Campaigns blog
Find out how MS campaigns are making a difference across the UK.
Latest entries
Will the Care Bill help fix our social care system?
Posted on 20 May 2013 at 4:39PM by Emma Darkins
The Care Bill, which brings together 60 years of care and support legislations, was published on Friday 10 May – and it could significantly improve care and support in England for people with MS.
Formally the Draft Care and Support Bill, it includes measures such as:
Help us save MS specialist nurses
Posted on 13 May 2013 at 10:35AM by Samantha KennedyMS specialist nursing posts in England are at risk. To date, the MS Society has saved 16 MS specialist nursing posts from being axed, but with your help we can ensure we protect many more.
Today we launch a map which shows where there is currently MS specialist nurse provision, and a guide to help you campaign to save your MS nurse in England if their post is at risk.
Thousands support the campaign to stop the MS lottery
Posted on 08 May 2013 at 9:08AM by Samantha KennedyLast week over 6000 people joined the campaign to stop the MS lottery. The 6000 included lots of celebrities - Chris Hoy, Scott Mills, Sally Gunnell, the Maccabees, Alex Deakin, Russell Tovey and Beccy Huxtable to name a few - and also a number of politicians.
We went to Westminster to launch the campaign and the research behind it. Take a look at what happened:
2012: The change you made
Posted on 10 Apr 2013 at 3:04PM by Samantha KennedyIn 2012, 6000 Campaigns Community members helped the MS Society achieve some amazing things.
We've made a video to celebrate, and share, how you helped deliver changes and improve the lives of people with MS.
You can also download a report of the MS Society's 2012 achievements to see the impact of our work in research, support, fundraising and much more!
Bedroom tax: information on changes to housing benefit rules
Posted on 18 Mar 2013 at 4:55PM by Samantha KennedyFrom April 2013, if you live in a council or housing association home and claim housing benefit, new rules could mean cuts to your housing benefit - known as under-occupying rules, or the 'bedroom tax'.
People judged to have spare rooms could lose on average £728 per year from their Housing Benefit, unless they can move somewhere smaller.
Some disabled adults will face a stark choice: pay more to stay in their home or leave.
Help end prescription charges for long-term conditions in England
Posted on 13 Mar 2013 at 3:05PM by Samantha KennedyFrom 1 April 2013 prescription charges will be increased by 20p to £7.85 per prescription item. A new report by the Prescription Charges Coalition - 'Paying the Price' - looks at what are the true cost of prescription charges for people with long-term conditions.
Meet Samantha, Campaigns Officer
Posted on 18 Feb 2013 at 12:06PM by Samantha KennedySamantha is the policy and campaigns team’s Campaigns Officer and has been with us since July last year. She grew up in the Isle of Man and moved to the UK to study Law & Criminal Justice at the University of Kent.
Share your WCA experience with the media
Posted on 15 Feb 2013 at 4:22PM by alicelewisA report from the Public Accounts Committee last week highlighted the flaws in the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) used by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to test people for Employment Support Allowance (ESA).
Calling campaigners in England: local Healthwatch and you
Posted on 12 Feb 2013 at 10:48AM by Samantha Kennedy
From April a new patient champion body, Healthwatch, will be launched in every local authority across England. Your Local Healthwatch will gather views and experiences of health and social care services from patients, carers and members of the public.
Getting loud about PIP
Posted on 08 Feb 2013 at 6:42PM by Samantha KennedyAt the end of January, Campaigns Community members and Stephen Lloyd MP marched 20 metres to the Department for Work and Pensions to hand in a letter to the Minister for Disabled People.
Our letter raised our concerns for Personal Independence Payment (PIP), and had been signed by over 4000 people.
Two days after this stunt the Government made a key change to PIP, making assessments fairer for people with fluctuating conditions, like MS.
Categories
- Uncategorized (2)
- All UK (6)
- Campaigns (10)
- Disability benefits (13)
- DLA (4)
- Employment (2)
- England (1)
- England campaigns (8)
- ESA (9)
- Families and carers (3)
Archive
- August 2011 (1)
- September 2011 (6)
- October 2011 (6)
- November 2011 (5)
- December 2011 (5)
- January 2012 (8)
- February 2012 (3)
- March 2012 (4)
- April 2012 (4)
- May 2012 (5)

