Letter published in The Guardian on 30th March 2016:
The announcement by the new work and pensions secretary, Stephen Crabb, that the changes to personal independence payments (PIP) in George Osborne’s calamity of a budget are to be scrapped is welcome news for hundreds of thousands of disabled people (Report, 22 March). Yet even the statement that there are no further welfare cuts planned for this parliament is cold comfort to those who live every day with the misery created by years of attacks on the support they require to participate in society.
The storm surrounding Cameron’s government over the budget has thrown a spotlight on the extent of inequality at the heart of its plans. IFS figures on the government’s tax and welfare changes have shown that the rich will gain while the poor lose out – so much for “compassionate conservatism”. If Stephen Crabb is serious with his talk of the people behind the numbers he needs to do more than just stop new cuts – he should reverse those that have already been made. We suggest he starts by returning the £30 a week he recently voted to steal from those receiving ESA and committing to scrap the notorious work capability assessments that have regularly found people with terminal cancer “fit for work”.
Anita Bellows Disabled People Against Cuts
Linda Burnip Disabled People Against Cuts
Ellen Clifford Disabled People Against Cuts
Mark Dunk Unite the Resistance
Bob Ellard Disabled People Against Cuts
Andy Greene Disabled People Against Cuts
Debbie Jolly Disabled People Against Cuts
Roger Lewis Disabled People Against Cuts
Paula Peters Disabled People Against Cuts
Alison Playford Occupy London
It shows a nastier still side to the Tories, also the desperate measures Osborne and his cronies would take. Thankfully, he has no chance of being PM now.
I thought they had scrapped the reduction of £30 for new claiments in the wrag group? A friend of mine has recently recieved his new claim regarding the change from dla to pip. On the same day he recieved a review of his esa claim. He had been found unfit for work and unlikely ever to work again. The Atos Dr who examined him told him if he was ever sent for to make sure the person examining him came to his house. That’s how badly disabled he is. Is this an effort by the government to circumvent “NO more cuts in this parliament” In effect they will cut everyone’s benefit who is on wrag. I am sure they scrapped that cut. Can anyone verify please?
no, they delayed PIP cuts , but unfortunately the £30 ESA WRAG cut hasnt been changed and still stands from April 2017-of course they want you to think they’ve done away with the ESAWRAG cuts , but they havent
labour should go for a vote of no cofidence against this goverment get the scum out now
Well said.