Snap survey reveals disabled people’s ‘fear and desperation’ ahead of likely cuts to benefits

The responses of disabled people who answered a question about the likely impact of expected government cuts to disability benefits have revealed a worrying level of “fear and desperation”, say campaigners.

They were responding to a question posed on social media by Inclusion Barnet’s Campaign for Disability Justice (CDJ), which had asked disabled people how they believed they would be affected if the government went ahead with cuts to spending on disability benefits.

Yesterday (Wednesday), the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, repeated the government’s pledge to deliver “fundamental reform of our welfare system”, in a major speech on her plans to “kickstart economic growth”.

Her brief comments will add to concerns that the government is planning significant cuts, as she said the government was “looking at areas that have been ducked for too long, like the rising cost of health and disability benefits”.

She said the government’s plans for reform of disability benefits would be published in a green paper before the spring statement, which itself is due to take place on Wednesday 26 March.

The concerns will not have been eased by a response from Sir Keir Starmer in yesterday’s prime minister’s questions.

Debbie Abrahams, Labour’s chair of the Commons work and pensions committee, had asked him about “speculation that the £3 billion of savings to be found from the social security budget may impact on… disability benefits”.

But in his response, the prime minister ignored the question about cuts to benefits and instead said the government’s approach to social security would “ensure that work is accessible to as many people as possible, as a route out of poverty”.

CDJ said the responses to its question on social media raised real concerns about the level of fear and desperation among disabled people over the possibility of further cuts to their support. 

Inclusion Barnet had to contact about a fifth of those who responded to the question with information on how they could access support with their mental health, after many disclosed suicidal thoughts.

One respondent, from Gwynedd, north-west Wales, wrote: “Personally, I am absolutely petrified of my next PIP assessment and the changes to the WCA system.  

“My own health has deteriorated so badly that I have mentioned to my surgeon that I am very close to asking for a referral to Dignitas.”  

The new government is preparing to publish a disability benefits green paper this spring, probably in March, following months of hostile media coverage, political briefings and thinktank reports calling on ministers to cut spending on disability benefits and reduce claimant numbers.

The Labour government has already promised to match the last government’s pledge to cut spending on disability benefits by about £3 billion over four years.

Fears of further cuts were heightened last week when Sir Keir– in an interview with The Sun newspaper – boasted that he would be “ruthless with cuts” if necessary and would “fight” to convince his own MPs of the need for cuts to benefits.

Of nearly 100 respondents to the CDJ question, 12 per cent said they would have to cut back on food, although that is likely to under-estimate the true number as others made statements such as: “I would have nothing.”

Some also talked about no longer being able to afford food that met their dietary requirements, such as gluten-free products. 

One in 10 said they would have to cut back on heating, while more than one in seven said they feared they would lose their home if the government went ahead with cuts to their benefits. 

One respondent said that benefit changes could mean losing their home because all their personal independence payment (PIP) was already used on rent and bills rather than disability-related costs.  

Without prompting from CDJ, nearly a third of respondents said cuts to their benefits would cause a deterioration in their health.

One respondent said that no longer being able to afford to go swimming would exacerbate their rheumatism, while others feared that a life without social activities, and inadequate food and heating, would cause a relapse in their condition.

Two respondents warned that, without PIP, they would have to reduce their work hours or give up their job.  

One PIP claimant from Lincolnshire told CDJ they received £280 a month in PIP due to cancer and degenerative disc disease in their spine, which means they can afford to pay a cleaner and cope with three part-time jobs. 

They said: “I can come home and rest rather than start with domestic jobs. 

“Without this money, I’d have to quit a job or two or three to cope.”

Caroline Collier, chief executive of Inclusion Barnet, said: “Obviously, we know that cuts would have a negative impact on disabled people, but it’s clear the level of fear and desperation has increased.  

“Whilst this wasn’t a weighted, scientific survey, if this is in any way representative, we are going to see hundreds of thousands of disabled people pushed into crisis if cuts go ahead.  

“And amongst those people, we are at risk of some really tragic outcomes.  

“Politicians need to pay attention to this because it’s just abundantly clear that if their aim is really to get people back to work, there couldn’t be a more counterproductive way to go about it.  

“People also told us they could be losing their home, having a worse diet, their health getting worse – in short, a hundred different bad outcomes.”

Collier said that not one of those who responded said cuts to their benefits would motivate them to get a job.

She said: “Where people experience barriers to entering the workplace, you don’t solve that by driving them into destitution.”  

She added: “If Liz Kendall is serious about improving the system, I’m very happy to talk to her about how to work to upskill businesses to create real, accessible opportunities.

“The good news is that there are disabled people’s organisations around the country who can demonstrate how to create accessible roles successfully – just give us a role in creating system change instead of sidelining us.  

“The solution, at heart, is simple: focus on creating work for those who want opportunities, and accept that those whose health precludes employment need a decent life, safe from the constant threats of cuts or reassessment.”

Collier urged disabled people and allies to write to their MP to oppose cuts to disability benefits, using a link on the CDJ website.

Credit for this article goes to the Disability News Service