Stef Benstead

Researcher in disability and social security. Currently diagnosed as having ME/CFS

The government's line - repeated several times - is that these claims were fraudulent or cheats. Without directly saying so, Grayling implied in 2011 that because "the vast majority of new claimants for sickness benefits are in fact able to return to work", it is right to assume that many current Incapacity Benefit claimants are able to work - interpretation, many are cheats, frauds or otherwise manipulating the system.

Adam Forrest

Award-winning writer and blogger

This week offers a chance to celebrate the progress made in bringing some of Britain's 710,000 empty homes back into use. Unfortunately, there is also reason to fear some of those responsible for 'regenerating' our towns and cities remain overly-fond of bulldozers and land-banking deals with developers.

Tiernan Douieb

Beverage heretic. Nighttime maverick. Action calligrapher. Comedian. Loser.

I won't lie. I was starting to give up on humanity. I was feeling generally miserable about recent reports of record amounts of melting ice in the Arctic, Mitt Romney's eternally moronic campaign in the US and our current situation of ever rising economic destruction and damning of human rights by the Coalition.

Phil Shanks

Chief Executive, Houses4Homes

Social Services have the most to gain from the proper operation of the top up since it allows them to achieve savings against more costly care solutions. One respondent actually cited this as an unhealthy conflict of interests. However, the overall saving is to the public purse and therefore no conflict can be allowed to exist.

Phil Shanks

Chief Executive, Houses4Homes

This is the time for decisive and sustained action. Not only is the most appropriate order in the circumstances to "damn the torpedoes" but it should be quickly followed by a plea to the government to stop firing.

Alex Andreou

Greek-born, Alex Andreou is a lawyer-turned-economist-turned-actor-turned-political blogger and consequently disoriented

Usually one has to tune into the Jeremy Kyle Show to hear as plentiful a flow of populist, self-righteous, ill-thought diarrhoea as that which emanated from the government yesterday. Indignation was the mot-de-jour for assorted ministers, wheeled out to express their incredulity at the latest defeat in the Lords.

Loudribs

Part-Time Blogger and Full-Time Innocent Bystander

Good morning Lemmings and welcome to another instalment of Questionable Time, this week brought to us by the seemingly sunstroked denizens of Liverpoo...

Richard Harrington

Member of Parliament for Watford

The figures released today by the National Housing Federation make for worrying reading, with home ownership to reach the lowest levels they have been since the 1980s.

James Mills

Labour Party Researcher, Campaigner and Commentator

It concerns me greatly, and should all Labour party supporters for that matter, that possibly the biggest policy area for the next 10 years, and at a time when housing policy is under one of its biggest shake ups in a generation, Labour is found to be almost vacant.

Grant Shapps

Minister of State for housing and local government

Our changes are part of the most radical reform of social housing for a generation, to give councils more flexibility to use their social housing stock to the maximum effect and drive down waiting lists.

Peter Thornton

Liberal Democrat Councillor and member of Cumbria Police Authority

Why is this minister pursuing policies even more damaging that Margaret Thatcher ever dreamt of?