Benefit cut for disabled unfair - MP

Debbie Abrahams, Oldham East and Saddleworth MP

OLDHAM MP Debbie Abrahams has called on the Government to drop the clause in its Welfare Reform and Work Bill which would mean disabled people found not fit to work will have their weekly benefits cut by almost £30.

During a session of the Welfare Reform and Work Bill Committee this week, at which Labour called for the controversial Clause 13 to be deleted, Mrs Abrahams said: “We believe it is unjust and unfair that disabled people and people with serious health conditions who have been assessed as part of the Work Capability Assessment process as not fit for work should have their social security support cut by nearly £30 to £73.10.

“There is compelling evidence that found on average they spend an extra £550 per month associated with their disability. The Government’s proposed cuts come on top of a host of other cuts in social security support for disabled people since 2010.

Mrs Abrahams also queried what she described as the Government’s lack of proper impact assessments, and warned there was no analysis about the number of disabled people who will be pushed into poverty by the cuts.

She added: “Last year there was a two per cent increase in the proportion of disabled people living in poverty. That’s more than 300,000 people.”