They have become conditioned to be users of services, not providers of money. This is a huge part of the reason we have this massive deficit. We have had to borrow vast sums of money. We went on this inflated spending spree."

This truly offensive and unfair meme was immediately pounced upon and wielded by right-wing newspapers in the UK, especially the Daily Mail, the Telegraph and more recently the Daily Express, who have all mounted nasty editorial campaigns portraying the weakest, most vulnerable members of our society as nothing more than workshy scroungers. This vilification of the Disabled is rapidly turning back the clock on hard-fought-for Disability Rights, as these newspapers are tapping directly into the ready willingness of some people to physically intimidate and bully disabled people, especially those with mental impairments, and it is reported elsewhere that incidences of bullying against the disabled has increased.

For more information contact press liason Linda Burnip of Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) on +441926 842253 or +447714 927 533

All photos © 2011 Pete Riches

Do not reproduce or reblog my images without my permission.

Opportunities Fair and Beyond Art Exhibition

21 June 2012, New Bingley Hall, Hockley.

This free event was aimed at people with learning disabilities, physical disabilities, mental health difficulties, autism, visual and hearing impairments, adults 65 or over, and all carers, to find out what services, support and opportunities are available to them. The exhibition also showcased artwork from people who have learning or physical disabilities, mental health difficulties, autism, visual and hearing impairments and adults 65 or over.

Disability Rights Protesters outside Atos Origin HQ, London U.K. 09/05/2011

To kick-off the National Claimants Against Benefit Cuts's "Week of Action Against ATOS Origin", Disability rights campaigners, trade unionists and students demonstrated today outside the London HQ of Atos Origin to protest against the punitive medical testing of those claiming disability and sickness benefits. The new Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) has replaced Incapacity Benefit. Today's protest was the first of many protests this week in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, Liverpool, Plymouth and Truro.

Speakers gave their often harrowing accounts of those who have had their lives devastated by this unfair process designed to accomodate the governments policy of slashing the Welfare budget by 20%. There are many reports of the terminally ill being declared fit for work only to die weeks later, and there was one testimony from one young woman whose disabled brother was left in so much distress after ATOS declared him fit for work (which he clearly wasn't) and having his benfits stopped that he hung himself.

Protesters are angry that in spite of well documented criticisms of the Work Capability Assessment by Professor Malcolm Harrington who was commissioned by the government to review the W.C.A. process, ATOS have again been awarded a £300 million contract by DWP to continue making these flawed assesments which have already ruined many disabled peoples' lives and has already led to several suicides. On appeal - which takes about a year, in which time people's lives can deteriorate massively - around 70% of ATOS Origin's deeply-flawed assessments by unsympathetic staff who are paid by results, are overturned, leaving us to wonder how much money is this actually saving, and what is the appeals process costing, and in the meanwhile how much profound harm is being done to disabled people, their carers and their families, all of whom are experiencing huge amounts of increased stress?

According to NHS Information Centre incidents of self-harm, attempted suicide and actual suicide have increased in recent years since the introduction of the Welfare Reform Programme 2007 and ATOS Origin Work Capability Assessment regime.

Even though the National Audit Office estimated that for the year 2009-2010 fraud costs 0.6% of DWP's budget - massively below the levels stated by Chancellor George Osborne in the Comprehensive Spending Review, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith, added to the recent wave of media disability hatred by saying in the Sun newspaper on December 1st 2011 "We have managed to create a block of people in Britain who do not add anything to the greatness of this country..." and “They have become conditioned to be users of services, not providers of money. This is a huge part of the reason we have this massive deficit. We have had to borrow vast sums of money. We went on this inflated spending spree."

This truly offensive and unfair meme was immediately pounced upon and wielded by right-wing newspapers in the UK, especially the Daily Mail, the Telegraph and more recently the Daily Express, who have all mounted nasty editorial campaigns portraying the weakest, most vulnerable members of our society as nothing more than workshy scroungers. This vilification of the Disabled is rapidly turning back the clock on hard-fought-for Disability Rights, as these newspapers are tapping directly into the ready willingness of some people to physically intimidate and bully disabled people, especially those with mental impairments, and it is reported elsewhere that incidences of bullying against the disabled has increased.

For more information contact press liason Linda Burnip of Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) on +441926 842253 or +447714 927 533

All photos © 2011 Pete Riches

Do not reproduce or reblog my images without my permission.

Disability Rights Protesters outside Atos Origin HQ, London U.K. 09/05/2011

To kick-off the National Claimants Against Benefit Cuts's "Week of Action Against ATOS Origin", Disability rights campaigners, trade unionists and students demonstrated today outside the London HQ of Atos Origin to protest against the punitive medical testing of those claiming disability and sickness benefits. The new Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) has replaced Incapacity Benefit. Today's protest was the first of many protests this week in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, Liverpool, Plymouth and Truro.

