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Budget means more welfare cuts
Wednesday 21 March 2012
The Budget includes £10 billion further cuts to welfare, following the Welfare Reform Act
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, announced the 2012 Budget today (21 March).
Reaffirming the government’s “unwavering commitment to deal with Britain's record debts”, he promised far-reaching tax reforms, support for growth and rewards for work. The Budget set out the government’s plans in three areas – creating a stable economy, a fairer, more efficient and simpler tax system, and further reforms to support growth.
These plans include £10 billion further cuts to welfare. Osborne said that despite the passing of the Welfare Reform Act only two weeks ago, “the welfare budget is set to rise to consume one third of all public spending” and that “if nothing is done to curb welfare bills further, then the full weight of the spending restraint will fall on departmental budgets”.
David Congdon, Mencap’s head of campaigns and policy said: “The government's Welfare Reform Act has just received royal assent, leading to anticipated cuts in welfare benefits of £18 billion a year, and many disabled people are already deeply concerned for their future. These concerns will be exacerbated by the Chancellor’s announcement that he is planning a £10 billion further cuts to welfare by 2016/17.
"People with a learning disability are some of the most excluded in society and are far more likely to live in poverty. The government has a responsibility to ensure the cuts do not disproportionately impact on those people least able to afford it, yet the Chancellor's focus on further welfare cuts means many disabled people will fear they will continue to be the hardest hit.
“If the government seeks to make further cuts in expenditure, we urge them to adopt a wider view as to how these could be realised, looking beyond just one area of spending alone.”
Comments
unfortunately l',m unable to claim for ESa. so it means again l'm forced to rely on my family for survival once again . My social worker already said to me this week that my personal budget(which l had to fight for every single penny to get) would increase significantly if my parents weren,t here? Is the care system deliberately using families to save money? makes me angry when how much my life could change now if the "extra help" could be given to me before my parents has died.
I hope that the government is planning to increase the social care budget at the same time as they are taking benefits away from people who deserve them.When someone is taking on the responsibility of caring for a severely disabled person they are saving the government a fortune.Will a situation arise that benefits are reduced so much that people are forced to put the disabled person into care,because they just can't manage financially.
For an update. My social worker did came to visit me today to try to sort out my benefits. unfortunately the DWP's computer system was down today which meant my social worker will have to phone them again this afternoon for the paperwork to be sent by post(l think l will be forced to go onto ESA which l have been told is inaccessible for autistic people and nightmare for people with learning disabilities). will have to rely on other sources of income such as my disability living allowance and the continued support from my family which are elderly for survival. how did we get to this kind of mess? and why isn,t the care system doing more to promote proper and sustainable employment for people with learning disabilities and autistic people?
There was a sneaky reference to localising welfare - some rough and ready illustrations http://cynicism.me/2012/03/21/effects-of-regional-benefits/
Hope you sort it out chris, I am worried for my son who has special needs and is being cared for 24/7 what will happen when they cap that? Maybe he will come back home??
had my benefits stopped last week due to my circumstances changing. Having to wait a week to have something done about it because of my social worker is on holiday. Why are we being blamed for the country,s problems when the evidence speaks for itself? people with learning disabilities shouldn,t be forced into more poverty simply because the support for employment is so patchy and is not designed to match someone,s needs and circumstances. recently Cornwall has been awarded more European money because it hasn;t been able to deal with it;s economic, problems and is still classed as one of the most poorest areas in Europe . (any welfare cut will just push vulnerable people into breaking point and potentially risk their well-being)