Work Capability Assessments
First and foremost, we’ve got reforms to the WCA, or Work Capability Assessment. These changes, started by the last government, only serve to drive more disabled people into poverty, and just represents a continuation of the ongoing cruelty to disabled people. Based on an analysis from Disabled People Against Cuts, 456000 people would end up being denied the benefits and social security safety net they need to survive. Only 15000 would end up going into work, leaving 441000 with no money, and no job. Even then, this would only end up with people being pushed into jobs that are inappropriate for them. When is the government going to accept that some disabled people simply cannot work? Baffling.
The CEO of Sense, Richard Kramer, said:
“The government’s decision today is deeply disturbing for disabled people. They have chosen to continue the previous government’s harmful plans to reduce access to benefits. This risks undermining the wellbeing of disabled people, and the consequences could be devastating.
Disabled households are living in crisis, their current welfare benefits barely cover the essentials and spiraling food and energy costs have pushed many into debt and despair. But instead of choosing to give disabled people proper financial support and beginning to transform lives, the government has played into the dangerous narrative that disabled people should be forced to work.”
Public transport? Don’t need that…
Next up, there’s a 1p cut in petrol duty, but an increase in the price cap on bus fare from £2 to £3. Ignoring the obvious climate implications for a second, this is bad for disabled people, simply because not a lot of us can drive, roughly 39%, according to government data. In a time when things are expensive enough, making it even tougher by increasing the price of bus fares is very unhelpful, and making things even more difficult for a group already marginalised in society. Again, fiscal policy which takes from the most marginalised in society, and gives it to those who probably don’t need it. In any case, the oil companies would probably just pocket the extra profit without passing on the cost savings to us anyways.
The apparently good bits
It’s not all doom and gloom though, the Carer’s Allowance earnings threshold, i.e. the amount someone can earn per week until their allowance is removed, has gone up from £151 per week to £196. Such an astounding display of government largesse. The so-called “cliff edge” where people end up losing their money and having to pay it all back is something the government is apparently going to look into. I’m not holding my breath.
Finally, and perhaps most positively, school funding for SEND children has been increased to the tune of £1 billion a year, although according to the National Audit Office, most of this will be used to pay off mounting debts, leaving SEND children to continue suffering in an outdated education system, which is unable to meet their needs.
In short… it’s a load of rubbish. That’s our analysis.