Speakers gave their often harrowing accounts of those who have had their lives devastated by this unfair process designed to accomodate the governments policy of slashing the Welfare budget by 20%. There are many reports of the terminally ill being declared fit for work only to die weeks later, and there was one testimony from one young woman whose disabled brother was left in so much distress after ATOS declared him fit for work (which he clearly wasn't) and having his benfits stopped that he hung himself.

Protesters are angry that in spite of well documented criticisms of the Work Capability Assessment by Professor Malcolm Harrington who was commissioned by the government to review the W.C.A. process, ATOS have again been awarded a £300 million contract by DWP to continue making these flawed assesments which have already ruined many disabled peoples' lives and has already led to several suicides. On appeal - which takes about a year, in which time people's lives can deteriorate massively - around 70% of ATOS Origin's deeply-flawed assessments by unsympathetic staff who are paid by results, are overturned, leaving us to wonder how much money is this actually saving, and what is the appeals process costing, and in the meanwhile how much profound harm is being done to disabled people, their carers and their families, all of whom are experiencing huge amounts of increased stress?

According to NHS Information Centre incidents of self-harm, attempted suicide and actual suicide have increased in recent years since the introduction of the Welfare Reform Programme 2007 and ATOS Origin Work Capability Assessment regime.

Even though the National Audit Office estimated that for the year 2009-2010 fraud costs 0.6% of DWP's budget - massively below the levels stated by Chancellor George Osborne in the Comprehensive Spending Review, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith, added to the recent wave of media disability hatred by saying in the Sun newspaper on December 1st 2011 "We have managed to create a block of people in Britain who do not add anything to the greatness of this country..." and “They have become conditioned to be users of services, not providers of money. This is a huge part of the reason we have this massive deficit. We have had to borrow vast sums of money. We went on this inflated spending spree."

This truly offensive and unfair meme was immediately pounced upon and wielded by right-wing newspapers in the UK, especially the Daily Mail, the Telegraph and more recently the Daily Express, who have all mounted nasty editorial campaigns portraying the weakest, most vulnerable members of our society as nothing more than workshy scroungers. This vilification of the Disabled is rapidly turning back the clock on hard-fought-for Disability Rights, as these newspapers are tapping directly into the ready willingness of some people to physically intimidate and bully disabled people, especially those with mental impairments, and it is reported elsewhere that incidences of bullying against the disabled has increased.

For more information contact press liason Linda Burnip of Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) on +441926 842253 or +447714 927 533

All photos © 2011 Pete Riches

Do not reproduce or reblog my images without my permission.

Disability Rights Protesters outside Atos Origin HQ, London U.K. 09/05/2011

To kick-off the National Claimants Against Benefit Cuts's "Week of Action Against ATOS Origin", Disability rights campaigners, trade unionists and students demonstrated today outside the London HQ of Atos Origin to protest against the punitive medical testing of those claiming disability and sickness benefits. The new Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) has replaced Incapacity Benefit. Today's protest was the first of many protests this week in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, Liverpool, Plymouth and Truro.

Speakers gave their often harrowing accounts of those who have had their lives devastated by this unfair process designed to accomodate the governments policy of slashing the Welfare budget by 20%. There are many reports of the terminally ill being declared fit for work only to die weeks later, and there was one testimony from one young woman whose disabled brother was left in so much distress after ATOS declared him fit for work (which he clearly wasn't) and having his benfits stopped that he hung himself.

Protesters are angry that in spite of well documented criticisms of the Work Capability Assessment by Professor Malcolm Harrington who was commissioned by the government to review the W.C.A. process, ATOS have again been awarded a £300 million contract by DWP to continue making these flawed assesments which have already ruined many disabled peoples' lives and has already led to several suicides. On appeal - which takes about a year, in which time people's lives can deteriorate massively - around 70% of ATOS Origin's deeply-flawed assessments by unsympathetic staff who are paid by results, are overturned, leaving us to wonder how much money is this actually saving, and what is the appeals process costing, and in the meanwhile how much profound harm is being done to disabled people, their carers and their families, all of whom are experiencing huge amounts of increased stress?

According to NHS Information Centre incidents of self-harm, attempted suicide and actual suicide have increased in recent years since the introduction of the Welfare Reform Programme 2007 and ATOS Origin Work Capability Assessment regime.

Even though the National Audit Office estimated that for the year 2009-2010 fraud costs 0.6% of DWP's budget - massively below the levels stated by Chancellor George Osborne in the Comprehensive Spending Review, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith, added to the recent wave of media disability hatred by saying in the Sun newspaper on December 1st 2011 "We have managed to create a block of people in Britain who do not add anything to the greatness of this country..." and “They have become conditioned to be users of services, not providers of money. This is a huge part of the reason we have this massive deficit. We have had to borrow vast sums of money. We went on this inflated spending spree."

