Disability benefit changes will push vulnerable into destitution, charities warn
Ministers have been warned that raising the threshold for out of work disability benefits would lead to “dangerous consequences” for some claimants – including severe hardship and risk of harm.
Further details of the Government’s plan to reform disability benefit assessments to reduce the number of people signed off work permanently were outlined as part of Jeremy Hunt’s Autumn Statement.
The proposals mean that, from 2025, people undergoing a new assessment deciding whether they are too sick to work will have a higher threshold to meet to access additional money and protection from benefit sanctions.
Charities welcomed the Government’s decision to uprate benefits in line with inflation but warned that the changes for disabled people would not tackle the problem of the rising benefits bill.
And they said the proposals to change criteria meaning people with certain conditions, such as mental health illnesses, do not need to work could lead to “dangerous consequences” – including a risk of suicide or harm.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) published its response to a recent consultation around how best to change the disability assessment process.
Eventually, ministers intend to totally abolish the so-called “work capability assessments” (WCA) and bring in a new regime with a slim-lined list of definitions as to what constitutes someone being unable to work.
Government sources stressed no one currently classed as unable to work due to health conditions will lose any money from the changes – which will apply only to new claims after 2025.
Existing claimants will instead be offered a new policy called the “chance to work guarantee” from 2025.
This will mean they are no longer assessed for work – unless they have a change in health condition – and that will remain the case even if they move into employment and it does not work out.
The policy is designed to remove the threat of reassessment which prevents people who do want to try working from doing so.
Better support will offer tailored support to help disabled people into work.
But when the new changes to WCA are brought in, ministers want to use the rise in home and flexible working to make it easier for disabled people to move into employment.
This will involve changing categories so people with certain conditions are not ruled out from having to find work and expose more people to the threat of benefit sanctions.
It would apply to people such as those with mental health issues, but who are not in crisis or acute psychosis, and those with certain mobility issues but who are not immobile.
There will be protections for people who would suffer deterioration of health if they were asked to move into work and the changes are not designed to change working rules for the most unwell or disabled people.
But James Taylor, director of strategy at disability charity Scope, said Mr Hunt had “doubled down on a plan that will ramp up sanctions and demonises disabled people”.
He said the announcement was “a missed opportunity to set out how disabled people can thrive. Instead, now many will be thinking how they will survive”.
“The Government is hellbent on reducing the benefits budget come what may, but inflation is still high, prices are rising and disabled people are still facing sky high bills.
“Disabled people are struggling to make ends meet. Life costs more if you are disabled. We’re hearing from disabled people who are using candles instead of putting the light on, skipping meals, and taking cold showers.”
Paul Kissack, chief executive of the anti-poverty charity the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF), said ministers’ “commitment to more personalised employment support for disabled people” has been “undermined by moves to restrict financial support for hundreds of thousands of future claimants and exposing more people to sanctions”.
“In JRF’s recent report into Destitution in the UK, almost two thirds of destitute survey respondents reported having a chronic health problem or disability, demonstrating that this group is already at risk of the most severe form of hardship. Being destitute meant they couldn’t afford to keep warm, dry, clothed and fed.”
Anti-poverty charity Z2K has written to the Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride, questioning the validity of the consultation and, alongside other charities, has urged him to publish details of the responses as well as an Equalities Impact Assessment.
Anela Anwar, head of Z2K, said: “Despite near-unanimous opposition, the Government has chosen to go ahead with dangerous and unevidenced proposals that will deny many seriously ill and disabled people the financial support they need, and put some at serious risk of harm.
“Working fully from home is simply not an option in many sectors – and low-paid workers are less likely to do so than higher-paid workers. The DWP has also given no thought whatsoever to whether people have the skills or equipment to work remotely, or even a suitable place or home environment to work in.”
She said the Government “must think again, and put disabled people themselves at the heart of future policymaking”.
