Begg hits out at government benefit cuts




The newly elected chair of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Work and Pensions, Anne Begg, has spoken out against recent government proposals to reform the benefit system.

Speaking to Disability Now ahead of the Committee’s first meeting Ms Begg, who is one of a small number of disabled MPs, questioned whether government action on Disability Living Allowance and Incapacity Benefit, was welfare reform at all.

She said: “We don’t know what they mean by welfare reform because all that has been announced so far is cuts. And cuts to welfare is not welfare reform.”

In his recent emergency budget, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne announced that, from 2013, new and existing claimants of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) would have their entitlement judged by means of a medical assessment.

But Ms Begg said this is totally at odds with the philosophy behind DLA.

“The one benefit which we have in this country which actually operates on the social model of disability is DLA, and to turn it into something which you only get if you actually have a medical diagnosis detracts from the whole purpose of DLA.”

Responding to a further announcement by Mr Osborne that the Government intends to speed up the rate at which people are assessed for Incapacity Benefit and thereby increase the numbers who come off benefit and go back to work, Anne Begg said:

“My concern is that it’s being done on a cuts agenda, it’s being done to save money rather than for the betterment of the individuals involved.”


A full version of the interview with Anne Begg will appear in the next issue of Disability Now magazine

Paul,
Thanks for posting this information- a link would have been nice.
I have sent days and nights reading up on disability because I am concerned that dementia carers are seriously being overlooked here and am wondering what is in place to protect them and the person they care for?

Dementia is a terminal illness and not restricted to old age, it can happen to anybody at anytime – here’s a heart breaking story and the government should recognise that some people cannot work and care so what is in place to protect them?

http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/fabulous/features/886230/lsquoMy-wife-canrsquot-remember-our-babyrsquo-explains-Scott-Doig.html

http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/news_article.php?newsID=738

Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970

sorry it is on disability now site

Ms BEGG was in favour of the removal of D.L.A. and A.A. from tthe over 65`s to fund the national care service.
she also wanted the free personal care at home service for the most critically ill , funded by the N.H.S. 600 million quid and the local authority 300 million quid ,
both schemes were underfunded, does she still support the 2 schemes ??