This truly offensive and unfair meme was immediately pounced upon and wielded by right-wing newspapers in the UK, especially the Daily Mail, the Telegraph and more recently the Daily Express, who have all mounted nasty editorial campaigns portraying the weakest, most vulnerable members of our society as nothing more than workshy scroungers. This vilification of the Disabled is rapidly turning back the clock on hard-fought-for Disability Rights, as these newspapers are tapping directly into the ready willingness of some people to physically intimidate and bully disabled people, especially those with mental impairments, and it is reported elsewhere that incidences of bullying against the disabled has increased.

For more information contact press liason Linda Burnip of Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) on +441926 842253 or +447714 927 533

All photos © 2011 Pete Riches

Do not reproduce or reblog my images without my permission.

Disability Rights Protesters outside Atos Origin HQ, London U.K. 09/05/2011

To kick-off the National Claimants Against Benefit Cuts's "Week of Action Against ATOS Origin", Disability rights campaigners, trade unionists and students demonstrated today outside the London HQ of Atos Origin to protest against the punitive medical testing of those claiming disability and sickness benefits. The new Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) has replaced Incapacity Benefit. Today's protest was the first of many protests this week in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, Liverpool, Plymouth and Truro.

Speakers gave their often harrowing accounts of those who have had their lives devastated by this unfair process designed to accomodate the governments policy of slashing the Welfare budget by 20%. There are many reports of the terminally ill being declared fit for work only to die weeks later, and there was one testimony from one young woman whose disabled brother was left in so much distress after ATOS declared him fit for work (which he clearly wasn't) and having his benfits stopped that he hung himself.

Protesters are angry that in spite of well documented criticisms of the Work Capability Assessment by Professor Malcolm Harrington who was commissioned by the government to review the W.C.A. process, ATOS have again been awarded a £300 million contract by DWP to continue making these flawed assesments which have already ruined many disabled peoples' lives and has already led to several suicides. On appeal - which takes about a year, in which time people's lives can deteriorate massively - around 70% of ATOS Origin's deeply-flawed assessments by unsympathetic staff who are paid by results, are overturned, leaving us to wonder how much money is this actually saving, and what is the appeals process costing, and in the meanwhile how much profound harm is being done to disabled people, their carers and their families, all of whom are experiencing huge amounts of increased stress?

According to NHS Information Centre incidents of self-harm, attempted suicide and actual suicide have increased in recent years since the introduction of the Welfare Reform Programme 2007 and ATOS Origin Work Capability Assessment regime.

Even though the National Audit Office estimated that for the year 2009-2010 fraud costs 0.6% of DWP's budget - massively below the levels stated by Chancellor George Osborne in the Comprehensive Spending Review, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith, added to the recent wave of media disability hatred by saying in the Sun newspaper on December 1st 2011 "We have managed to create a block of people in Britain who do not add anything to the greatness of this country..." and “They have become conditioned to be users of services, not providers of money. This is a huge part of the reason we have this massive deficit. We have had to borrow vast sums of money. We went on this inflated spending spree."

This truly offensive and unfair meme was immediately pounced upon and wielded by right-wing newspapers in the UK, especially the Daily Mail, the Telegraph and more recently the Daily Express, who have all mounted nasty editorial campaigns portraying the weakest, most vulnerable members of our society as nothing more than workshy scroungers. This vilification of the Disabled is rapidly turning back the clock on hard-fought-for Disability Rights, as these newspapers are tapping directly into the ready willingness of some people to physically intimidate and bully disabled people, especially those with mental impairments, and it is reported elsewhere that incidences of bullying against the disabled has increased.

For more information contact press liason Linda Burnip of Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) on +441926 842253 or +447714 927 533

All photos © 2011 Pete Riches

Do not reproduce or reblog my images without my permission.

Psychotherapy and Counseling Services

68-22A Forest Ave, 1st Floor

Ridgewood, NY 11385

(917) 251-7437

Psychotherapyn@yahoo.com

psychotherapyn.com

I provide counseling for individuals, couples, and families by creating a positive and caring treatment environment based on specific needs of each client. Using integrative, dynamic, and interactive therapeutic process, I help the client overcome the existing problem, implement behavioral changes, and explore his/her potential more effectively in everyday life.

I am a licensed Mental Health Counselor in the state of New York. I received Masters degrees in Mental Health Counseling and Psychology from the City College of New York/CUNY, as well as an MS in Clinical Psychology, with specialization in Psychoanalytic therapy.

I have flexible working hours and I am open to scheduling counseling sessions on the weekends and late evenings, as well as any emergency appointments, if needed. Call today to get your appointment, (917) 251-7437.

