Reforming Britain’s welfare system is notoriously difficult. On this occasion the government could pull it off, but at what cost?
The government plans on introducing its flagship welfare reform bill into parliament later this month. Secretary of state for work and pensions Iain Duncan Smith intends to radically simplify the benefits system and in doing so, combat worklessness and poverty. Although organisations like RNIB embrace any attempt to simplify the benefits system and help people back into work, some of the proposals risk causing disabled people real harm, moving them further from the job market and potentially deeper into poverty.
Strikingly, very little has been said about government plans to time limit contributory employment and support allowance for disabled people to a year. Families will be means-tested after this time and face losing vital financial support. These policies are an attack on some of the most vulnerable people, who face complex barriers to finding work. It’s hard to see who this is helping back on their feet.
Disappointingly the government is set on pushing through a number of other reforms that appear to have very little to do with reducing worklessness and everything to do with fulfilling Treasury demands for £18 billion of welfare savings. What discussion has there been of the blow to independence dealt to 80,000 people in residential care who face cuts to their disability living allowance? Again, if the government has its way, from October 2012 state-funded care home residents (including children in education, working age adults and pensioners) will no longer receive the mobility payment that ensures they can do their own shopping or visit friends and family. This can amount to £49.85 a week for those with the most severe needs. The minister for disabled people, Maria Miller, would have us believe everything will be all right because cash-strapped local authorities will cover the costs through enhanced care packages. But the sad reality is they can’t and they won’t, as local government also faces 28 per cent cuts over the CSR period.
To date, the debate on welfare reform has been woefully inadequate, playing on Britons’ fears and exaggerated reports of fraud (which is now massively outweighed by administrative error). At RNIB we agree with the ultimate goal – getting Britain back to work – but are confused by the means, which sees ministers eroding benefits that disabled people depend on, inevitably leading to hardship and further isolation.
Like all progressives I want to see a welfare system that provides people with a platform to get on in life. Genuine reform will require more than talking tough on welfare dependency. The real ‘heavy lifting’ that David Cameron refers to must achieve something more radical still: ensuring the benefits system tackles disability poverty and breaks down the barriers to work. With its ill-considered proposals on disability and out-of-work benefits the government instead promises to trap disabled people in a greater state of dependency. Was this what the prime minister had in mind when he said his government would always protect the vulnerable and the poorest?
Please see here for more information on the RNIB’s campaigning and to get involved, and see also the DWP webpage inviting people to respond to the DLA consultation
woudl b interested to learn what support you are getting at the RNIB from MPs, and even any ministers behind the scenes? are the govt likely to soften their plans at all? what sort of Packages is Maria Miller referring to? personalisation?
These cuts propose serious threats and add stress to the most vulnerable: what campaign action is being organised to safeguard the future for our most vulnerable?
RNIB has met with MPs and Peers from all three major parties as we prepare for the Welfare Reform Bill. We are raising awareness of the key measures that will affect disabled people, including blind and partially sighted people. This includes talking about the unintended consequences of what the Government is proposing. In our view some reforms, like changes to Employment and Support Allowance, threaten to push blind and partially sighted people into greater hardship. We are working with other organisations of disabled people and of course other organisations of blind and partially sighted people to lobby MPs. In addition to this, we are encouraging our supporters to campaign against welfare cuts that are unfair and and cuts that simply won’t work. Finally, we’re organising a big response to the DLA consultation, which is currently underway. We need as many people to respond to this as possible because the Personal Independence Payment will need to be intelligently and sensitively framed. More details available on DWP’s website.
At last someone has woken up and smelt the coffee. The government are not and will never be interested in getting disabled people into work otherwise they would properly fund return to work programmes and extend Access to Work to cover structured voluntary work or work placements. It will be left to family, friends and “the big society” to look after us. It makes me wonder why we bothered campaigning for equal rights and DLA. If it carries on like this my only career option will be as a blind beggar!