Latest news with #AccessAll
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
PIP review update as 10 people could be consulting with Stephen Timms on future of benefit
Following the U-turn on welfare reform, Sir Stephen Timms' PIP review is now underway Following the scrapping of the controversial benefit eligibility changes from the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill in July, several concessions were made to advance the welfare reform. Among these was the establishment of a fresh review examining the PIP assessment process, to be headed by the Minister of State for Disability and Social Security. Sir Stephen Timms has now provided insight into what this review might entail and how it could transform the benefit currently received by 3.7 million people nationwide. During an appearance on BBC's Access All podcast, the minister emphasised that unlike the previous reform attempt, this review isn't driven by any cost-reduction objectives. He explained: "The review exercise is not designed to deliver spending cuts. We'll have to operate within the current projections. This review is not intended to deliver cuts, I don't think some of the people we need to involve in the review wouldn't be (involved) if they thought that's what it was for." The MP also outlined the review's structure, placing disabled people and disability charities at the heart of his strategy, though within a limited consultation group. Sir Timms revealed he envisages fewer than a dozen people being directly engaged throughout the entire process. Although not yet confirmed, the MP outlined the summer plans: "What we're doing over the summer is planning in detail how that process will be taken forward. "What I envisage is a small group maybe 10 people who work very closely with me for the period of this review, they will have a lot of sway over the reform. We haven't yet worked out who. That's what we've got to reflect on over the summer." Sir Timms reflected on the last-minute compromises that allowed the Bill to pass through Parliament without definite amendments to Personal Independence Payments, describing it as "an example of democracy doing what it's supposed to do". He highlighted how Labour listened and changed its plans when people spoke up both in and outside of Parliament. Elaborating further, he said: "We listened to those concerns and as you know there was a proposal to limit eligibility for PIP to people who had four points on at least one of the daily living activities. "We decided not to go ahead with that instead to set up a full review of the PIP assessment which I will lead and co-produce with disabled people and disability organisations. "It means we are going to be taking a lead from disabled people and representatives in this work over the next year or so...I think that's a positive example that we need now to build on in taking forward this review." The initial welfare reform proposals were forecasted to slash about £5 billion from welfare expenditure by 2030. Official government statistics suggested that this would have prevented roughly 800,000 people from receiving the daily living component. Of this group, 370,000 would have forfeited their entitlement due to an award received, and 430,000 were projected to be future claimants. On average, these 800,000 disabled people would have seen a yearly reduction of £4,500 in support.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Adolescence writer says benefit cuts 'punching down' on disabled people
The screenwriter behind hit TV drama Adolescence has told the BBC the government's planned benefit changes are "punching down" on disabled people. Jack Thorne, who is autistic and won critical acclaim for the Netflix drama, said the plans were "wrong and dangerous and that we need to be challenging them as a society". The government announced plans in March to make £5bn welfare cuts amid increasing demand and to encourage people back into work. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said: "We are determined to support people in all parts of the country by tackling poverty and creating secure, well-paid jobs." Thorne told the BBC's Access All podcast that the plans were going to cause "severe hardship" for thousands of disabled people and "enough is enough". He said: "It is very expensive being a disabled person. And the extra payments are required for people to have any quality of life." According to the charity Scope, disabled households face an average of £1,010 extra costs per month. "I'm aware of friends of mine that are really struggling right now, and it makes me incredibly angry that talented, brilliant people are being denied the support that they need in order to lead a reasonable quality of life," Thorne said. "I don't understand why I live in a country