The Guardian yesterday published letters protesting ‘The human cost of disability cuts’.

One letter was submitted by the Campaign. Another was signed by a number of Campaign members.

The Campaign’s letter:

Iain Duncan Smith’s view of people with long-term disabilities with lifetime awards as being “allowed to fester” risks feeding the rise in verbal abuse of disabled people, reinforced by an implied fraudulent 30% increase of 500,000 disabled people taking £2.24bn unmerited benefits (Disability benefits to be slashed, 14 May). The DWP has benefits fraud at 0.5%. Such propaganda doesn’t sit easily with the Home Office’s recent hate crime action plan.

The public needs to understand that most disabled people genuinely need this benefit, to help many maintain work supported by the £41.10 low-level combined DLA. It is an independence benefit, keeping people independent of (more costly) services. Those on low DLA are also impacted by most local councils’ cuts being no longer eligible for social care support.

Without DLA, many on low wages may be unable to continue working. Given the levels of national minimum and living wages (£243.20 and £288 per week), how can Iain Duncan Smith justify taking this or the £71.45 from long-term disabled people unable to work, leaving £71 or £53.45 (under-25s) per week? Could any of us without disability expenses manage such a loss? Many are likely to lose independence, with escalating needs forcing them on to local authority care support. 
Steven Rose
, Chair, Campaign for a Fair Society.

Read the Guardian letters

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