Croydon Disability Benefits Assessment Centre Inaccessible to Disabled

Disabled people living in Croydon (south London) must have a strong sense of humor and loads of determination to overcome the fact that the local disability benefits assessment centre is inaccessible to people with reduced mobility.

I got this story from the Local Guardian of Croydon:

"Wheelchair users have to climb a flight of stairs to prove they are disabled enough to get benefits at a centre in Croydon.

"Although there are lifts in the disability benefits assessment centre, anyone in a wheelchair or who cannot climb stairs is banned from using them due to health and safety regulations."

Here comes the best part of these otherwise sad news:

"Anyone who cannot tackle the 46 step staircase is instead forced to make a 14 mile round trip to Balham because the centre in Cherry Orchard Road is not disabled friendly.

The Atos Healthcare’s Assessment Centre is on the first floor of Stephenson House and is the only place in the borough disabled people can undertake a compulsory workplace capability assessments (WCA) to determine if those suffering illness or incapacity are claiming legitimately."

As always, there is a solution to this. Get the person or persons responsible for this monstrosity to spend about one day of their lives in a wheelchair. I'm pretty sure remedies will fall into place as fast al lightning.

Alternatively .... well, my wife says I get too upset, but it is time for accountability for these issues. In this day and age we can no longer accept people making such mistakes and getting away with a reprimand.

Source: Your Local Guardian Croydon (opens a new window)