Working Hours: Mon - Fri 9am - 5pm

Payments Accepted: cash, check, credit cards

Opened Since: 2003

Twitter: twitter.com/PSYTCS

Facebook: www.facebook.com/PsychotherapyCounselingServices

Blogger: psychotherapyandcounselingservices.blogspot.com/

Disability Rights Protesters outside Atos Origin HQ, London U.K. 09/05/2011

To kick-off the National Claimants Against Benefit Cuts's "Week of Action Against ATOS Origin", Disability rights campaigners, trade unionists and students demonstrated today outside the London HQ of Atos Origin to protest against the punitive medical testing of those claiming disability and sickness benefits. The new Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) has replaced Incapacity Benefit. Today's protest was the first of many protests this week in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, Liverpool, Plymouth and Truro.

Speakers gave their often harrowing accounts of those who have had their lives devastated by this unfair process designed to accomodate the governments policy of slashing the Welfare budget by 20%. There are many reports of the terminally ill being declared fit for work only to die weeks later, and there was one testimony from one young woman whose disabled brother was left in so much distress after ATOS declared him fit for work (which he clearly wasn't) and having his benfits stopped that he hung himself.

Protesters are angry that in spite of well documented criticisms of the Work Capability Assessment by Professor Malcolm Harrington who was commissioned by the government to review the W.C.A. process, ATOS have again been awarded a £300 million contract by DWP to continue making these flawed assesments which have already ruined many disabled peoples' lives and has already led to several suicides. On appeal - which takes about a year, in which time people's lives can deteriorate massively - around 70% of ATOS Origin's deeply-flawed assessments by unsympathetic staff who are paid by results, are overturned, leaving us to wonder how much money is this actually saving, and what is the appeals process costing, and in the meanwhile how much profound harm is being done to disabled people, their carers and their families, all of whom are experiencing huge amounts of increased stress?

According to NHS Information Centre incidents of self-harm, attempted suicide and actual suicide have increased in recent years since the introduction of the Welfare Reform Programme 2007 and ATOS Origin Work Capability Assessment regime.

Even though the National Audit Office estimated that for the year 2009-2010 fraud costs 0.6% of DWP's budget - massively below the levels stated by Chancellor George Osborne in the Comprehensive Spending Review, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith, added to the recent wave of media disability hatred by saying in the Sun newspaper on December 1st 2011 "We have managed to create a block of people in Britain who do not add anything to the greatness of this country..." and “They have become conditioned to be users of services, not providers of money. This is a huge part of the reason we have this massive deficit. We have had to borrow vast sums of money. We went on this inflated spending spree."

This truly offensive and unfair meme was immediately pounced upon and wielded by right-wing newspapers in the UK, especially the Daily Mail, the Telegraph and more recently the Daily Express, who have all mounted nasty editorial campaigns portraying the weakest, most vulnerable members of our society as nothing more than workshy scroungers. This vilification of the Disabled is rapidly turning back the clock on hard-fought-for Disability Rights, as these newspapers are tapping directly into the ready willingness of some people to physically intimidate and bully disabled people, especially those with mental impairments, and it is reported elsewhere that incidences of bullying against the disabled has increased.

For more information contact press liason Linda Burnip of Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) on +441926 842253 or +447714 927 533

All photos © 2011 Pete Riches

Do not reproduce or reblog my images without my permission.

Psychotherapy and Counseling Services

68-22A Forest Ave, 1st Floor

Ridgewood, NY 11385

(917) 251-7437

Psychotherapyn@yahoo.com

psychotherapyn.com

I provide counseling for individuals, couples, and families by creating a positive and caring treatment environment based on specific needs of each client. Using integrative, dynamic, and interactive therapeutic process, I help the client overcome the existing problem, implement behavioral changes, and explore his/her potential more effectively in everyday life.

I am a licensed Mental Health Counselor in the state of New York. I received Masters degrees in Mental Health Counseling and Psychology from the City College of New York/CUNY, as well as an MS in Clinical Psychology, with specialization in Psychoanalytic therapy.

I have flexible working hours and I am open to scheduling counseling sessions on the weekends and late evenings, as well as any emergency appointments, if needed. Call today to get your appointment, (917) 251-7437.

Working Hours: Mon - Fri 9am - 5pm

Payments Accepted: cash, check, credit cards

Opened Since: 2003

Twitter: twitter.com/PSYTCS

Facebook: www.facebook.com/PsychotherapyCounselingServices

Blogger: psychotherapyandcounselingservices.blogspot.com/

A team of Fixers from Kent, tired of being ignored, stared at and interrupted, have helped create a poster campaign urging people not to treat those with disabilities differently.

The group from Orpington, who live in supported accommodation provided by Sanctuary Housing, all have learning disabilities and some of them use wheelchairs.

Led by 26-year-old* Holly Pace, their message is treat disabled people as you would want to be treated.

‘I feel like people aren’t aware of disabilities,’ says Holly.

‘So, we wanted to change that. I don’t think people understand what it’s like to be disabled.’

Each member of the group has had negative experiences which they believe to be as a result of able-bodied people being ignorant of their disabilities.

