Tag: disability

Bishop of London asks about support for local authorities caring for adults with learning disabilities

The Bishop of London asked a question on support for local authorities in caring for adults with learning disabilities on 13th November 2025, during a discussion on the Learning Disabilities Mortality Review Reports:

The Lord Bishop of London: My Lords, according to the learning disabilities mortality review of adults with a learning disability who died in 2023, 25.6% had a care package that did not meet their needs. We know that local authorities continue to face significant challenges to providing adult social care services. Can the Minister say what action the Government are taking to support local authorities as they respond to more complex needs to make sure that every person, including those with learning disabilities, has the correct care plan?

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Votes: Universal Credit Bill

On 22nd July 2025, the House of Lords debated the Universal Credit Bill. A vote was held on a regret motion associated with the Bill, in which a Bishop took part.

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Universal Credit Bill: Bishop of Newcastle raises impact of bill on disadvantaged communities

The Bishop of Newcastle spoke at the second reading of the Universal Credit Bill on 22nd July 2025, expressing concern regarding the potential impact of the bill on those with disabilities and the need to tackle the underlying causes of poverty and ill health:

The Lord Bishop of Newcastle: My Lords, I begin by offering my congratulations to the noble Baroness, Lady Shawcross-Wolfson; I look forward to her maiden speech, and acknowledge the valedictory speech of the noble Baroness, Lady Bryan. I also thank Ministers for listening to concerns about the Bill when it was initially brought forward.

A functional social security system tackles poverty and supports people to live full lives. With that, the system needs to retain public confidence, expressing the best of our values. It must also strike a balance between supporting people who are able to work and ensuring that people who cannot work are protected and cherished for who they are. We need economic growth—that is not disputed; this is, after all, a money Bill—but I am concerned for those who are left behind or who do not fit the model of financial productivity at the rate that seems to be desired.

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Bishop of London asks about growing workforce in disability nursing field

The Bishop of London asked a question on growing the workforce in the field of learning disability nursing on 17th June 2025: 

The Lord Bishop of London: My Lords, the NHS England 2025 best practice guide has a number of suggestions for growing the learning disability nursing workforce, including requiring CQC-registered providers to provide staff with training for learning disabilities and autism. Can the Minister say what the Government are doing to ensure that this is implemented equitably across the integrated care systems?

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Bishop of Southwark asks about impact of benefit cuts on vulnerable groups

The Bishop of Southwark asked a question on benefit cuts impacting the vulnerable and disabled on 12th June 2025, following a government statement on the Winter Fuel Payment:

The Lord Bishop of Southwark: My Lords, like other Peers, I welcome this decision. The other day, I asked the Minister something to which he did not respond, and I wonder if I might ask it again. Is one of the lessons learned from this for the Government that, should they be making further cuts in spending, they might not look to vulnerable or disabled people.

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Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham asks about special educational needs and disabilities and school absenteeism

The Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham asked a question on the impact of increased numbers of pupils with special educational needs on school absenteeism on 7th May 2025:

The Lord Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham: My Lords, as a foster carer for Nottingham city, I am aware that children with higher levels of often complex needs hugely benefit from additional support in smaller integrated learning environments in order to stay motivated and engaged. I press the Minister again very particularly: what assessment have the Government therefore made of how the increase in the number of children with significant special educational needs—who now very often remain in large classes, with the disruption that creates for many pupils—is impacting on pupil absenteeism?

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Bishop of Leicester asks about impact of reforms to disability benefits

The Bishop of Leicester received the following written answer on 28th April 2025:

The Lord Bishop of Leicester asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the potential impact of reforms to incapacity and disability benefits on the employment rate of people with disabilities; and what plans they have to evaluate and monitor the impact of these reforms once they have been introduced.

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Bishop of Leicester asks about impact of disability benefit reform

The Bishop of Leicester received the following written answers on 22nd April 2025:

The Lord Bishop of Leicester asked His Majesty’s Government what steps they will take to evaluate the impact of disability benefits reform on the employment rate of people with disabilities.

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Bishop of Leicester asks about reasonable adjustments in the workplace

The Bishop of Leicester asked a question on reasonable adjustments for those with disabilities in the workforce on 9th January 2025, during a discussion on assessments of eligibility for benefits claimants:

The Lord Bishop of Leicester: My Lords, the Government have made clear their ambition to get more people with health conditions and disabilities into work. What plans are in place to ensure employers consistently implement the reasonable adjustments required of them in the Equality Act and do not discriminate against disabled people?

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Bishop of Norwich asks about services for children with special educational needs

The Bishop of Norwich received the following written answer on 6th January 2025:

The Lord Bishop of Norwich asked His Majesty’s Government:

  • what assessment they have made of the safety valve agreement, and of its impact in the local authorities where such agreements have been made.
  • what assessment they have made of the impact on the most vulnerable pupils with special educational needs in local authorities where a safety valve agreement has been made; and how they propose to minimise this impact.
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