Having laid down the foundations of the modern welfare state in the aftermath of World War Two and introducing landmark legislation like the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act in 1970, Labour has always been the political party to champion and protect the rights of disabled people in Britain.
To curb welfare spending and encourage disabled people to return to work, the government reportedly wants to tighten the criteria for personal independence payment (PIP) – a benefit that aims to help disabled people aged sixteen or over with their living costs – so that qualifying is more difficult.
square HEALTH ExplainedThe charts that show the rising benefits cost of 'overdiagnosis'
Read More
I currently get PIP for autism and mobility issues, and without this vital lifeline, I can’t see how I’d survive.
The alternatives would be public transport or walking. Neither is suitable for me as I have zero traffic awareness, get overwhelmed around people, and can’t walk or stand for long.
It’s also heart-aching thinking how these cuts could affect my loved ones.
I also have a close friend who is currently being reassessed for PIP despite having life-limiting chronic health conditions.
I currently have PIP until 2029, yet autism is a lifelong disability. The thought of yet again being grilled on my disabilities sends shivers down my spine.
Remote working is a good option for some disabled people, but the reality is that most businesses are going back to traditional ways of working and sending staff back to the office. This makes working unviable for lots of disabled people.
As a loyal Labour Party member and voter, I feel betrayed. And I doubt I’d ever vote red again.
It begs the question, which party can be trusted to look after Britain’s most vulnerable citizens?
Why Labour is reforming the welfare system
Almost four million working-age adults in England and Wales currently claim incapacity or disability benefits, up from 2.8 million before the pandemic. Downing Street has warned that without action, benefits will “swallow more taxpayers’ money and leave more people trapped in a life of unemployment and inactivity”. Reform comes as Chancellor Rachel Reeves looks to make up to £6bn of savings to the growing welfare bill ahead of her Spring Statement on 26 March. Asked about Labour’s welfare plans on Saturday, Sir Keir Starmer said: “I have made the principles clear enough. We need to support those who need support, and to protect them. But at the same time we need to make sure that we support and protect those who need to and are able to get into work, which the current arrangements I don’t think adequately do.” According to the Department of Work and Pensions’ (DWP) own figures, there were 15,300 monthly awards of the disability benefit PIP (Personal Independence Payment) on average in 2020/21. This has since grown to 35,100 awards on average a month – an increase of 129 per cent. This equates to around 1,154 awards of PIP a day. DWP figures also outline there were 250,000 registrations for new PIP claims between February and April 2023, 210,000 between May and July, and 230,000 between August and October. Figures for November to January 2024 will be published later this month. Not all of these were successfully awarded but this equates to around 920,000 applications each year. This means overall PIP spending is forecast to hit £21.8bn in 2024/25, up from £13.7bn in 2020/21.For confidential advice and support, the Samaritans are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Call for free on 116 123 or visit samaritans.org.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( As a disabled Labour voter, I feel betrayed by the PIP cuts )
Also on site :