For more information, interviews etc contact communications@fixers.org.uk call 01962810970. Please credit Fixers when using this image.

Disability Rights Protesters outside Atos Origin HQ, London U.K. 09/05/2011

To kick-off the National Claimants Against Benefit Cuts's "Week of Action Against ATOS Origin", Disability rights campaigners, trade unionists and students demonstrated today outside the London HQ of Atos Origin to protest against the punitive medical testing of those claiming disability and sickness benefits. The new Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) has replaced Incapacity Benefit. Today's protest was the first of many protests this week in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, Liverpool, Plymouth and Truro.

Speakers gave their often harrowing accounts of those who have had their lives devastated by this unfair process designed to accomodate the governments policy of slashing the Welfare budget by 20%. There are many reports of the terminally ill being declared fit for work only to die weeks later, and there was one testimony from one young woman whose disabled brother was left in so much distress after ATOS declared him fit for work (which he clearly wasn't) and having his benfits stopped that he hung himself.

Protesters are angry that in spite of well documented criticisms of the Work Capability Assessment by Professor Malcolm Harrington who was commissioned by the government to review the W.C.A. process, ATOS have again been awarded a £300 million contract by DWP to continue making these flawed assesments which have already ruined many disabled peoples' lives and has already led to several suicides. On appeal - which takes about a year, in which time people's lives can deteriorate massively - around 70% of ATOS Origin's deeply-flawed assessments by unsympathetic staff who are paid by results, are overturned, leaving us to wonder how much money is this actually saving, and what is the appeals process costing, and in the meanwhile how much profound harm is being done to disabled people, their carers and their families, all of whom are experiencing huge amounts of increased stress?

According to NHS Information Centre incidents of self-harm, attempted suicide and actual suicide have increased in recent years since the introduction of the Welfare Reform Programme 2007 and ATOS Origin Work Capability Assessment regime.

Even though the National Audit Office estimated that for the year 2009-2010 fraud costs 0.6% of DWP's budget - massively below the levels stated by Chancellor George Osborne in the Comprehensive Spending Review, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith, added to the recent wave of media disability hatred by saying in the Sun newspaper on December 1st 2011 "We have managed to create a block of people in Britain who do not add anything to the greatness of this country..." and “They have become conditioned to be users of services, not providers of money. This is a huge part of the reason we have this massive deficit. We have had to borrow vast sums of money. We went on this inflated spending spree."

This truly offensive and unfair meme was immediately pounced upon and wielded by right-wing newspapers in the UK, especially the Daily Mail, the Telegraph and more recently the Daily Express, who have all mounted nasty editorial campaigns portraying the weakest, most vulnerable members of our society as nothing more than workshy scroungers. This vilification of the Disabled is rapidly turning back the clock on hard-fought-for Disability Rights, as these newspapers are tapping directly into the ready willingness of some people to physically intimidate and bully disabled people, especially those with mental impairments, and it is reported elsewhere that incidences of bullying against the disabled has increased.

For more information contact press liason Linda Burnip of Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) on +441926 842253 or +447714 927 533

All photos © 2011 Pete Riches

Do not reproduce or reblog my images without my permission.

Disability Rights Protesters outside Atos Origin HQ, London U.K. 09/05/2011

To kick-off the National Claimants Against Benefit Cuts's "Week of Action Against ATOS Origin", Disability rights campaigners, trade unionists and students demonstrated today outside the London HQ of Atos Origin to protest against the punitive medical testing of those claiming disability and sickness benefits. The new Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) has replaced Incapacity Benefit. Today's protest was the first of many protests this week in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, Liverpool, Plymouth and Truro.

Speakers gave their often harrowing accounts of those who have had their lives devastated by this unfair process designed to accomodate the governments policy of slashing the Welfare budget by 20%. There are many reports of the terminally ill being declared fit for work only to die weeks later, and there was one testimony from one young woman whose disabled brother was left in so much distress after ATOS declared him fit for work (which he clearly wasn't) and having his benfits stopped that he hung himself.

Protesters are angry that in spite of well documented criticisms of the Work Capability Assessment by Professor Malcolm Harrington who was commissioned by the government to review the W.C.A. process, ATOS have again been awarded a £300 million contract by DWP to continue making these flawed assesments which have already ruined many disabled peoples' lives and has already led to several suicides. On appeal - which takes about a year, in which time people's lives can deteriorate massively - around 70% of ATOS Origin's deeply-flawed assessments by unsympathetic staff who are paid by results, are overturned, leaving us to wonder how much money is this actually saving, and what is the appeals process costing, and in the meanwhile how much profound harm is being done to disabled people, their carers and their families, all of whom are experiencing huge amounts of increased stress?

According to NHS Information Centre incidents of self-harm, attempted suicide and actual suicide have increased in recent years since the introduction of the Welfare Reform Programme 2007 and ATOS Origin Work Capability Assessment regime.

