Responding to the news that
the Government
The Government are the people who run the country. The Government decide how much
tax
Tax is the money that pays for things like schools, hospitals and the police. There are different types of taxes like
income tax
Income tax is the money that is taken out of the money you earn every month. It helps to pay for things we all need like hospitals and schools.
,
VAT
VAT is also called Value Added Tax. VAT is the extra money you pay when you buy things. The money goes to the government to pay for things like schools and hospitals.
and
council tax
Council
A council is also called a
local authority
A local authority is also called a council. They are a group of people who make decisions about some of the things in the area where you live like schools,
social care
Social care means the services that give care and support to people who need it.
(support for people), parks and dustbin collection.
. They are a group of people who make decisions about some of the things in the area where you live. These include: schools, social care (support for people), parks and dustbin collection.
Tax is the money that people pay to the
council
A council is also called a
local authority
A local authority is also called a council. They are a group of people who make decisions about some of the things in the area where you live like schools,
social care
Social care means the services that give care and support to people who need it.
(support for people), parks and dustbin collection.
. They are a group of people who make decisions about some of the things in the area where you live. These include: schools, social care (support for people), parks and dustbin collection.
. It helps to pay for things like social care (support for people), parks and dustbin collection.
.
people should pay and how things like the National Health
Service
A service gives people what they need, like healthcare services that help people when they are ill, and support services that give people support.
(
NHS
The NHS is the National Health Service. The NHS gives free healthcare to everyone in the UK and includes things like your GP (doctors) surgery and hospitals.
) should work.
is cutting benefit entitlement, implement
mandatory
Mandatory means that something must be done.
work placements and increasing sanctions on disabled people, Dan Scorer, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at
Learning Disability
A learning disability is to do with the way someone's brain works. It makes it harder for someone to learn, understand or do things.
charity Mencap says:
“Plans to force more people with a learning disability into work without support, and heightening sanctions is short-sighted, ill thought-out, and risks pushing more people into poverty.
“Hundreds of thousands of people* with a learning disability want to work but they face multiple barriers moving into work - from stigma and prejudice, to inaccessible application forms and lack of adjustments in interviews. The
employment
Employment means having a job.
support available for people with a learning disability is inadequate and without it many are unable to get a job. The government must ensure there is more tailored support to help people with a learning disability get into work, including better training for work coaches.”
Responding to the Government's Autumn statement announcement about benefit uprating, Dan Scorer, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at Learning Disability charity Mencap says:
"While we welcome the increase in benefits in line with inflation, people with a learning disability may still lose out, as many face higher living costs than non-disabled people.**
“Worryingly, more than a third of people with a learning disability we surveyed were not putting on their heating even when it was cold because of energy costs. Everyone should have a warm home this winter. We are urging Government to provide an additional winter payment for people who have higher energy bills because of their disability."