After years hidden away, Oldham’s memorial to six local volunteers who died fighting fascism in the Spanish civil war has been restored to public view, marking both a victory for campaigners and a renewed tribute to the town’s proud International Brigade heritage, says ROB HARGREAVES
AS the transfer from disability living allowance (DLA) to personal independence payments (PIP) continues, it is worthwhile examining how PIP works for those with multiple sclerosis (MS) in particular.
Within the PIP assessment guidelines, MS is given as an example of a type of condition where a claimant might not require a face-to-face assessment.
This isn’t what is happening on the ground, with the last recorded figures from The MS Society showing that one in three MS claimants had their benefits downgraded. In all, £6 million had been taken from MS claimants since the introduction of PIP.
A new report from the Citizens Advice destroys the government narrative about disabled people ‘choosing’ not to work, showing the £3,000 annual cuts will create a two-tiered system based on claim dates rather than needs, writes DYLAN MURPHY



