DPO Forum write to DWP Minister voicing opposition to possible disability benefit cuts in the upcoming Green Paper

The Forum says: “We have serious concerns about the potential cuts to the disability benefit system, which many of our members rely on for basic human needs, security and opportunity.

“We believe that these cuts would not only undermine disabled people’s right to a decent quality of life, but could also further entrench the barriers to access, employment, and social inclusion that many disabled people face.  

“We are also concerned about the further distress and trauma which cuts to the benefit system will cause disabled people and the likely increase in deaths already being caused by the way the system operates.”

It continues: “As an immediate course of action, we urge you to take cuts to disability benefits off the table and to co-produce improvements to the benefits’ system with disabled people. 

“… Additionally, we ask that you release the responses to the previous PIP Green Paper consultation, as well as clarify whether the WCA proposals will be included in the upcoming Green Paper. The results of these consultations are vital in understanding the perspectives of Disabled people and ensuring that future policies reflect their needs and lived experiences.”

Among other several other points highlighted by the Forum include:

• co-production must be in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD)
• the new consultation will also need to provide improved clarity about the impact that the proposals will have and the Government to publishing of the key research and analysis that has been relied upon in the development of the proposals, including the small-scale internal audit of substantial risk cases referred to in the recent High Court Clifford judgment.
• the Government to carry out and publish an assessment of the impact that the proposals will have on the number of claimants to receive lower benefit payments, poverty and child poverty, as well as up-to-date Employment and Equality Impact Assessments.
• the new consultation will be 12 weeks long, but as the consultation may cover plans for wide-ranging changes of the entire health and disability benefits system, in addition to the work capability assessment criteria changes; 12 weeks is an insufficient timeframe for such a complex consultation.
• any potential PIP cashless voucher system would impact on social care charges - Local Authority Social Services would need extra funding to cover the amount disabled people currently contribute from their cash PIP payments or possibly lead to a funding gap
• the Access to Work scheme isa an effective way removing barriers and meeting Disabled people's needs in employment - it needs to be adequately resourced and any cuts or reductions in funding will undermine national objectives to remove barriers to disabled people's employment

The Forum conclude by drawing the Minister’s attention to the recently published report Pro Bono Economics - More than money: The lifelong wellbeing impact of disability benefits.