Protesters gathered against Atos again outside their welfare outsourcing firm in Norfolk. Photo: Bill Smith
The campaigners are launching a report showing the damage in the British government’s austerity programme. This is said to be the first detailed study of the effect of cuts and other healthcare changes on disabled people.
The research, commissioned by Norfolk Coalition of Disabled People, was carried out by Economist Chris Edwards from the University of East Anglia after the UK government refused to assess how disabled people were being affected by the austerity measures.
Edwards said that the austerity measures are not working and disabled people are paying the price.
Charities and disability organizations argue that disabled people are receiving a massively unequal share of benefits.
Edwards said, “All the advances that disabled people have made over the period since 1945 are being reversed.”
During the four years to 2015, the poorest 20 percent of 2.7 million households receiving benefits for disability will lose 16 percent of their total income support, which makes a loss of four times as much as the 20 percent being lost by the richest households.
Total cuts to disability allowances over the next four years are estimated to reach £9bn.
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