All Campaigns subcategories:
Disability keywords:
Disabled
1 March 2017
Search site for keywords: Disability - Tories - Disabled - Welfare - Government - Carers - Benefits - Austerity
Tories change law to dodge rulings against disability benefit cut
- Restore full disability benefits
#ToryCutsKill: protesting outside parliament against the government's law change to allow more cuts to PIP disability benefits, 7.3.17, photo by Paul Callanan (Click to enlarge)
Amalia, Socialist Party disabled people and carers' group
Despite two tribunals ruling that the Department for Work and Pensions should expand the reach of the 'personal independence payment' (PIP) disability benefit, the government is bringing emergency legislation to stop it.
Theresa May might want to present her government as one for 'hard-working people', but the reality is that the austerity era continues.
PIP is received by some people with disabilities as a compensation for the extra costs a disabled person has. It is given for expenses for "daily living" and for "mobility".
There are two rates. For daily living, the standard rate at £55.10 a week and the enhanced rate (for more severe cases) at £82.30. And for mobility, standard £21.80, and enhanced £57.45.
The Tories brought PIP in to gradually replace 'disability living allowance' (DLA). That already meant reduction in the amount of money received by disabled people. PIP is also points based, so many people stopped getting the payments because of their score, including Paralympic athletes!
If they go ahead with this, 160,000 disabled people will be affected. To rub salt into the wound, Tory policy chief George Freeman said in an interview that money should only go to "the really disabled people" and not those "who are taking pills at home, who suffer from anxiety"!
Once more the Tories show their utter contempt - despite their proclamations to the contrary - for people who live with disabilities. And they try to divide and rule by claiming disabilities related to mental health issues are less real than physical disabilities.
For disabled people, this move is another blow on top of constant attacks to their rights and welfare. DLA and PIP money is important for being able to live a dignified and independent life.
Scrap the Tories' welfare counter-reforms; scrap the points system in PIP; abolish work capability assessments; invest in jobs, homes and services for all. Organise and fight back!
This version of this article was first posted on the Socialist Party website on 1 March 2017 and may vary slightly from the version subsequently printed in The Socialist.
Donate to the Socialist Party
Finance appeal
The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.
The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.
The government has now ripped up its 'austerity' mantra and turned to policies that not long ago were denounced as socialist. But after the corona crisis, it will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.
- The Socialist Party's material is more vital than ever, so we can continue to report from workers who are fighting for better health and safety measures, against layoffs, for adequate staffing levels, etc.
- When the health crisis subsides, we must be ready for the stormy events ahead and the need to arm workers' movements with a socialist programme - one which puts the health and needs of humanity before the profits of a few.
Inevitably, during the crisis we have not been able to sell the Socialist and raise funds in the ways we normally would.
We therefore urgently appeal to all our viewers to donate to our Fighting Fund.
LATEST POSTS
12 May Stop Israeli state brutality
 |
9 May Post-election meetings
15 May Birmingham Socialist Party: How can we fight for socialist change and a new workers' party?
17 May Oxfordshire & Aylesbury Socialist Party: The role of the state
18 May Bristol North Socialist Party: Liverpool - history of socialist struggle
CONTACT US
Phone our national office on 020 8988 8777
Email: [email protected]
Locate your nearest Socialist Party branch Text your name and postcode to 07761 818 206
Regional Socialist Party organisers:
Eastern: 079 8202 1969
East Mids: 077 3797 8057
London: 075 4018 9052
North East: 078 4114 4890
North West 079 5437 6096
South West: 077 5979 6478
Southern: 078 3368 1910
Wales: 079 3539 1947
West Mids: 024 7655 5620
Yorkshire: 078 0983 9793
ABOUT US
ARCHIVE
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999