This week will see Chancellor Phillip Hammond’s first Autumn
Statement, on behalf of Theresa May’s government. The Chancellor has promised a
move away from ‘Osbornomics’ – stating that he will borrow and invest while distancing
Tory policy from austerity. Despite this supposed empathic facelift, delivered to
the post-Brexit Tory party by its new leader, when the Chancellor sat on the
Andrew Marr show on Sunday, he showed no indication of halting his plans to cut
Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).
On November 17 Parliament debated a motion to call on the
Chancellor to stop the proposed cuts. The cuts would involve a £29 per week
reduction in people’s ESA payments who are in the Work Related Activity Group
(WRAG) – individuals who are not in employment due to an illness or disability,
however they have been judged fit to return to work at some point in the future
by the DWP. Although the motion – backed by many Tory MP’s – was passed by 127
votes to 0, it is only advisory; leaving the final decision in the hands of Chancellor.
There are many reasons why this cut would be an atrocious decision,
not least because it was only two weeks ago that a UN Human Rights Committee
report condemned the UK government for human rights abuses over their treatment
of people with disabilities.
It is true that the government’s welfare reforms have disproportionately
hit people with disabilities the hardest. Not only this but the report shows
that the government had successfully shifted public opinion on people with
disabilities – stereotyping them as ‘lazy’ and ‘frauds’ and increasing the
hardships already weighing on the shoulders of innocent, vulnerable people.
Through the introduction of reforms such as the bedroom tax, we have seen
further negative impacts on people with disabilities; people who may need an
extra room for a live in carer, medical equipment or many other reasons that
come with having a disability or a long-term illness have suffered grately. The
idea that someone could get charged extra, when they are already struggling to
keep their head above water, for something such as needing a room for dialysis
equipment in their home, is an injustice that should be both recognised and
challenged. The report concluded that measures introduced by the government
were discriminatory and have directly abused over half a million people’s human
rights.
Despite these points being listed – literally in black and
white - in front of the Chancellor’s nose, he was still unable to confirm that
the cuts would be halted when challenged on Sunday. Despite knowing that
families are suffering (in fact, those hit hardest by past cuts are actually
families that have a child with a disability) he was still unable to reassure
us that future innocent and vulnerable people who are out of work through no
fault of their own, will be able to receive the full support offered now. Instead
we are warned that belts must be tight and we cannot possibly afford to stop
people from living in poverty, we cannot possibly afford to help people who may
fall ill with cancer or a heart attack, or who may be unable to work due to
their disability.
Some Ministers point out that these cuts will not happen to
people currently claiming ESA but will only begin after April to new claimants…as
if that makes it better. By continuing the rate of pay for current claimants it
is clear that this money is needed. It is not an incentive for individuals to
stay out of work and scam the system as many would like to have us believe. In
fact, if we are going highlight the length of time people are in the WRAG
category – instead of blaming this on benefit fraud and people choosing not to
find employment, we must instead look at the governments Work Capability
Assessments which has seen thousands of people deemed fit for work even after
their Doctor has told them that they are not. We must also explore the issue
that it has been proven harder for people with a disability to find employment
than those without.
We cannot ignore the fact that there are currently 1.3
million people with a disability in the UK who are available for and want to
work while only half of the population with a disability are in employment. It
is a fact that people with long-term disabilities are consistently less likely
to be employed than an ‘able bodied’ person. According to an annual population
survey, conducted by poverty.co.uk, one in four adults with a work-limiting
disability are not working but want to, this compares with one in 15 of those
with no work-limiting disability.
To brand these individuals as ‘lazy’ and ‘frauds’ is beyond comprehension.
People who have a disability are often the most enthusiastic individuals when
it comes to finding work as they are able to reap such valuable benefits from
employment and social inclusion. Employment is key to building confidence and
self-worth and it acts as a core element of social inclusion – something that
can have a direct impact on a person’s health and wellbeing. The fact is that
there are many people with disabilities who are desperate to work but find the
process challenging and disheartening.
Theresa May promises a government of unity, one that is
there for the masses. In her first speech as Prime Minister, May spoke about
the meaning of the word Unionist to her party: “It means we believe in a union
not just between the nations of the United Kingdom, but between all of our
citizens, every one of us, whoever we are and wherever we are from.” Following
on from this, May spoke directly to the working class people of Britain,
telling them that the government she will lead “will be driven, not by the
interests of the privileged few, but by yours. We will do everything we can to
give you more control over your lives.”
Everything they can? Is slashing the incomes of struggling,
innocent, ill and disabled people really the best they’ve got? Is that the best
the Tory government can deliver on? Pushing sick mothers, fathers, brothers,
sisters, sons and daughters into poverty? Into debt that will ultimately have a
negative impact on their overall recovery?
The word ‘unity’ has been thrown around a lot in politics
lately, not just in May’s speech but during the lead up to Brexit we heard
Remainers speak about the importance of Unity with our European brothers and
sisters and Leavers speak about the importance of Unity as a Nation. It sounds
like a lovely concept, doesn’t it? Everyone wants to feel that they are a part
of something bigger, that they won’t be left behind, but if the Chancellor
forces through these destructive cuts then he will be taking us on a path far
from unity, where innocent people will be left behind.
If we are talking ‘unity’ then we must remember that this
really does affect every single one of us. Any one of us could fall ill with a
work debilitating illness, any one of us could find ourselves with a
disability. Many of us could have children that suffer from a condition that
prevents them from finding employment, or a family member or friend. I know
that if I found myself in that situation I would want there to be the support necessary
to help me live a fair and just life, that I wouldn’t be faced with stigma and labelled
as lazy and a fraud. This is why it is important to make your voice heard and
oppose the cut to ESA, do it for yourself or your family member, friend,
colleague or neighbour, do it to show Theresa May and her band of crooks and
liars what the real meaning of unity is.
