As many of you might have seen on the BBC, and other media outlets, Kier Starmer and his government are planning once again to cut the welfare bill. This has caused considerable concern and anguish amongst many disabled people who are worried it’ll leave them without food, heating or even making them homeless. The Labour government has labelled, those with disabilities and health conditions as “ the undeserving poor,” placing a larger emphasis on working people and expecting those on Personal independence (POP) or Universal Credit (UC) to seek work as a alternative to their benefit support.
This doesn’t give an accurate picture of the situation faced by many disabled people, where many would love to work and contribute to society. Many are limited by there conditions however, with a lot citing, lack of transportation, accessibility and fatigue as some of the main reasons why people with disabilities and mental health conditions, struggle achieving full time employment.
As a person with multiple disabilities, I can express first hand how stressful, the job application process is. There is limited support at every stage of the process, this despite many private and public sector organizations claiming to be disability confident. An example of this could be that graduates with recognised disabilities or health conditions were in 2023 12.7% less likely to find employment (according to Department of Work and Pensions) (DWP).
Another thing to remember here is disability isn’t a choice, it’s a minority community that anyone can enter anytime throughout their lives. Some enter at birth, some through illness and some by ageing. It’s something nobody would chose, but a situation a person must adapt to and deal with as best as possible.
Along with the obvious struggle with any physical and mental limitations from the disability and any societal stigma that may be attached, there is a unseen financial cost of being a person with a disability. Writing in the Guardian a leading disability charity Scope claimed “without PIP a further 700,000 households could be pushed into poverty. Having a disability does cost more, the cost of home and vehicle adaptations, medications and hospital surgeries and appointments reduce a person’s ability to seek employment even further.
But there’s another way, the government could offer people with disabilities more support during education and during the job application process. Also offering people flexible hours, working in a setting they’re more comfortable with will gradually ease people into work. Some may not ever be able to get into paid work, these people staff our charity shops and cafes, playing an equally vital role in society.
So in conclusion, if the government wants to reduce government debt and spending, the targeting of the most vulnerable in society shows a complete lack of morals and compassion towards those in need. It also paints a darker narrative that excludes disabled people from society. This would be a huge step backwards in efforts made to increase equality and diversity and threatens the very fabric of society.
Finally it’s a well, in which the last Tory government, bled dry and I’m sure Labour and Kier Starmer came into office wanting to distance themselves from the legacy of 14 years of Tory governorship, but this policy on welfare shows that this may not be the entire truth.
James Bayliss – Coordinator Oadby & Wigston