The cap on AtW

From October 2015 AtW put a cap on how much support they will give a Deaf or disabled person (see Updates page for more information about this).  

Whilst they say it is just right that they should do this, it actually means that a scheme intended to help the people who find it hardest to get work because of the cost of their support needs, don't get the support they need.  For example, the cap means that some Deafblind people have to choose between support to get to and from work, or having a BSL interpreter, because their isn't enough money to pay for both.  

​This cap is something that we should take every opportunity to challenge.

History of AtW and legal context to challenges

2nd July 2014

Rob Wilkes in a recent blog (BSL and English) has looked at the history of AtW, and some of the possible areas of challenge.  As well as complaining, and the PHSO, Rob explains how you may be able to challenge using: Judicial review, Discrimination under the Equality Act 2010, Human Rights, and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.  Really interesting.

The blog is in two parts.  Links below:

What is AtW?  

Can decisions made by AtW be challenged?   

Campaign to improve AtW for yourself and other people

DeafATW is here to support you in challenging poor AtW decisions, or to complain about the way AtW has treated you.  

Many Deaf people have said it's frustrating that they have tried so many different things but AtW won't listen.  It is easy to feel overwhelmed.  To try to avoid this you need to focus on the things that are most important.  So first you MUST complain.  If you haven't formally complained yet, go back to the How to Complain page, complain and tell your MP!  If you follow the complaints process step by step  eventually you will get to the PHSO. 

After you have complained, it may also be useful to campaign to get AtW to listen to you and other Deaf people.  Below you'll find some suggestion from campaign professionals and Deaf people.  Many of these things you can do on your own.  If several of you can campaign together  it will have more of an impact as MPs, the Select Committee, etc. will know it's not just one person's problem.

Interpreters and other people who work with you can also support your campaign, by joining the Stop the Changes Campaign, and providing evidence to MPs, the Work and Pensions Select Committee, and the House of Lords.  

Actions include: 
  • Contact the Work and Pensions select committee.  (This has finished now, and was a very successful campaign.  See Updates page for more information).

If you have any other ideas about effective campaign strategies let me know and I'll add them.

Campaign to improve AtW for yourself and other people - BSL

Stop Changes to Access to Work - an independent campaign

Stop Changes to Access to Work is an independent campaign, led by Deaf AtW users.  They have a 38 degrees petition (make sure you and everyone you know sign it), a website full of information, links, and a template letter you can send to your MP, a twitter account for campaign updates, and a Facebook page with brilliant graphics that show what is wrong with what AtW are saying and doing.

Click any of the Stop Changes to AtW links below:
Sign the petition.
Stop Changes to Access to Work Website - Information, Links and Template letter for your MP.
Stop Changes to Access to Work - Facebook page, with lots of information and graphics that you can share to show what AtW are saying and doing.
Twitter - send a link to the petition and sign up for updates
Go straight to the Template Letter about the changes to send to your MP

Stop Changes to Access to Work - an independent campaign - BSL

If you are an interpreter - consider joining NUBSLI.

The National Union of British Sign Language Interpreters (NUBSLI) are a branch of Unite the union.

As a profession, British Sign Language/English interpreters, Deaf interpreters and Sign Language translators are currently under represented in discussions within government. NUBSLI's aim is to have the highest percentage of any UK profession in a union, something that is achievable given the size of our profession. If we succeed in this, our collective voice will be harder for decision makers to ignore.

So if many, or most, interpreters are members of NUBSLI, then it gives NUBSLI a powerful position with AtW / DWP.

Deaf people using AtW complain of getting awards that are much too low to pay for good interpreters, are often told AtW won't pay for two interpreters at meetings, are increasingly told they have to use a CSW instead of an interpreter.  

NUBSLI would challenge these issues for interpreters, and so would also support Deaf AtW users in getting an appropriate professional service.

Click here to go to NUBSLI's website.

