Access All: Disability News and Mental Health

The Access All team were shocked when Ellie Simmonds left this year’s season of Strictly Come Dancing – the first person with dwarfism to compete on the show. But the dancing competition’s loss is this episode’s gain, as Ellie chats all things representation, ballroom, skydiving and her plans for the future. Why do we only ever hear about disabled dating, and never about long-term relationships? Presenters Nikki Fox and Emma Tracey talk about their experiences, plus provide some tips and advice. Billionaire Elon Musk might have bought Twitter, but he also reportedly sacked half of its staff including the entire accessibility team. So what does this mean for disabled people? BBC Click’s Paul Carter and accessibility consultant Leonie Watson help us make sense of a wild week in social media. Producers: Keiligh Baker, Amy Elizabeth and Emma Tracey Recording / mixing: Dave O'Neill Series editor: Beth Rose Senior News Editor: Jonathan Aspinwall

Dyscalculia is thought to affect 6% of the population but many people have never heard of it. The learning disability affects a person’s ability to understand numbers and is considered to be part of the same family as dyslexia. Eighteen-year-old Rose, a BBC Young Reporter, explains how dyscalculia affects her on a day-to-day basis from being unable to use the oven to how playing three Taylor Swift songs helps her mark 10 minutes . And Love Island’s Tasha Ghouri, pulls Nikki and Emma aside for a chat to give the lowdown on being the first deaf contestant on the reality TV show, dealing with trolls and what life with her Islander-boyfriend (now housemate) is like, now they’re back in the real world. Producers: Keiligh Baker, Amy Elizabeth and Emma Tracey Recording / mixing: Dave O'Neill Series Editor: Beth Rose Senior News Editor: Jonathan Aspinwall

Anna Tylor's life changed when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. The Chair of the RNIB, who is visually impaired, says she was "horrified" at not being offered accessible medical information, that she was able to read, while going through treatment - from important leaflets to medical notes and consent forms. Despite a law to ensure all medical information is accessible, we hear that Anna is far from alone in her worries.Nikki Fox talks about her discovery of tandem electric scooters while Emma Tracey confesses she hates Halloween fancy dress because she can't see what she's wearing (bin bags, it turns out).And TV pundit Asta Philpot, 40, reveals for the first time that in 2018 he had no choice but to move into a care home for 18 months after his care package failed. He's now living with his parents and has just found love.Hosts: Nikki Fox and Emma Tracey Producers: Amy Elizabeth and Emma Tracey Recording / mixing: Dave O'Neill Series Producer: Beth Rose Senior News Editor: Jonathan Aspinwall

Inflation went up by 10% over the last year, driven mostly by rising food prices, prompting disability charities to call on the government to avoid “disaster” and raise benefits in-line with it. Nikki Fox and Emma Tracey chat to Emma from Bristol, who is deafblind, and says she is in debt because her benefits no longer cover her bills. And James Taylor, director of strategy at the charity Scope, reveals he knows people who have started turning off their fridges to save money.Nikki and Emma talk about their appearance at the BBC’s Castfest event in the BBC’s historic Radio Theatre in Broadcasting House in London. Fans of Access All, Newscast, Americast and Ukrainecast watched live recordings of the BBC’s flagship news podcasts. It took place 100 years to the day since the British Broadcasting Company, as the BBC was originally called, was formed in 1922.Access All gets the latest on York's blue badge parking ban. York City Council used to allow blue badge holders to park in the foot streets but that changed last November. We hear about the impact.Fashion designer Victoria Jenkins, who founded an adaptive clothing line, talks about the importance of making accessible but beautiful clothing – and why she hates buttons. Hosts: Nikki Fox and Emma Tracey Producers: Keiligh Baker, Amy Elizabeth Recording / mixing: Dave O'Neill Series Producer: Beth Rose Senior News Editor: Jonathan Aspinwall

In an Access All exclusive, we reveal that rising petrol prices are driving carers out of the profession. Nikki Fox and Emma Tracey chat to wheelchair user Natalie from Shropshire, who went from having three carers to none overnight, and to carer Louise who is considering leaving her job.Businesswoman Caroline Casey, who topped the Disability Power List in 2021, reveals why she didn’t realise she was blind until she took a driving lesson on her 17th birthday.And we find out what unusual job our presenters both used to do, plus why they both hate networking!Producers: Keiligh Baker, Amy Elizabeth and Emma Tracey Recording / mixing: Dave O'Neill Editors: Beth Rose and Sam Bonham

