Disabled woman forced to quit job by ‘Disability Confident’ government | Disability News Service

Last Updated: September 29, 2017By

Leonora Bateman [Image: Disability News Service].

What we have here is a classic example of civil service bureaucracy in action – obeying the letter of the law (rules, regulations, whatever) on being “disability confident” while scorning its spirit.

As a result, the whole idea is discredited – at least, inasmuch as it is practised by the civil service under a Conservative government.

Perhaps the able-bodied, able-minded (although that’s questionable) pen-pushers involved in this latest travesty could consider making the reasonable adjustments to their parking arrangements, that would not cost them any money, and actually achieve something useful.

Or perhaps they’re just not confident enough?

A disabled woman has been forced to quit her job because two “Disability Confident” government organisations refused to allow her to use one of the parking spaces close to the offices where she worked.

Leonora Bateman worked for a company wholly owned by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), while the offices where she worked – and the parking spaces – were run by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

An MP has described Bateman’s treatment as “scandalous” and said her case demonstrates how “worthless” DWP’s Disability Confident scheme is.

Bateman (pictured) had been working for BPDTS, a company set up last year by DWP to provide it with its IT services and based at HMRC-run offices in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

She had asked for permission to park her car in one of the spaces near the BPDTS offices, as her mental health condition means she experiences severe anxiety attacks when walking long distances on her own.

She was originally granted a short-term permit that allowed her to park near the offices, but HMRC told her she would not be allowed a permanent permit because she did not have a mobility impairment.

Source: Disabled woman forced to quit job by ‘Disability Confident’ government


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3 Comments

  1. Rupert Mitchell (@rupert_rrl) September 30, 2017 at 9:13 am - Reply

    The biggest disability here is that of those in government who lack responsibility to act openly and honestly when dealing with such cases.

  2. Florence September 30, 2017 at 9:25 am - Reply

    This is also a classic example of the ideological discriminatory attitudes to mobility problems within MH conditions that have been used to deny PIP mobility points too. Agrophobia , severe anxiety, PTSD, and many other conditions are now discounted as “valid” disabilities.

    (Mind you, it has to be said they are the same now with many who have physical mobility problems too.)

  3. Brian September 30, 2017 at 1:09 pm - Reply

    Disability Confident ! The name says it all. Were it a serious attempt to forge equality, a watered down title would not be used.

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