News round-up: More concern about benefits changes

The Guardian published an article this week about a benefits report co-written by Disability Rights UK, Citizen's Advice Bureau and the Children's Society. The research says that the slated benefit reforms will penalise thousands of disabled people.

Disability campaigners reached fever pitch earlier this year with protests and warnings, and gradually now we're seeing considered concern from diverse sources with long-established reputations.

Understandably the government are keen to get as many people into the workplace as possible and indeed most disabled people who are able enough, welcome this principle, they want to play a part in building the country, and earn more money for themselves in so doing. But a question mark still hangs over what all these changes will do, how severe the consequences might be ... or maybe even how genius Iain Duncan Smith is for finally breaking the so-called benefits trap that many accept is all too real.

A readers comment at the bottom of the Guardian article asks: Am I wrong in thinking that prison [might] offer a better alternative to disabled people than dying cold and hungry and unnoticed in their homes. All the services disabled people need are under one roof. There is also paid work for prisoners within the system."

On the aforementioned report, the newspaper quoted a DWP spokesman referring to the analysis as: "highly selective".

Elsewhere in the news

Neo-eugenics: DNA info could be very accessible soon (The Telegraph, Friday 13 July)

Nursery labelling one-year-olds 'special needs' raising fears that some are being given tag with no justification (Daily Mail, Friday 13 July)

DNA pioneer James Watson: We could cure most cancers in a decade (Daily Mail, Friday 13 July)

Breast cancer surgery women 'risk more operations' (BBC News, Friday 13 July)

Disabled children four times more likely to be victims of violence: study (The Telegraph, Thursday 12 July)

Concerns over tackling Olympics overcrowding in London stations (BBC News, Thursday 12 July)

Alzheimer's 'early signs timeline developed' (BBC News, Wednesday 11 July)

Social care plans 'simply paper over cracks' (BBC News, Wednesday 11 July)

Minister calls for change in attitude as wheelchair user takes on bus companies (The Guardian, Wednesday 11 July)

Remploy to close 27 factories, government confirms (BBC News, Tuesday 10 July)

London 2012: Disabled artists launch Unlimited Festival (BBC News, Tuesday 10 July)

GB athletics team named for London Paralympics (BBC Sport, Tuesday 10 July)

Refused access: fighting for the right to travel on the buses (The Guardian, Tuesday 10 July)

Social care cap plans 'need funding and timetable' (BBC News, Saturday 7 July)

85,000 Americans went on disability benefit in June (while only 80,000 jobs were added in the same period) (The Daily Mail, Saturday 7 July)