Beyond the Label

Investigating the DWP’s quiet rollout of Transformed Decision Making, where disability benefit assessments are being shifted away from clinicians and toward non-clinical case managers. The episode also examines leaked memos, rushed national expansion, and the tension between outsourcing contracts, parliamentary oversight, and accountability. Show Notes Ministers set to take decision on roll out of...

Disabled people’s lives are being shaped by shrinking support, from sudden Access to Work cuts and long backlogs to the fight over whether PIP should be delivered as cash, vouchers, or something else. The episode also examines why extreme heat is a growing disability rights emergency, with deadly consequences and urgent demands for autonomy, dignity, and practical support. Show Notes Heatwaves are...

This episode explores how young disabled activists are being sidelined by older movement leaders, with a sharp focus on intergenerational gatekeeping and the push for intersectional disability justice. It also examines troubling gaps in DWP accountability at coroner inquests and the growing backlash over whether PIP reform is truly being shaped with disabled people or merely presented as consultat...

This episode examines the UK’s new Right to Try plan and how removing automatic benefit reassessments could help disabled people test work or volunteering without immediate fear. It also digs into the bigger barriers—rigid workplaces, delayed Access to Work support, and the risk that financial cuts force people into jobs that still aren’t truly accessible. Show Notes Ministers unveil 'right to try...

An examination of Reform UK’s proposed £50 billion welfare cut, including the threat to disability support and the rhetoric of “suicidal empathy.” The episode also digs into the Timms PIP review workshops, the tension between public consultation and behind-the-scenes policy changes, and growing concerns about DWP accountability. Show Notes Disabled people invited to shape recommendations of review...

This episode examines the impossible odds facing Blue Badge holders in UK supermarket car parks, where accessible bays are severely outnumbered and often misused. It also explores the added stress of being watched, judged, or confronted by parking vigilantes when disability is not immediately visible. Show Notes Baywatch Campaign – Are Supermarkets Meeting the Needs of Disabled People? | Disabilit...

We examine why the Health and Safety Executive refuses to investigate DWP-linked deaths, despite mounting cases of serious harm and fatality among benefit claimants. The episode also explores Wales’s backlash against PIP “co-production” and how SEND systems fail South Asian and Tamil families through bureaucracy, cultural barriers, and inaccessible language. Show Notes Welsh government raises ‘sig...

This episode examines how non-statutory inclusion bases can drift into in-school segregation, especially when safeguards are only optional. It also breaks down the Section 19 transport catch-22 and how co-production structures can be turned into compliance shields that silence parent voices. Show Notes Navigating constraints: Why a former PCF chair thinks the current model is missing the mark for...

A sharp look at the surge in EHCPs and the growing number of young people being placed in educated elsewhere settings as special school capacity runs out. The episode also unpacks statutory delays, postcode-level inequality, and the financial pressures pushing councils into deficit-bailout deals.

This episode examines a major funding boost that removes morning restrictions on the Disabled Person's Bus Pass, while highlighting the postcode gaps that still leave companion travel and rail access unresolved. It also digs into the Timms PIP review, concerns over consultation being reduced to a token exercise, and the growing crisis in Access to Work as delays and cancellations undermine disable...

This episode digs into the UK’s Access to Work backlog, where disabled workers are waiting months for basic accommodations and support. It also explores how employers pass off their legal responsibility for reasonable adjustments, and why accessibility should be built into workplaces from the start.

David Carlisle and Ruby Sturt unpack the realities of moving from children’s to adult services for young people with additional needs, from EHCP planning in Year 9 to the shift from DLA to PIP and the legal changes at sixteen. They also explore local offers, adult social care, direct payments, college funding, and supported internships, offering practical strategies for parents navigating a comple...

This episode explores how disability can trigger instant pity, saint-making, and the painful “bad parent” glare in public spaces. The hosts unpack courtesy stigma, inspiration porn, and what real support looks like: ordinary conversation, practical inclusion, and genuine partnership.

We break down the crucial differences between refusal to assess and refusal to name a school appeals, including mediation deadlines, tribunal forms, and the legal thresholds families need to know. The episode also covers how to build a strong Working Document for Section F, use expert evidence effectively, and choose the right witnesses for hearing day.

David Carlisle and Harper Bennett unpack the rapid rise in EHCPs and disability benefits for children in the UK, and how underfunded schools, NHS delays, and overloaded councils are pushing families into a maze of bureaucracy. They also explore the costly transition to adult support at 16 and argue for a more holistic system that treats disability support as an investment in future independence.

We unpack the UK government’s plan to scrap the Work Capability Assessment and tie Universal Credit health support to PIP, exploring why the change could leave hundreds of thousands without help. The conversation also examines stricter eligibility rules, frozen support for new claimants, and the flawed idea that financial pressure can “incentivize” disabled people into work.

David and Harper unpack the UK’s new Experts at Hand service, which brings specialist SEND support into classrooms before a formal diagnosis is in place. They also explore why neurodivergent kids face greater online risks, and how co-regulation, digital street smarts, and emerging AI tools can make inclusion safer and more accessible.

This episode explores the power dynamics that can leave disabled and chronically ill patients feeling unheard in medical settings, from presumed incompetence to diagnostic overshadowing. The hosts share practical strategies for preparing for appointments, using communication profiles, setting caregiver boundaries, and pushing back when clinicians dismiss symptoms.

Learn why hope is not a strategy when navigating the complex technical hurdles of air and hotel travel with mobility aids. This episode breaks down ‘The Access Script,’ the reality of hotel room digital hallucinations, and the upcoming 2026 advocacy push for in-cabin wheelchair tie-downs.

Learn why families should start planning for adult care at age 14 and how to use a medical resume to simplify complex histories. The episode also breaks down the legal shift at 18 and the importance of Supported Decision-Making over guardianship.

Explore the staggering gap between disability prevalence and workplace disclosure while learning how to shift from medical talk to functional talk. This episode breaks down the ADA's interactive process and provides strategies for collaborating with employers to secure necessary accommodations.

Harper Bennett joins the conversation to explore the nuances of disabled dating, from the strategy of disclosure to the systemic barriers of the SSI marriage penalty. The team discusses navigating desirability and the critical boundary between autonomy-respecting support and intrusive help.

Explore the concept of sensory stacking and why modern urban environments are often overwhelming for the neurodivergent community. Our experts discuss how the eight senses are reshaping everything from big-box retail hours to the architecture of public plazas.

Ruby Sturt explores the "glass child" experience, discussing the emotional weight of being the "easy" sibling in families with high support needs. The panel examines how to dismantle the caregiving inheritance and reclaim authentic sibling bonds by looking beyond systemic failures.

Explore how to move past the "fix-it" reflex to practice deep, active listening in neurodivergent households. This episode discusses decoding non-verbal cues and using reflective language to build emotional resilience and self-worth.