Disability Law Service

04/06/2026

New government research has proved disabled activists were right to warn that receiving employment advice on top of NHS talking therapy would push many people with mental distress further away from the jobs market.

Mental health system survivors, anti-cuts activists and allies have been campaigning for more than a decade to warn that linking NHS treatment with employment advice could have serious consequences for many people with mental distress.

And now a study by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows they were right.

New government research has proved disabled activists were right to warn that receiving employment advice on top of NHS talking therapy would push many people with mental distress further away from…

03/06/2026

We are currently hiring for four new positions which are all listed on our website here - https://dls.org.uk/get-involved/vacancies/

We are recruiting for:

a) Finance and Admin officer
b) Housing Solicitor
c) Welfare Benefits Advisor
d) Partnerships and System Change Manager

We request that all applicants apply through Charity Jobs, unless any reasonable adjustments are required.

Image Description: An infographic which has our logo in purple, orange and green colours. Text which states: we are hiring, open positions; finance and admin officer, housing solicitor, welfare benefits advisor and partnerships and system change manager.
The words join our team are in black which a white logo and a purple circle.

02/06/2026

A Disabled Facility Grant (DFG) is a grant paid towards the cost of building works which are required in order to meet the needs of a disabled occupant.

To be eligible for a DFG, you or someone living in your property must be disabled. Either you or the person you are applying for must: -

👉Own the property or be a tenant
👉Intend to live in the property during the grant period (which is currently 5 years).

The Local Authority will need to assess whether the work is: -

👉Necessary and appropriate to meet the disabled person’s needs
👉Is reasonable and can be done – depending on the age and condition of the property.

01/06/2026

The Working Together to Safeguard Children Guidance, paragraph 176 states:

Assessments should be child-centred and responsive to the voice of the child. This means decisions should be made in the child’s best interests, rooted in child development, age-appropriate, sensitive to the impact of adversity and trauma and informed by evidence.

Observation can be an important way to get the perspective of babies, and non-verbal children. In the case of disabled children, practitioners should consider whether any specialist communication support is required and consider how advocacy services can support the child to communicate their views.

29/05/2026

A disabled man plans to take legal action against the Ministry of Justice after his benefit tribunal hearing had to be postponed when a judge banned him from bringing in his assistance dog.

Thomas Thorp, from Coventry, was attempting to appeal a decision of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to grant him only the standard rate of mobility on his personal independence payment (PIP) claim. He had been waiting for the appeal since April last year.

A disabled man plans to take legal action against the Ministry of Justice after his benefit tribunal hearing had to be postponed when a judge banned him from bringing in his assistance dog. Thomas …

28/05/2026

If an individual has a care package provided by the council, they can request a review at any time, as long as it is reasonable.

Examples of when reviews can be carried out are: -

👉 A change in care provider.
👉 Issues with the care agency, i.e. carers not turning up on time
or not completing the tasks required.
👉 A change in medical circumstances, i.e. a new diagnosis or
deterioration in health.
👉 The budget provided is not sufficient to meet the person's
needs.

A review for an adult can be requested under S27 Care Act 2014.

27/05/2026

We are currently hiring for four new positions which are all listed on our website here - https://dls.org.uk/get-involved/vacancies/

We are recruiting for:
a) Finance and Admin officer
b) Housing Solicitor
c) Welfare Benefits Advisor
d) Partnerships and System Change Manager

We request that all applicants apply through Charity Jobs, unless any reasonable adjustments are required.

Image Description: An infographic which has our logo in purple, orange and green colours. Text which states: we are hiring, open positions; finance and admin officer, housing solicitor, welfare benefits advisor and partnerships and system change manager.
The words join our team are in black which a white logo and a purple circle.

26/05/2026

The 2014, S19(3) provides that local authorities have a power to provide care and support for those who have urgent care needs.

This can be provided before a needs assessment or financial assessment has been carried out.

What has been your experience in asking for this type of support?

22/05/2026

Our team will be taking part in the on Tuesday 9th June.

We will be walking 10km to support those who are in need of free legal advice so that justice is available to all.

We would appreciate it if you were able to donate to sponsor our walk - https://londonlegalsupporttrust.enthuse.com/pf/disability-law-service-2026?utm_id=97757_v0_s00_e226_tv2_tp1_a1demo0e0k19kj&fbclid=IwY2xjawR89ipleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEePyyuGWss7e-aZTxBR5WLTk1nS3tIsO-tm3mT_IUC8Cp7xJwe5jr7yLGzQAw_aem_rOxWpWHOjrmIwVH2Tv92Xw

Thank you for supporting our team in fundraising for the 2026 London Legal Walk. We will be taking on 10km on Tuesday 9 June to help those in need gain access to life-changing free legal advice. Our t

20/05/2026

A disabled man says he has been left "rotting away" in hospital for the last eight months after his local NHS board stopped his 24-hour home support.

Ravi Mehta, who has a life-limiting disability, was admitted to hospital in September 2025 for a routine appointment to fix his ventilator settings.

He was supposed to go home three days later - but months on he is still stuck in a hospital ward.

The 36-year-old, who has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, says he was told "from the beginning" that he is medically fit to go home. However, the budget he received from his local NHS integrated care board (ICB) to pay for the staff he needs to support him at home has now ended.

Ravi Mehta says his care could be terminated if he self-discharged. His NHS care board says its decisions have not been driven by costs.