Charles Gillies, policy co-chair at the Disability Benefits Consortium, an umbrella body representing more than 100 charities and organisations, has led the criticism.
Disability charities have urged the government to abandon ‘immoral and devastating’ benefit cuts from the Department for Work and Pensions ( DWP ). Charles Gillies, policy co-chair at the Disability Benefits Consortium, an umbrella body representing more than 100 charities and organisations, has led the criticism.
Gillies said: “These immoral and devastating benefits cuts will push more disabled people into poverty, and worsen people’s health … Any targeted cuts to disabled people on universal credit and employment and support allowance will largely hit those who are unable to work and rely on these benefits to survive.
“We are united in urging the government to abandon these cruel cuts.” Stephen Flynn, the SNP’s leader at Westminster, said: “The Labour party ’s devastating cuts to disabled people are a total betrayal of the promises they made to voters at the election.
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“They will harm the most vulnerable, push disabled people into poverty, and mark the start of a new era of austerity cuts under the Labour party, which will hit the whole of society.
“During the election, voters were promised there would be no return to austerity cuts but Keir Starmer has taken the axe to winter fuel payments, pushed children into poverty, blocked compensation for WASPI women – and now he is taking vital support away from the disabled.”
From the Green party’s Siân Berry said: “I’ve heard nothing today that reassures me the government will stop scapegoating and stigmatising those in need, while impoverishing them to the tune of £5bn. Young and disabled people should have the support and backing of the government but instead they have been badly let down this month with the active trailing of terrifying plans.
“It’s clear that these plans were plotted without the input of those whose lives will be most impacted. Disabled people must be listened to before any changes are made, and I hope that Labour backbenchers will join me in being their fiercest defenders and fight off the worst of these plans.
“The chancellor must listen as well, to growing calls from Green MPs, the public and even many millionaires for a wealth tax. How can she stoop so low as any Conservative chancellor and take money away from disabled people rather than get a grip on the obscene wealth being hoarded in this country? This morally indefensible choice will have devastating consequences, and the government should be ready to answer for it.”