The poorest in society, including disabled people, are being hit the hardest by changes to tax, social security and public spending reforms, and are set to lose 10 per cent of their income, a new report has revealed. Research by the Equality and Human Rights Commission shows for example that reforms from 2010 to 2017 have resulted in a £2,500 per year reduction in income for families containing a disabled adult while the income for families with a disabled adult and a disabled child has been reduced by £5,500. This is compared to a loss of £1,000 for non-disabled families.
Kamran Mallick, Chief Executive of Disability Rights UK, said: “The report is clear evidence that the government’s reforms have been having a massive negative effect, driving disabled people deeper into poverty when they already don’t have enough money to live on.”
David Isaac, the Chair of the Commission, which is responsible for making recommendations to government on the compatibility of policy and legislation with equality and human rights standards, warned of a ‘bleak future’ saying “The Government can’t claim to be working for everyone if its policies actually make the most disadvantaged people in society financially worse off.”
05 Dec 2017 12:49:13
Petition: human rights for disabled people to stand up for our human rights.
The petition actions are to:
Appoint a full-time, cabinet level Secretary of State for Care and Disability
Develop a strategy that is more than just about getting the disabled to work
Conduct a proper impact assessment of Brexit
Take the discredited benefit assessment out of private hands
Address the crisis in commissioned care
Encourage innovation including community-based care models such as Shared Lives, L’Arche and Camphill
Sign the petition at: https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/appoint-a-cabinet-minister-for-the-disabled