Commons Select Committee

This has finished now, and was a very successful campaign.  See Updates page for more information, or Select Committee inquiry archive (with some translation by Clive Mason).

Your story - your experience written up as a case study

All campaigns need real life examples - to persuade politicians, as stories for the media, and for organisations of and for Deaf people to use when challenging AtW.  This is really important, because without case studies, people people may not understand or believe that the problems are true, or how badly they are affecting Deaf people's ability to work.

If you think what's happened to you with your AtW claim would be a useful case study, please contact me, and I'll discuss it with you.  Your case study can be made anonymous so that no one will know it is about you, or can have your details in it.  A case study can be for the media or campaigning with politicians.  Etc. 

You can either write it yourself, or if you'd like, we can help you.

Your story - your experience written up as a case study - BSL

Suggestions from Deaf people of some things you can tell MPs, the newspapers and the Select Committee

What should you talk about?  

  • How good AtW was, how it supported you and other Deaf people to get into work, and to get promotions, etc. on an equal footing with the hearing people you work with.  Explain how it helped.
  • That AtW is not a benefit, that it brings more money back to the government than they spend on AtW (according to the Sayce report), because it means Deaf and disabled people are earning and paying in taxes, instead of being unemployed and claiming benefits.
  • What have the main changes been that have affected you?  
  • Why are these changes causing a problem now in your job? 
  • What do you think the impact of these changes will be on your ability to keep your job, get promotion, and in future to get new jobs?
  • Has AtW listened to you?  Have they worked with you in making these changes?  Have they been clear with you about how to complain?
  • What does the DWP and AtW need to do to support Deaf people in work again?  

It helps to write things down, and decide what they main things are.  If you tell people too much information, or long complicated stories about what happened, they may not understand the main point.  So try to say just what you need to say, keep it short and specific.  And be really clear about how AtW can put it right.

Suggestions from Deaf people of some things you can tell MPs, the newspapers and the Select Committee - BSL 

Meet your MPs or write them a letter

You can ask for your MP's help with your individual problems with AtW.  Some Deaf people have said that MPs seem to understand the situation better when they meet face to face.  

And also tell them that you will be campaigning for people in your community to vote for the candidates in the 2015 general election who offer the best support to Deaf and disabled people in getting AtW, which would include making AtW a real support again.  In some areas the winners at the last election won by only a few votes.  In those areas MPs might be really concerned about a local campaign

If you want to find the name and address of your MP

If you want to find out if you live in an area where the winners in the last election only won by a few votes (if you are in a marginal seat for the 2015 election).

Meet your MPs or write them a letter - BSL 

Write to the House of Lords

The House of Lords work alongside the House of Commons to make laws, and to check and challenge government actions. Members can question government Ministers, and discuss issues and policy just as MPs do in the Commons. 

The Government do not have a majority in the House of Lords, so they can’t always win the vote. There are a large number of Members of the Lords who are Crossbenchers, people who don’t belong to a particular political party.

Also, as members of the House of Lords don’t represent a particular part of the country, you can contact any of the Lords to ask them to support you.

If you want to check what issues Lords are interested in, you can Google "Lords Hansard" then "Deaf", "AtW", etc.  Then check to see which Lords' names come up, and whether they challenge or agree with government.

Write to the House of Lords - BSL 
I have found four Lords so far; Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour) has an interest in services for Deaf People, Lord Shipley (Liberal Democrat) has asked a question recently about services for Deaf people, The Baroness Grey-Thompson DBE (cross bench - independent) has spoken out on behalf of disabled people, and Baroness Campbell of Surbiton (cross bench - independent) has a lot of experience with Equality and Human Rights Commission and the DWP.   

You can try contacting them, or look for other Lords.  