now where we punch down quite as much as we do and it worries me about the future direction of travel." Changes to benefits include freezing the "health element" of Universal Credit for existing claimants at £97 per week and reducing the amount for new claimants to £50 from 2026. Parliament is also set to vote on plans to tighten eligibility criteria for Personal Independence Payments (Pip), which is used to cover the additional costs of being disabled, whether you work or not. Thorne was one of more than 100 influential disabled people to sign an open letter to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, which said of the cuts: "This is not reform; it is cruelty by policy." The letter, published as part of the new #TakeThePIP campaign, was signed by actors Liz Carr and Doctor Who star Ruth Madeley, as well as comedians Rosie Jones and 2018's Britain's Got Talent winner Lee Ridley, otherwise known as Lost Voice Guy. They say the changes to the way Pip will be awarded is a "radical departure from the current system". Currently those receiving the benefit must score 12 points across various activities in the assessment, but from 2026 four of the 12 points must come from one single activity for the applicant to receive the highest rate. The signatories said these changes mean those who "can't wash below the waist, for example, could now not qualify and lose vital benefits", "For us, Pip is not a benefit - it is access to life. Without it, people are left housebound and isolated." What are the Pip and universal credit changes and who is affected? Thorne, who has written dramas including His Dark Materials, Toxic Town and the stage play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child said: "They're [the government] worried about all these different things, but the answer to that is not [to target] the people who are suffering the most. "Talented, brilliant people are being denied the support that they need in order to lead a reasonable quality of life." Thorne was diagnosed autistic as an adult and lived with an intense skin condition called cholinergic urticaria in his 20s, meaning he was allergic to heat and his own body movements. He spent six months in bed "because every time I moved, I was having an allergic reaction". He says he has been passionate about supporting and representing the disabled community ever since. "They [the government] just got this one so wrong, and I don't think it's been done with enough consultation with the disabled community. And I think if they did consult meaningfully, they would discover what they need to do here. And it's not this." A consultation on some of the planned changes to benefits is available to fill in online until 30 June. The DWP added: "Pip is a part of the way that we support disabled people and people with long term health conditions. "But with the number of people claiming Pip doubling since the pandemic, it's right that we rebalance the system to ensure support is targeted to those who need it most. "Alongside this, as part of our Plan for Change, we've increased the 'national living wage', uprated benefits, and are helping over one million households by introducing a fair repayment rate on Universal Credit deductions." Thorne received critical acclaim earlier this year for his Netflix drama Adolescence, which he co-wrote with actor Stephen Graham and told the story of a 13-year-old boy accused of murdering a girl in his class. The show sparked national debates about the impact of social media and "manosphere" influencers, particularly on boys, and led to a meeting with the prime minister to talk about protecting people online. "It's been amazing, Adolescence having the impact it has had. We're still all reeling from it." He said since the meeting the Women and Equalities Select Committee had started an investigation into the manosphere and a group of Labour MPs are "pushing very hard" for legislative changes to protect people using the internet. Thorne says Starmer was "very sincere and he was very interested in Adolescence and I'm really grateful for that". "And I think he needs to be as interested in this," he added. Adolescence hard to watch as a dad, Starmer tells creators
BBC News
27-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Adolescence writer says benefit cuts 'punching down' on disabled people
