If the Welfare Reform Bill passes, the results will be horrific and at the Department for Work and Pensions, they are confident that it is a price worth paying.
Sue Marsh blogs at Diary of a Benefit Scrounger
Recently, it was reported that Crisis, the charity for the homeless, had warned 11,000 young disabled people were at risk of losing their homes due to the coalition’s housing benefit cap:
“Although 4,000 of the most vulnerable disabled claimants will be exempt because they need help through the day or night, most ill and disabled people will be forced to move into cheaper accommodation, often outside the area where they live.”
Those aged 25-34 will now only be able to rent shared accommodation rather than a one bed flat, on average, losing £41 per week towards their rent. The article makes the point that:
“This disturbing cut will force people suffering serious physical disabilities or mental illness to share with strangers, even if it damages their health.”
Well, yes it will and it is shocking. Not too shocking of course until we start to see things that make us feel uncomfortable. Not too shocking until we pass twisted bodies on the streets, their collecting cup lodged into their wheelchair handles, but shocking nonetheless.
Actually the really shocking thing is the accumulation of all the cuts faced by sick or disabled people and the effect it will have on their lives and almost certainly, their homes.
We already face the squeeze that able bodied people face. The VAT rise, the high inflation, the public sector cuts, the pay freezes, but overwhelmingly this group already live in poverty. On top of all of this, Scope report that sick and disabled people will lose £9.2 billion over the term of this parliament.
“The government’s proposed welfare reforms will see 3.5 million disabled people lose over £9.2 billion of critical support by 2015 pushing them further into poverty and closer to the fringes of society.”
The figure 9.2 billion is more than 10 per cent of Mr Osborne’s entire UK cuts to reduce the deficit. A full 10% taken from those with extra costs, extra needs and very, very difficult lives; it doesn’t matter how often I write it, I am shocked and terrified by its implications.
That’s 3.5 million people. Again, I write it and can hardly believe it’s true. Many don’t yet know what they face. Some will never know – their disabilities are too severe – but they will be affected just the same.
I have no idea how many of those 3.5 million will lose their homes, but the maths seems fairly clear. The entire cost (xls) to the welfare budget of sickness and disability benefits is £16 billion. 9.2 billion is over half of that.
I’m sure that unlike me, you won’t want to read this lengthy transcript of the Welfare Reform Bill committee, currently on its last stages through parliament, but I wish you would. After all these points were made and more, after a full discussion of the horrors that lie ahead for the sick and disabled, the poverty they are facing, the categorical failure of work programmes to help when their benefits are removed, Chris Grayling, Minister of State for Work and Pensions, had little to say.
To summarise, his answer was “I don’t care, we can no longer afford it…”
I don’t exaggerate – I wish I did. You can read it for yourselves. So, if I were you, I’d get used to seeing sick or disabled people on the streets. If this bill passes, the results will be horrific and at the DWP, they are confident that it is a price worth paying.
152 Responses to “The shocking impact of Osborne’s heartless cuts on the disabled”
Anon E Mouse
Sue Marsh – There haven’t been any cuts yet – it’s all just Labour scaremongering and you’re part of that.
Citing those people as you do; what do you expect those groups to say but it doesn’t make it “evidence” just their opinion.
Please tell me why you believe “terribly ill or disabled people to go to the wall” that? I see no evidence whatsoever – just misguided cynical view of the world.
Why don’t you want the re-election of a Labour government Sue Marsh?
Your unpleasant approach is not getting any traction whatsoever and Labour are tanking in the polls – understandable with a loser like Miliband as leader I guess but you can argue no member of the PLP or Labour Party voted for him so that’s excusable.
Regarding your utopia, the whole world has rejected it (Cuba is on the way – North Korea a while yet) – even the Socialist government in Portugal has given up today and again I ask; do you really want to keep Labour in opposition in this country because activists like you Sue Marsh are doing just that.
You still haven’t said why you think it’s fair a minimum wage worker like myself should earn less in wages than the rents the government pays for others. Why is that fair Sue Marsh?
Quite frankly you are doing the government’s job for them with your attitude. Do you have nothing at all to offer that is positive about the Labour Party or a solution for the situation you claim is so terrible?
Gregalomaniac
Well put Sue. Another excellent (and well researched) article, which has obviously rattled the troll cage.
Simon Hughes
An interesting read -> The shocking impact of Osborne’s heartless cuts on the disabled – http://bit.ly/jXUG9O #disability #welfare #housing
Anon E Mouse
Gregalomaniac – Troll cage?
Why don’t you try defending a position instead of the Labour approach of smearing people who’s opinions you disagree with. Do you think that Michael Foot would have behaved as badly as your comment would suggest?
Why do you think it’s fair that a minimum wage worker like myself should earn less in wages than the rents the government pays for others.
Isn’t the Labour Party supposed to represent the less well off or are those days long gone?
Sue Marsh
Anon E Mouse “There haven’t been any cuts yet” Well of course there have! Not the majority, but plenty.
The “groups” you talk about, including the professor who designed the system, the government’s own advisers and charities all did research and used DWP statistics and evidence.
1 million or more sick and disabled people are about to lose everything. These too are the DWPs own figures (and very conservative estimates on my behalf at that. That is “going to the wall” in my opinion.
My “unpleasant approach” has gained the support of thousands of regular followers, many MPs across all parties, members of the Lords, media and ensured that my blog has risen steadily through the rankings to be consistently in the top 50.
Nothing I write is about getting Labour re-elected – it is irrelevant to my article. I am concerned with sick or disabled people, not supporting politicians who are wilfully trying to pretend they don’t exist.