Independent Living For Disabled People Diminishing

Independent living for disabled people is in reverse, six years on from a government strategy to deliver improved choice and opportunity, a damning report has concluded.  Across social care, income, work opportunities and access to services, there has been “no evidence of significant progress” in disabled people’s experiences since the independent living strategy was published by the last Labour government in 2008. The strategy set a five-year goal to give disabled people more choice and control over the provision of support for daily living and to make significant progress in reducing barriers to opportunities and access to employment, transport, health and housing.

Download the report from the Disability Rights UK website.

Charities Concerns for Disabled People and Housing Benefit Changes

Seven charities have written to George Osborne calling for carers and disabled people to be exempt from the controversial bedroom tax.  In a joint letter the charities warn that carers and disabled people hit by the penalty will be unable to cover the shortfall and could be forced to move or fall into arrears and debt.  The charities are concerned there is no exemption for carers who live with the people they care for or for people unable to share rooms because of illness or disability.  Read the full letter on the Disability Rights UK website.

500,000 Disabled People Could Lose Out Under Universal Credit

Up to half a million disabled people and their families - including children and disabled adults living on their own - will be worse off under Universal Credit if current plans go ahead, finds an inquiry led by Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson and supported by The Children’s Society, Citizens Advice and Disability Rights UK.  Disabled people and their families warned that cuts to the child disability additions and to the Severe Disability Premium are likely to result in them struggling to pay for basic essentials such as food and heating.

Many disabled people who are already finding it difficult to make ends meet face further hardship under the new benefit system, leading to potentially disastrous consequences. This includes up to 230,000 severely disabled people who do not have another adult to assist them getting between £28 and £58 less in support every week. The inquiry report, ‘Holes in the safety net: The impact of Universal Credit on disabled people and their families’ also reveals that:

    *100,000 disabled children stand to lose up to £28 a week.

    *116,000 disabled people who work will be at risk of losing up to £40 per week from help towards additional costs of being disabled.

Read more on the Disability Rights UK website.