The screenwriter behind hit TV drama Adolescence has told the BBC the government's planned benefit changes are "punching down" on disabled Thorne, who is autistic and won critical acclaim for the Netflix drama, said the plans were "wrong and dangerous and that we need to be challenging them as a society".The government announced plans in March to make £5bn welfare cuts amid increasing demand and to encourage people back into Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said: "We are determined to support people in all parts of the country by tackling poverty and creating secure, well-paid jobs." Thorne told the BBC's Access All podcast that the plans were going to cause "severe hardship" for thousands of disabled people and "enough is enough".He said: "It is very expensive being a disabled person. And the extra payments are required for people to have any quality of life."According to the charity Scope, disabled households face an average of £1,010 extra costs per month."I'm aware of friends of mine that are really struggling right now, and it makes me incredibly angry that talented, brilliant people are being denied the support that they need in order to lead a reasonable quality of life," Thorne said."I don't understand why I live in a country now where we punch down quite as much as we do and it worries me about the future direction of travel."Changes to benefits include freezing the "health element" of Universal Credit for existing claimants at £97 per week and reducing the amount for new claimants to £50 from is also set to vote on plans to tighten eligibility criteria for Personal Independence Payments (Pip), which is used to cover the additional costs of being disabled, whether you work or not. Thorne was one of more than 100 influential disabled people to sign an open letter to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, which said of the cuts: "This is not reform; it is cruelty by policy."The letter, published as part of the new #TakeThePIP campaign, was signed by actors Liz Carr and Doctor Who star Ruth Madeley, as well as comedians Rosie Jones and 2018's Britain's Got Talent winner Lee Ridley, otherwise known as Lost Voice say the changes to the way Pip will be awarded is a "radical departure from the current system".Currently those receiving the benefit must score 12 points across various activities in the assessment, but from 2026 four of the 12 points must come from one single activity for the applicant to receive the highest signatories said these changes mean those who "can't wash below the waist, for example, could now not qualify and lose vital benefits", "For us, Pip is not a benefit - it is access to life. Without it, people are left housebound and isolated."Thorne, who has written dramas including His Dark Materials, Toxic Town and the stage play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child said: "They're [the government] worried about all these different things, but the answer to that is not [to target] the people who are suffering the most."Talented, brilliant people are being denied the support that they need in order to lead a reasonable quality of life."Thorne was diagnosed autistic as an adult and lived with an intense skin condition called cholinergic urticaria in his 20s, meaning he was allergic to heat and his own body movements. He spent six months in bed "because every time I moved, I was having an allergic reaction".He says he has been passionate about supporting and representing the disabled community ever since."They [the government] just got this one so wrong, and I don't think it's been done with enough consultation with the disabled community. And I think if they did consult meaningfully, they would discover what they need to do here. And it's not this."A consultation on some of the planned changes to benefits is available to fill in online until 30 DWP added: "Pip is a part of the way that we support disabled people and people with long term health conditions. "But with the number of people claiming Pip doubling since the pandemic, it's right that we rebalance the system to ensure support is targeted to those who need it most."Alongside this, as part of our Plan for Change, we've increased the 'national living wage', uprated benefits, and are helping over one million households by introducing a fair repayment rate on Universal Credit deductions." Thorne received critical acclaim earlier this year for his Netflix drama, Adolescence, which he co-wrote with actor Stephen Graham and told the story of a 13-year-old boy accused of murdering a girl in his show sparked national debates about the impact of social media and "manosphere" influencers, particularly on boys, and led to a meeting with the prime inister to talk about protecting people online."It's been amazing, Adolescence having the impact it has had. We're still all reeling from it."He said since the meeting the Women and Equalities Select Committee had started an investigation into the manosphere and a group of Labour MPs are "pushing very hard" for legislative changes to protect people using the says Starmer was "very sincere and he was very interested in Adolescence and I'm really grateful for that". "And I think he needs to be as interested in this," he added.