Even though the National Audit Office estimated that for the year 2009-2010 fraud costs 0.6% of DWP's budget - massively below the levels stated by Chancellor George Osborne in the Comprehensive Spending Review, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith, added to the recent wave of media disability hatred by saying in the Sun newspaper on December 1st 2011 "We have managed to create a block of people in Britain who do not add anything to the greatness of this country..." and “They have become conditioned to be users of services, not providers of money. This is a huge part of the reason we have this massive deficit. We have had to borrow vast sums of money. We went on this inflated spending spree."

This truly offensive and unfair meme was immediately pounced upon and wielded by right-wing newspapers in the UK, especially the Daily Mail, the Telegraph and more recently the Daily Express, who have all mounted nasty editorial campaigns portraying the weakest, most vulnerable members of our society as nothing more than workshy scroungers. This vilification of the Disabled is rapidly turning back the clock on hard-fought-for Disability Rights, as these newspapers are tapping directly into the ready willingness of some people to physically intimidate and bully disabled people, especially those with mental impairments, and it is reported elsewhere that incidences of bullying against the disabled has increased.

For more information contact press liason Linda Burnip of Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) on +441926 842253 or +447714 927 533

All photos © 2011 Pete Riches

Do not reproduce or reblog my images without my permission.

Disability Rights Protesters outside Atos Origin HQ, London U.K. 09/05/2011

To kick-off the National Claimants Against Benefit Cuts's "Week of Action Against ATOS Origin", Disability rights campaigners, trade unionists and students demonstrated today outside the London HQ of Atos Origin to protest against the punitive medical testing of those claiming disability and sickness benefits. The new Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) has replaced Incapacity Benefit. Today's protest was the first of many protests this week in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, Liverpool, Plymouth and Truro.

Speakers gave their often harrowing accounts of those who have had their lives devastated by this unfair process designed to accomodate the governments policy of slashing the Welfare budget by 20%. There are many reports of the terminally ill being declared fit for work only to die weeks later, and there was one testimony from one young woman whose disabled brother was left in so much distress after ATOS declared him fit for work (which he clearly wasn't) and having his benfits stopped that he hung himself.

Protesters are angry that in spite of well documented criticisms of the Work Capability Assessment by Professor Malcolm Harrington who was commissioned by the government to review the W.C.A. process, ATOS have again been awarded a £300 million contract by DWP to continue making these flawed assesments which have already ruined many disabled peoples' lives and has already led to several suicides. On appeal - which takes about a year, in which time people's lives can deteriorate massively - around 70% of ATOS Origin's deeply-flawed assessments by unsympathetic staff who are paid by results, are overturned, leaving us to wonder how much money is this actually saving, and what is the appeals process costing, and in the meanwhile how much profound harm is being done to disabled people, their carers and their families, all of whom are experiencing huge amounts of increased stress?

According to NHS Information Centre incidents of self-harm, attempted suicide and actual suicide have increased in recent years since the introduction of the Welfare Reform Programme 2007 and ATOS Origin Work Capability Assessment regime.

Even though the National Audit Office estimated that for the year 2009-2010 fraud costs 0.6% of DWP's budget - massively below the levels stated by Chancellor George Osborne in the Comprehensive Spending Review, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith, added to the recent wave of media disability hatred by saying in the Sun newspaper on December 1st 2011 "We have managed to create a block of people in Britain who do not add anything to the greatness of this country..." and “They have become conditioned to be users of services, not providers of money. This is a huge part of the reason we have this massive deficit. We have had to borrow vast sums of money. We went on this inflated spending spree."

This truly offensive and unfair meme was immediately pounced upon and wielded by right-wing newspapers in the UK, especially the Daily Mail, the Telegraph and more recently the Daily Express, who have all mounted nasty editorial campaigns portraying the weakest, most vulnerable members of our society as nothing more than workshy scroungers. This vilification of the Disabled is rapidly turning back the clock on hard-fought-for Disability Rights, as these newspapers are tapping directly into the ready willingness of some people to physically intimidate and bully disabled people, especially those with mental impairments, and it is reported elsewhere that incidences of bullying against the disabled has increased.

For more information contact press liason Linda Burnip of Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) on +441926 842253 or +447714 927 533

All photos © 2011 Pete Riches

Do not reproduce or reblog my images without my permission.

Following 3 wonderful days of experiencing how the world could be without discimination or prejudice - where everyone is accepted and appreciated exactly as they are, our batteries are recharged!!

Taken at the Inclusion Gathering in Birmingham (23 - 25.11.08)

LD279

Please don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission. © All rights reserved

Disability Rights Protesters outside Atos Origin HQ, London U.K. 09/05/2011

To kick-off the National Claimants Against Benefit Cuts's "Week of Action Against ATOS Origin", Disability rights campaigners, trade unionists and students demonstrated today outside the London HQ of Atos Origin to protest against the punitive medical testing of those claiming disability and sickness benefits. The new Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) has replaced Incapacity Benefit. Today's protest was the first of many protests this week in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, Liverpool, Plymouth and Truro.

