More cuts to benefits announced

Friday 17 September 2010

Survey from the Disability Benefits Consortium to explore the impact on disabled people

Chancellor George Osborne has announced that a further £4 billion will be cut from the bill for state help, in addition to the £11 billion cuts made in June's emergency Budget. He will announce details of the cuts in October's Comprehensive Spending Review.

Mencap and other disability organisations have expressed concerns about how the cuts will impact on disabled people. "While we recognise the need to tackle the deficit, we are concerned that the effect of these cuts will fall disproportionately on disabled people," said Jane Alltimes, a senior Mencap campaigns and policy officer.

"Decisions on spending cuts have been made incredibly quickly and we are calling on the government to ensure that there is a good understanding of the wider and long-term implications of these changes for disabled people."

Mencap is a member of the Disability Benefits Consortium (DBC), which is carrying out a survey to find out more about disabled people's experiences of the benefits system. The DBC will use the survey to help the government better understand the impact changes to benefits like Incapacity Benefit, Employment and Support Alliance, Disability Living Allowance and Local Housing Allowance will have on disabled people.

Read more about benefits for people with a learning disability in the latest edition of Viewpoint magazine