News18
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
When Tim Pierce Opened For The Eagles And Later Got Banned From Concert
Last Updated: Tim Pierce shared how a friend helped him stay at a venue where he opened the night for The Eagles and was later asked to leave. Renowned session guitarist Tim Pierce has recently shared a bizarre incident when he got banned backstage sometime after he opened for The Eagles concert. Pierce worked with several heavyweights in the music industry, including pop sensations like Michael Jackson, Miley Cyrus and Demi Lovato to name a few. Recently, he posted a video on his YouTube channel where he opened up about the turn of events that got him open and banned backstage during The Eagles' concert on the same day. Sharing the story with his more than 5.67 lakh subscribers, Pierce called it the 'biggest night for musicians" in history during that time. The incident took place during the New Year's Eve at the turn of the millennium, while Pierce remained a member of Linda Ronstadt's band, Guitar World magazine reported. The Eagles as well as Jackson Browne were set to perform at the event that took place at Los Angeles-based Staples Center (now known as Arena). The tickets for the concert started at $50 and went up to $1,000 apiece. Talking about the events that took place after Ronstadt's set, Pierce said that this is the 'reality of big-time show business". This was the time when musicians and artists were performing mega gigs 'for great fees," he added. Amid tight security, the group went to perform warm-up shows in the run up to the big event. Pierce said that the security at the event was beefed up and even Don Henley faced 'trouble" with the guards. 'There was some sort of kerfuffle. Some angry words were exchanged," he mentioned. As the venue started filling with 'New Year's Eve revelers," Pierce decided to watch the event after his gig from the side of the stage. For the same, he was even provided with an Access All Areas pass. However, things soon turned ugly for him as halfway through Jackson Browne's performance, Pierce and his wife were told 'all of a sudden" that their backstage access was being revoked. They were informed that after Browne's set, they were 'no longer welcome in the building." After hearing this, Pierce's mind 'went into overdrive". Soon after, he started investigating the matter and realised that the crew members of The Eagles had a yellow sticker attached to their photo IDs — something that remained missing from their credentials. While Pierce started thinking what could be done to stay in the concert and was 'about to give up," he realised that his friend, audio engineer Dave Covelli, served as the Staples Center manager. Both of them earlier worked together for four years. Pierce did not waste any time and got in touch with Covelli and things worked out in his favour. He was later allowed to sit with his 'unimpeachable" Staples Center-issued pass. The side of the stage turned into a 'ghost town" for them as the staff members of The Eagles walked around with 'daggers in their eyes". Sharing another 'moment of awkwardness," Pierce shared that his family decided to leave the venue early to beat the traffic. But when he went backstage to get his guitar, he was stopped by a Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) official. '…it was a forbidden zone to go back into the dressing rooms," said Pierce, adding that the 'nice officer" then allowed him to walk down the 'hallowed halls of Eagledom." First Published:
Scottish Sun
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
The Traitors' Mollie Pearce dating huge popstar after heartbreaking split with ex – and they met through Dancing On Ice
She and her boyfriend broke up after three years ahead of her time on Dancing On Ice moving on The Traitors' Mollie Pearce dating huge popstar after heartbreaking split with ex – and they met through Dancing On Ice Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE Traitors star Mollie Pearce is dating a huge pop star after splitting from her ex-boyfriend last year. Mollie, 23, took to Instagram to share a snap from a recent trip to Amsterdam with Connor Ball from The Vamps. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 6 Mollie reposted Connor's snap of them taken during a recent trip to Amsterdam Credit: Instagram 6 Connor is a member of boyband The Vamps Credit: Getty 6 Mollie split from boyfriend Max in October after three years together Credit: Instagram And The Sun can reveal they are together after meeting on the set of Dancing On Ice earlier this year. Mollie took part in the most recent series, while Connor, 29, starred on the show in 2022. An insider said: "Mollie met Connor when he came to Dancing On Ice during her series - they chatted as he was on the 2022 series and things went from there. "They've been secretly dating for a few weeks and are on their first holiday together. It's early stages but it's going really well." Mollie, who came runner-up during series two of The Traitors in 2024, confirmed in October last year that she and boyfriend Max Backwell had split after three years. She told the Mail: "After a number of happy years together Max and I have decided to part ways. "It was amicable and we're both still friends." Mollie became a fan favourite on The Traitors when she told on Claudia Winkleman's murder mystery how she was born with one hand. In her late teens she began working as a disability model. Mollie also lives with a stoma after surgery to remove her colon at the age of 18 following a decade with ulcerative colitis. The Traitors finalist Mollie Pearce reveals how she was 'betrayed twice' in gripping BBC show Speaking to BBC's Access All podcast, she said: "I call my stoma Sid. "I'm very proud of Sid. He's helped me in a lot of ways.' 6 Mollie shot to fame after taking part in series two of The Traitors Credit: Instagram 6 She took part in Dancing On Ice earlier this year Credit: Shutterstock