A month into Prime Minister Liz Truss’s premiership and there’s still no confirmation about who the new Minister of State for Disabled People will be…or is there? Nikki Fox and Emma Tracey do some super sleuthing and present their evidence to Access All listeners. Newly released disability hate crime figures reveal record numbers of incidents. Cassie Lovelock talks about her experience while Ali Gunn gives some tips on how to report such incidents. And actors Leon Harrop and Sarah Gordy talk about their brand new BBC sitcom, Ralph and Katie, which follows the highs and lows of two newlyweds who both have Down’s syndrome. Producers: Keiligh Baker, Amy Elizabeth and Emma Tracey Recording / mixing: Dave O'Neill Editors: Beth Rose and Louisa LewisHead to the BBC's Action Line if you need help or support with any of the issues raised in this edition of Access All https://www.bbc.co.uk/actionline

Known as The Governess on quiz show The Chase, Anne Hegerty regularly puts wannabe-quiz champions firmly in their place. But while quizzing comes easily, Anne reveals to Nikki Fox and Emma Tracey that she finds everyday tasks, like washing her clothes, extremely challenging as an autistic person. She also has a theory about why bailiffs are like vampires… And BBC News correspondent, Sean Dilley, describes the heartbreak he’s going through having retired his guide dog, Sammy, after 10 years together and the long wait he’s facing for a new assistance dog. Producers: Keiligh Baker, Amy Elizabeth and Emma Tracey Recording / mixing: Dave O'Neill Editors: Beth Rose and Louisa Lewis

More than 250 deaf people are taking the UK government to court over the lack of British Sign Language (BSL) in televised Covid briefings at the start of the pandemic. Nikki is joined by campaigner Lynn Stewart-Taylor and deaf journalist Liam O'Dell to discuss why this case is so important. We are joined by actor Leo Long, the star of the new Netflix film, I Used To Be Famous. And the story of the blind Instagrammer who used her AI description software to discover that the pictures she had been sent by an interested male were not very flattering about the assets he is presumably rather proud of. Producers: Keiligh Baker, Amy Elizabeth and Emma Tracey Recording / mixing: Dave O'Neill Editors: Damon Rose and Jonathan Aspinwall

The Verala family thought life was about to get better when they were offered a three-bedroom council house which would be suitable for their seven-year-old son, Joel, a wheelchair-user with quadraplegic cerebral palsy. But the family quickly decided they couldn't stay - there were no ramps into the property, the doors weren't wide enough for Joel's wheelchair and there were no hoists to help him around. Instead, the Verala's moved into Grandma's one-bed flat with her while the adaptations take place. The council has told the family it could be another 12 months before the work is completed. Paralympic skier Millie Knight tells us about her new sporting venture - making the England team in karate. She explains how she tackles both sports with 5% vision. And Nikki goes to the blue badge queue where disabled people are queuing to see the Queen lying in state. Most of this programme was recorded before the sad news of the Queen's passing. Producers: Beth Rose, Amy Elizabeth and Emma Tracey Sound recording / mixing: Dave O'Neill Editors: Damon Rose and Jonathan Aspinwall

Cross-party peer Baroness Jane Campbell reveals to Nikki Fox that a lack of personal assistants (PA) working in the UK makes her "fear" disabled people could end up living in institutions once more, if the problem isn't rectified. She's not alone. Anna tells us she hasn't been able to recruit a PA in three months and only has the energy to shower once a week while Katy, who runs PA Pool, a website which matches disabled people with suitable PAs, says a third of her PAs dropped off the books when Brexit happened. Nikki is settling into her new home, but reveals the astronomical cost of fitting out her new accessible bathroom - think £8,000 for a toilet seat, and we're not talking gold-plated. And comedian, writer and TV presenter Rosie Jones chats about her new children's book and the frustration she's felt at being turned away from gay nightclubs by bouncers who think she's too disabled to be gay or that her wobbliness means she's drunk. With Nikki Fox and Emma Tracey. Produced by Beth Rose, Keiligh Baker and Emma Tracey Sound production by Dave O'Neill The editors were Damon Rose and Jonathan Aspinwall