Speakers gave their often harrowing accounts of those who have had their lives devastated by this unfair process designed to accomodate the governments policy of slashing the Welfare budget by 20%. There are many reports of the terminally ill being declared fit for work only to die weeks later, and there was one testimony from one young woman whose disabled brother was left in so much distress after ATOS declared him fit for work (which he clearly wasn't) and having his benfits stopped that he hung himself.

Protesters are angry that in spite of well documented criticisms of the Work Capability Assessment by Professor Malcolm Harrington who was commissioned by the government to review the W.C.A. process, ATOS have again been awarded a £300 million contract by DWP to continue making these flawed assesments which have already ruined many disabled peoples' lives and has already led to several suicides. On appeal - which takes about a year, in which time people's lives can deteriorate massively - around 70% of ATOS Origin's deeply-flawed assessments by unsympathetic staff who are paid by results, are overturned, leaving us to wonder how much money is this actually saving, and what is the appeals process costing, and in the meanwhile how much profound harm is being done to disabled people, their carers and their families, all of whom are experiencing huge amounts of increased stress?

According to NHS Information Centre incidents of self-harm, attempted suicide and actual suicide have increased in recent years since the introduction of the Welfare Reform Programme 2007 and ATOS Origin Work Capability Assessment regime.

Even though the National Audit Office estimated that for the year 2009-2010 fraud costs 0.6% of DWP's budget - massively below the levels stated by Chancellor George Osborne in the Comprehensive Spending Review, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith, added to the recent wave of media disability hatred by saying in the Sun newspaper on December 1st 2011 "We have managed to create a block of people in Britain who do not add anything to the greatness of this country..." and “They have become conditioned to be users of services, not providers of money. This is a huge part of the reason we have this massive deficit. We have had to borrow vast sums of money. We went on this inflated spending spree."

This truly offensive and unfair meme was immediately pounced upon and wielded by right-wing newspapers in the UK, especially the Daily Mail, the Telegraph and more recently the Daily Express, who have all mounted nasty editorial campaigns portraying the weakest, most vulnerable members of our society as nothing more than workshy scroungers. This vilification of the Disabled is rapidly turning back the clock on hard-fought-for Disability Rights, as these newspapers are tapping directly into the ready willingness of some people to physically intimidate and bully disabled people, especially those with mental impairments, and it is reported elsewhere that incidences of bullying against the disabled has increased.

For more information contact press liason Linda Burnip of Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) on +441926 842253 or +447714 927 533

All photos © 2011 Pete Riches

Do not reproduce or reblog my images without my permission.

Woman in Wheelchair Receives Award

Psychotherapy and Counseling Services

68-22A Forest Ave, 1st Floor

Ridgewood, NY 11385

(917) 251-7437

Psychotherapyn@yahoo.com

psychotherapyn.com

I provide counseling for individuals, couples, and families by creating a positive and caring treatment environment based on specific needs of each client. Using integrative, dynamic, and interactive therapeutic process, I help the client overcome the existing problem, implement behavioral changes, and explore his/her potential more effectively in everyday life.

I am a licensed Mental Health Counselor in the state of New York. I received Masters degrees in Mental Health Counseling and Psychology from the City College of New York/CUNY, as well as an MS in Clinical Psychology, with specialization in Psychoanalytic therapy.

I have flexible working hours and I am open to scheduling counseling sessions on the weekends and late evenings, as well as any emergency appointments, if needed. Call today to get your appointment, (917) 251-7437.

Working Hours: Mon - Fri 9am - 5pm

Payments Accepted: cash, check, credit cards

Opened Since: 2003

Twitter: twitter.com/PSYTCS

Facebook: www.facebook.com/PsychotherapyCounselingServices

Blogger: psychotherapyandcounselingservices.blogspot.com/

Psychotherapy and Counseling Services

68-22A Forest Ave, 1st Floor

Ridgewood, NY 11385

(917) 251-7437

Psychotherapyn@yahoo.com

psychotherapyn.com

I provide counseling for individuals, couples, and families by creating a positive and caring treatment environment based on specific needs of each client. Using integrative, dynamic, and interactive therapeutic process, I help the client overcome the existing problem, implement behavioral changes, and explore his/her potential more effectively in everyday life.

I am a licensed Mental Health Counselor in the state of New York. I received Masters degrees in Mental Health Counseling and Psychology from the City College of New York/CUNY, as well as an MS in Clinical Psychology, with specialization in Psychoanalytic therapy.

I have flexible working hours and I am open to scheduling counseling sessions on the weekends and late evenings, as well as any emergency appointments, if needed. Call today to get your appointment, (917) 251-7437.