Please let me know if they are helpful, or if there are other Lords who help, and I will put their names here.
You can find more about the House of Lords here
You can find out how to contact Lord Hunt of King's Heath here
You can find out how to contact Lord Shipley here
You can find out how to contact The Baroness Grey-Thompson DBE here 
You can find out how to contact Baroness Campbell of Surbiton here

Lords who may have an interest in services for Deaf people - BSL 

Find out about more about your MP, the Select Committee, and members of the House of Lords

If you want to find out about what your MP has said in Parliament, what debates about AtW and deafness have taken place in the past, or want to look for members of the House of Lords who are interested in Deafness or AtW, then look at a website called They Work For You (www.theyworkforyou.com).  It explains very clearly how MPs and Lords have voted, what questions they have asked, etc.
Click here to go to theyworkforyou.com

Find out about more about your MP, the Select Committee, and members of the House of Lords - BSL 

Write to national or local newspapers  

You can contact journalists who may be interested, or write to newspaper's letters pages.  You can write as an individual, or several Deaf AtW users write a joint letter.

Tell them about your problems with AtW.  Tell them if you've written to your MP, and how they've responded.  Explain how you are worried about your job.  Etc.  (Remember if you work for an organisation it's best to talk to them first before talking to the media).

Write to national or local newspapers - BSL 

Contact Organisations of and for Deaf people to campaign for you

UKCOD and some of the organisations of and for Deaf people are already talking to AtW about some of these issues.  But they only know what the problem is, and how important it is to you, if you tell them.  Whether you are a member or not, you can contact them to:

  • Tell them how urgent and important this issue is, and if you think this should be a campaign priority for them.
  • Ask them what they are doing about this problem, and ask them to do more if you think they need to.
  • Ask them to make sure they reflect your experience when they campaign and talk to AtW.
  • Tell them what you think they should be doing, what you want them to say.  Also tell them if you think they aren't doing enough, or are doing the wrong things.
  • Tell them what solutions would meet your needs.  Otherwise they may agree things with AtW in ways that don't help you.

Below you'll find links to contact some organisations, and any information about AtW changes on their websites.  If you belong to other organisations such as Unions, you can contact them too.

You should also look further down this page for information about organisations of disabled people, who are also campaigning for Deaf and disabled people about AtW.

Contact Organisations of and for Deaf people to campaign for you - BSL 

Action on Hearing Loss (AoHL)

AoHL are working with other UKCoD members to challenge AtW and DWP about the changes.  

There are two public statements available about this issue, the links to the press releases are below.

They are really interested in your experiences and the problems you are having with AtW.

On the AoHL website there is information about the AtW scheme, about their work with the other organisations, and discussions about AtW on the AoHL forums.  Just type AtW into the search box on the AoHL website.
November 2013 - Press release about the joint letter from leading Deaf organisations which demands urgent reassessment of policy changes (about employing interpreters).  The Press Release is on the Action on Hearing Loss (AoHL) website.
March 2014 - Press release about the joint meeting of leading Deaf organisations with ATW / DWP
Contact Action on Hearing Loss - AoHL

Action on Hearing Loss (AoHL) - BSL

British Deaf Association (BDA)

The BDA have two reports on the problems with AtW.  

A general report on the results of their consultation with Deaf people, that contains a number of useful case studies.

A second later report looking at the impact of the '30 hour rule', with more updated case studies.

At the moment on the BDA website you can find information about the Early Day Motion (EDM).  So contact the BDA if you want a copy of the report, or to ask how they are campaigning on your behalf.

Or click the link to read about the EDM.
Contact the BDA here
Information about the Early Day Motion about AtW

British Deaf Association (BDA)

National Association of Deafened People (NADP)

There currently appears to be nothing on the website about the AtW changes, or impact on deafened people.
Contact NADP here

National Association of Deafened People (NADP) - BSL

Sense - for deafblind people

There currently appears to be nothing on the website about the AtW changes, or impact on deafblind people.
Contact Sense here

Sense - for deafblind people - BSL

UK Council on Deafness (UKCoD)

UKCoD is a membership body for organisations concerned with Deafness. They provide access to specialist information, conferences and collaborative working opportunities, whilst providing a collective membership voice to political and cross sector partners.

