NEWS

Joint statement from Bild, Restraint Reduction Network and Respond: Response to proposed welfare cuts

Bild, RRN and Respond are concerned the Government’s proposed welfare cuts announced in this week’s spring statement pose a threat to the rights and quality of life of many people with learning disabilities and autistic people.

Thousands of people with a learning disability and autistic people rely on Personal Independence Payments (PIP) to help with their daily living costs. These costs won’t disappear if payments do, and the announcements have caused worry for people across the country.

The changes will have enormous impact on people’s wellbeing – both mental and physical – making worse the shameful health inequalities already faced by people with learning disabilities and autistic people. People with learning disabilities and autistic people already die younger of things that other people might not; increasing poverty will only make this worse.

The Government must not wrongly connect receiving disability benefits with not wanting to work. This is not only unfair, but dangerous. It pits people against each another and makes people with disabilities feel even more isolated. Proposed changes to eligibility will make PIP assessments more difficult and life, for those that do not qualify, much tougher.

Our charities have championed human rights for people with learning disabilities and autistic people for decades. These rights are again being put at risk by the proposed cuts. To reduce vital support, while social care is in crisis and people already struggle to access the support they need, is unacceptable.

We recognise that the Government needs to balance the budget, but this must not be done by making life harder for some of the most vulnerable people in our society. The priority should be to ensure people who need support in their daily lives can access this, free of stigma or blame, regardless of their ability to work. While we support, in principle, the Government’s call to help more disabled people into work, this must start with the right support. These cuts to disability benefits unacceptably target people with learning disabilities and autistic people and will force people into poverty.

We want the Government to rethink cuts to disability benefits and make sure that people with learning disabilities and autistic people are not unfairly punished and discriminated against.

Policies that empower people with learning disabilities and autistic people and improve support available, will build a fairer society and in turn improve employment opportunities for those who can work.

Alexis Quinn, RRN Manager, said

“Without adequate investment in social care, we risk exacerbating coercive measures such as involuntary hospitalisation and forced treatment for autism and learning disabilities. These practices, often labelled as necessary for safety, can be cruel and inhumane, and cuts to benefits may further justify their use as the current actions taken are leading to increased instances of distress to people already experiencing significant barriers due to their disabilities.

Disregarding the psychological and social causes of distress such as poverty and lack of basic support represents a failure to acknowledge the realities of those affected. It is crucial to call out this discrimination and advocate for policies that are fair and equitable if we want to see health inequalities reduced and reliance on restraint eliminated.”

Kate Brackley, Bild Learning Disability Advisor, said:

“Benefit cuts affect people with learning disabilities a lot. Not just our money, it also causes problems for our physical and mental health too.

Anything to do with benefits and cutting them can scare us a lot. When they talk about it on the news and they use all these words that we don’t understand because its full of jargon, it can be very worrying and stressful.

I already lost one of my benefits last year, which makes things difficult for me.  I have worked for the last 23 years, and I am having to pay for more and more things, like healthcare. The extra costs for heating and things like that are already difficult and this is another thing.”

Sanjay, member of Respond’s Action Group, said:

“It is very difficult for a lot of people with learning disabilities and autistic people to get employment.

The changes to benefits make it even more difficult and will affect people a lot.” 

Helpful links

Mencap’s Easy Read information on Welfare cuts https://www.mencap.org.uk/easyread/benefit-changes-easy-read

Government Consultation on the changes to welfare, open until 30 June https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/pathways-to-work-reforming-benefits-and-support-to-get-britain-working-green-paper