Access All: Disability News and Mental Health

Comedian Robin Ince speaks with Emma Tracey about his relatively new diagnosis of ADHD. He has written a book to try and help neurodivergent people "walk unafraid through the world" as he puts it. The Infinite Monkey Cage comedian speaks personally about distraction, creativity, intense interests and - perhaps the worst part of ADHD - RSD, Rejection Sensitivity Disorder. Recorded and mixed by: Dave O'Neill Producers: Emma Tracey, Damon Rose Series producer: Beth Rose Editor: Damon Rose

After weeks of debate and political rebellion, proposed changes to the health element of Universal Credit have cleared the House of Commons.The government's bill sets out that new claimants from April 2026, who have limited capacity to work and have been approved to receive the health top-up of the benefit, will receive £50 a week, compared to £97 for current claimants who will continue to receive that amount. The Universal Credit Bill is expected to be classed as a money bill, meaning it could become law after one month, with or without the approval of the House of Lords.Emma Tracey gets reaction and analysis from Big Issue reporter, Isabella McRae, Conservative counsellor Lana Hempsall and Jeremy Bernhaut from Rethink Mental Illness.Presented by Emma Tracey Sound mixed by Dave O'Neill Produced by Beth Rose and Adele Armstrong Editor: Damon Rose

This week, the programme is about cute disabled kids, how attitudes to disabled people are different in New York, kettles, faces, headlines, hackathons and a brilliant woman who's bringing education to kids spending time in a hospice in Wales. Paul Carter joins Emma Tracey in a show where we've deliberately edited out all the stuff about that welfare bill for the sake of all our sanities. It'll be back again soon enough though. It's disability like in real life, on a podcast, from the BBC. You're welcome. PRODUCERS: Adele Armstrong and Alex Collins RECORDING AND MIX: Dave O'Neill SERIES PRODUCER: Beth Rose EDITOR: Damon Rose

It's been a fast-moving day in the House of Commons as MPs voted to send the welfare bill on the next stage of its journey through parliament, but it's been far from clear-cut.Halfway through the impassioned debate from MPs on the effects of eligibility changes to benefits, the government offered up another concession - to delay any changes to one of them, Pip, until after a report involving disabled people is published in Autumn 2026.Many disabled campaigners are pleased with this change, but worried changes to the health element of Universal Credit for new claimants still currently stands. To explain the day's events and make sense of it all, we hear from Warren Kirwan from Scope, Fazilet Hadi from Disability Rights UK and Dan Bloom from Politico. Presented by Emma Tracey Sound mixed by Mike Regaard and Dave O'Neill Produced and edited by Damon Rose and Beth Rose (not related!)

Just after the clock struck midnight in Westminster all of the rumours and rumblings around the government's welfare reform plans to save £5bn came to a head as Work and Pensions Secretary, Liz Kendall, released a letter to MPs outlining a series of concessions to the plans. They include making no changes to existing deals people have and disability co-production, which means inviting disability organisations to the table to help shape some of the reforms, going forward. So, have the changes pleased everyone? Mikey Erhardt, from Disability Rights UK and Labour MP Ian Byrne give their take on what the concessions mean. And we hear from Minister for Work and Pensions, Liz Kendall. Presented by Emma Tracey Producer: Alex Collins Series producer: Beth Rose Editor: Damon Rose Sound design and mixed by Dave O'Neill

Financial journalist and author Jessie Hewitson was amused when her five-year-old came home from school and declared he has DHD. She thought he'd somewhat ironically missed out the 'A' in a hurry. But after thinking about it for a while, she thought he may well have succcessfullly diagnosed himself. A few years on and both of Jessie's sons have been diagnosed with ADHD, and she has received a diagnosis too. Having previously written about autism and how to ensure an autistic child is happy she's back with a new book - How To Raise a Happy ADHD Child - and offers listeners her thoughtful advice. Presenter Emma Tracey is joined by BBC journalist Hayley Clarke to talk through the latest headlines including the twists and turns of the government's welfare reform bill. And if you're gearing up for a trip to Glastonbury, or any other festival for that matter, Hayley, who's going for a sixth time, has a list of top tips on how to survive a festival if you're neurodivergent. Sound recording and mix: Dave O'Neill Producer: Emma Tracey and Alex Collins Series Producer: Beth Rose Editor: Damon Rose

From benefits to AI, Emma Tracey looks through the headlines with BBC tech reporter Paul Carter, as well as sharing a few unexpected stories from their personal lives as innocent-looking 'smugglers'.And comedian Rosie Jones with actor and reporter Ruben Reuter join Emma to talk about Pushers - the new Channel 4 sitcom written by Rosie about a disabled woman who becomes a drug pusher through desperation after losing her benefits money. Sound recording and mix: Dave O'Neill Producers: Alex Collins and Emma Tracey Series Producer: Beth Rose Editor: Damon Rose

The much-awaited government bill introducing benefits changes has been published today and officially introduced to parliament, kicking off the process of getting it into law.There were no surprises in the snappily-named Universal Credit and Personal Independent Payment Bill which outlined and confirmed the tightening of Pip eligibility and acknowledged the concession that there will be a 13-week transition period for those whose benefits are being withdrawn. Lots of you got in touch with questions about what this all means - so Access All presenter, Emma Tracey, BBC Social Affairs Correspondent Michael Buchanan and Yahoo News UK journalist, Jasmine Andersson, join up with BBC 5 Live Drive to answer them.Presenter: Emma Tracey Sound mix: Dave O’Neill Series Producer: Beth Rose Editor: Damon Rose And with special thanks to the Five Live Drive team, especially Kirsty Macaulay!

Emma Tracey explores how accessible beaches are if you are a wheelchair user, and how inclusive open water swimming is if you can't see. Some really useful and interesting info you won't want to miss in this chat with Will Behenna, Director of the Beach Access Project, and Sadie Rockliffe from the University of Brighton And Dr Grace Spence Green is the woman who was disabled when a man fell on her from a height at a shopping centre in London. She was 22-years-old and continued her studies to become a doctor. She has a new book out and says becoming disabled radicalised her. Presenter and producer Emma Tracey Sound design by Dave O'Neill Produced by Kirsteen Knight Series producer: Beth Rose Editor: Damon Rose And a special shout-out to our friends at BBC South East who got their toes wet by visiting the swimmers in Brighton.

Ever wondered what other people's therapy sessions are like? We meet a counsellor with her client and talk about the why and the how of building back the self esteem of a man who's had his legs amputated and wants to rejoin the dating scene. Plus ... is getting a wheelchair accessible taxi difficult in your area? Find out why Northern Island has lost a lot of cab drivers these last few years (Clue: Covid didn’t help). Presenter: Emma Tracey Sound: Dave O’Neill Producers: Kirsteen Knight and Alex Collins Series producer: Beth Rose Editor: Damon Rose