Working Hours: Mon - Fri 9am - 5pm

Payments Accepted: cash, check, credit cards

Opened Since: 2003

Twitter: twitter.com/PSYTCS

Facebook: www.facebook.com/PsychotherapyCounselingServices

Blogger: psychotherapyandcounselingservices.blogspot.com/

Psychotherapy and Counseling Services

68-22A Forest Ave, 1st Floor

Ridgewood, NY 11385

(917) 251-7437

Psychotherapyn@yahoo.com

psychotherapyn.com

I provide counseling for individuals, couples, and families by creating a positive and caring treatment environment based on specific needs of each client. Using integrative, dynamic, and interactive therapeutic process, I help the client overcome the existing problem, implement behavioral changes, and explore his/her potential more effectively in everyday life.

I am a licensed Mental Health Counselor in the state of New York. I received Masters degrees in Mental Health Counseling and Psychology from the City College of New York/CUNY, as well as an MS in Clinical Psychology, with specialization in Psychoanalytic therapy.

I have flexible working hours and I am open to scheduling counseling sessions on the weekends and late evenings, as well as any emergency appointments, if needed. Call today to get your appointment, (917) 251-7437.

Working Hours: Mon - Fri 9am - 5pm

Payments Accepted: cash, check, credit cards

Opened Since: 2003

Twitter: twitter.com/PSYTCS

Facebook: www.facebook.com/PsychotherapyCounselingServices

Blogger: psychotherapyandcounselingservices.blogspot.com/

This is an easier interface to flickr to surf the latest 20 photos for a certain tag:

icant.co.uk/easy-flickr/

Lynne Featherstone MP with Big Lottery manager Alison Rowe and Action for Kids student Hisba checking out the Lottery funded new computer equipment, Hornsey, October 2010

The "stations" on the railway map were chosen by local children in a competition which ran during the summer, 2011

Greater Manchester Police have produced emergency contact cards have been to assist people with learning disabilities or other conditions when dealing with 999 services.

The card has been distributed to dozens of organisations across Greater Manchester, ranging from the Alzheimer’s Society to Wigan Adult Disability Services.

The size of a credit card, the front carries the name of the person plus details of an emergency contact, while the reverse provides information about any medical condition or disability they may have.

The Force’s PC Dave Hasan said: “The basic information provided on the card is designed to help locate the person’s emergency contact or provide medical information which enables the emergency services to provide a quicker and more efficient service for that individual.”

It will be of particular benefit in cases where a person who is in contact with the emergency services has a learning or other disability which affects their ability to communicate clearly. Officers need to be aware that a person they are dealing with may present the card to them.

For information about Greater Manchester Police please visit our website.

www.gmp.police.uk

Psychotherapy and Counseling Services

68-22A Forest Ave, 1st Floor

Ridgewood, NY 11385

(917) 251-7437

Psychotherapyn@yahoo.com

psychotherapyn.com

I provide counseling for individuals, couples, and families by creating a positive and caring treatment environment based on specific needs of each client. Using integrative, dynamic, and interactive therapeutic process, I help the client overcome the existing problem, implement behavioral changes, and explore his/her potential more effectively in everyday life.

I am a licensed Mental Health Counselor in the state of New York. I received Masters degrees in Mental Health Counseling and Psychology from the City College of New York/CUNY, as well as an MS in Clinical Psychology, with specialization in Psychoanalytic therapy.

I have flexible working hours and I am open to scheduling counseling sessions on the weekends and late evenings, as well as any emergency appointments, if needed. Call today to get your appointment, (917) 251-7437.

Working Hours: Mon - Fri 9am - 5pm

Payments Accepted: cash, check, credit cards

Opened Since: 2003

Twitter: twitter.com/PSYTCS

Facebook: www.facebook.com/PsychotherapyCounselingServices

Blogger: psychotherapyandcounselingservices.blogspot.com/

The Earlswood Asylum for Idiots and Imbeciles (i.e. the mentally challenged) was founded in Highgate in 1848 by the Rev'd. Doctor A. Reed. Construction began on new premises at Redhill, Surrey in 1852 to the design of W.B. Moffat and was completed three years later.

Dr. John Langdon Down was superintendent from 1858-1868 and it was here that he first identified what he termed 'Mongolian Idiocy', now named Down's Syndrome in his honour. In recognition of his work, Queen Victoria gave the asylum a royal charter in 1862.

From the late '30s, two of the Queen Mother's nieces were kept here without visits and were officially declared dead by Buckingham Palace.

The hospital closed in 1997 and is now a complex of luxury apartments

New York City Mayor Eric Adams participates in a participates in a panel symposium on dyslexia awareness at Columbia University on Tuesday, December 20, 2022. Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office

"Do not look for approval except for the consciousness of doing your best."

- Bernard M. Baruch