FREE SEMINAR: Effects of Changes to the Welfare Benefits System on Disabled People: Messages from Research, Practice and Personal Experience

You are warmly invited to this FREE seminar, run as part of York’s programme for UN International Day of People with Disabilities/Disability History Month.  It will be of interest to staff, commissioners and volunteers from statutory, voluntary and private sector organisations, elected members, disabled people and their family members and carers. To register click here:

When and where: 

2 to 4pm Tuesday 4th December at Main Hall, Priory St Centre, York YO1 6ET –http://www.priorystreetcentre.org.uk/.  Registration and drinks available from 2; presentations will start at 2.10.

We intend this to be a fully inclusive event; please let us know if you need us to facilitate any access or other requirements (provisional deadline for booking a BSL Interpreters is 16th November).

Description:

This event will look in depth at the impact that changes to the welfare benefits system have had on disabled people and their carers, including on their mental health and ability to retain their independence.  It will include Panel presentations on:

•          Research findings about the impacts of welfare conditionality on disabled people
•          Findings from Citizens Advice York of their work with disabled people trying to manage the impact of the changes, and
•          Personal experiences from disabled people and from carers.

There will also  be opportunity for discussion and exploring strategies for enhancing coping at an individual level and making representation for change at a strategic level.

Panel members:

Disabled people and carers from the York area.

Peter Dwyer, Professor of Social Policy, University of York. Peter is Director of the  WELCOND study – http://www.welfareconditionality.ac.uk/ and led for the sub team exploring the impacts of welfare conditionality on disabled people. His presentation will focus on the effects of welfare conditionality on disabled people including their mental and physical health and its inappropriateness and ineffectiveness in enabling disabled people into paid work.

Richard Porter, Service Delivery Manager, Citizens Advice York, who will provide a practitioner perspective on working with disabled people trying to manage the benefits system and cope with its impact.

Who is it run by?

The event is hosted by York Independent Living Network and York: Human Rights City Network with funding from The Hungate Community Fund, the Two Ridings Community Foundation – www.trcf.org.uk

To register click here. For more details, to discuss access requirements or other queries, email jane@phythian.org.uk