They say you can contact them with any queries regarding membership, events, sponsorship, or our Parliamentary and Policy work.  If you are an individual with a specific question please look at our Members page for the best organisation to contact.  There currently appears to be nothing on the website about the AtW changes, or impact on Deaf, Deafblind and deafened people.
Contact UKCoD here

UK Council on Deafness (UKCoD) - BSL

Campaign with Disabled People's Organisations

The changes to AtW have affected disabled people as well as Deaf people.  

It may be really useful to work together with disabled people and Disabled People's Organisations (DPOs) in campaigning.  

The more people that are affected by a change, the more interested media and politicians may be.  Also DPOs may have skills, contacts, and experience of taking media friendly direct action, e.g. DPAC below.  

Campaign with Disabled People's Organisations - BSL 

Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC)

At the DPAC conference we ran a workshop about AtW.  

In the workshop it became clear that Deaf and disabled people are facing many of the same issues with AtW.  

  • AtW are not listening to what Deaf and disabled people say our access needs are.  
  • AtW are telling us we have to employ a support worker, even if that isn’t what we need.  
  • AtW Advisers are being rude and disrespectful.  Etc.

Following the workshop, DPAC has set up a new working group on AtW, where Deaf and disabled people, and allies, can work together to campaign for change.

Please email mail@dpac.uk.net to get involved, and show AtW and the government that Deaf and disabled people will fight back.
You can also read more about DPAC below.

Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) is a movement set up by a group of disabled people who had been protesting against the cuts in support and benefits the government were saying had to be made.

DPAC is an alternative to the organisation of and for Deaf and disabled people, where you can be directly involved, and take direct action.

DPAC is for everyone who believes that Deaf and disabled people should have full human rights and equality.  We know that Deaf and disabled people are hit many times harder by the cuts than non-disabled people, and that the rights we have fought so hard for over many years are now being swept away.

We believe that politicians often think that Deaf and disabled people are an easy target, and think that if they make cuts they will get away with it because Deaf and disabled people won’t protest, and non-disabled people won’t be interested.

So DPAC is here to prove the politicians wrong.  We support each other to campaign directly, and work with the media and politicians, to make sure that we are visible, and that politicians don’t get away with making cuts without everyone knowing about it.

Recent successes include Atos running away from their contract to deliver Work Capability Assessment, and Labour pledging to scrap the bedroom tax if they are elected.

Ultimately we are campaigning for a society where systems, structures and cultures take disabled people into account, in all our diversity.

DPAC supports the Stop the Changes Campaign.

Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) - Get involved about AtW - BSL

Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) - More information - BSL

Inclusion London

Inclusion London works to support to Deaf and Disabled People’s organisations (often called DDPOs) in London.

They aim to support the voice that Deaf and disabled people can have through their organisations and by acting together to achieve the society that we need. They do this by:
  • Working to understand what Deaf and disabled people’s needs, views and concerns are – through research, consultation and events.
  • Articulating a clear London-wide voice against disability discrimination and for the policies and changes Deaf and disabled people want.
  • Making sure that policy-makers, strategic organisations, government and others whose work impacts on Deaf and disabled people know what we think.
  • Helping London’s Deaf and Disabled People’s Organisations (DDPOs) to access the support they need to be successful.
  • Working with others to remove disabling barriers so DDPOs receive the advice, support, training and resources they need from mainstream providers.
  • Raising awareness about policy proposals and providing information and support to help DDPOs to participate in consultations.
  • Supporting DDPOs to ensure Deaf and disabled people are involved and have influence on public policy and decisions.

It may be worth contacting them to talk about the support they can offer Deaf Organisations in London to support Deaf people in challenging the AtW changes.

Inclusion London supports the Stop the Changes Campaign.
Contact Inclusion London here

Inclusion London - BSL