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Press Release

Welfare Reform Bill: Scope comment as Bill returns to House of Lords

14 September 2011

As the Welfare Reform Bill begins its second reading in the House of Lords, Richard Hawkes, Chief Executive of the disability charity Scope, said:

“The benefits system needs reforming – but the Government's welfare plans are in danger of backfiring.

“They will hit disabled people disproportionately hard, making it even tougher for them to live independent lives and contribute to their community.

“Disability Living Allowance (DLA), for example, is a lifeline that helps covers the extra costs disabled people face on a daily basis, such as getting out and about when public transport is inaccessible.

“But the Government is proposing to decide who gets the payment using a 'guestimate' that won't tell you anything about how much more it costs a disabled person to live their lives.

“The reforms will create a poorly targeted payment, which will see many disabled people lose out on vital financial support.

“The Government made exactly the same mistake with the Work Capability Assessment – an over-simplistic test to work out who is fit for work.

“We urge the Government to reconsider the draft test and seriously look into alternatives that would provide more targeted support, and which would reduce costs without risking disabled people's independence.”



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