Families of adults registered as disabled, including those with autism, have the chance to influence government decisions about plans to cut a benefit that risks throwing many of them deeper into poverty.

Trouble looming: storm clouds float ominously over the Palace of Westminster, home to the House of Commons and House of Lords

Of major concern is the damaging impact that proposed cuts to the Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) will have on disabled people.

The Government wants to cut the amount of money given to people in the Work-Related Activity Group (WRAG) of people receiving ESA.

According to the charity Mencap, there are almost a quarter of a million people in the WRAG that have mental health, autism and a learning disability.

£30 a week benefit cut

The government plans to cut these claimants’ benefit by almost £30 a week. The cut would be phased in from April 2017 and would reduce the weekly payment to £73, in line with the current rate of Jobseekers Allowance for non-disabled people.

Mencap said: “We believe this could leave thousands of people with a learning disability and their families in poverty.”

Researchers at the Disability Benefits Consortium surveyed 500 people in the WRAG. They found that even at the current level of £102.15 a week, 28 per cent of people in receipt of the benefit said they had been unable to afford to eat.

The Government is proposing the cut as part of the Welfare Reform Bill, which is passing through Parliament. It will go to the House of Lords on 25 and 27 January, when amendments will be tabled.

Charities are asking families to influence the process by making their views known to their local MP. Unless sufficient opposition occurs, the Bill may be passed without amendments to the ESA-cut proposals.

Already struggling to make ends meet

The Government’s position remains unchanged, despite the findings of a Parliamentary Review that was published in December. The Review suggested that disabled people are already struggling to make ends meet and will not cope with the ESA-cut proposals.

The Review reported that 57 per cent of people with a disability said the amount they currently receive was not enough to live on.

Paul Farmer, chief executive of the charity Mind, which is asking people to lobby their MPs in the run-up to the House of Lords debate, said: “Reducing the financial support available to people, who cannot work because of illness or disability, will make people’s lives even more difficult and will do nothing to help them return to work.”

He added: “It’s insulting and misguided to imply that ill and disabled people on ESA will be more likely to move into work if their benefits are cut. The vast majority of people with mental health problems want to work but face significant barriers as a result of the impact of their condition and the stigma they often face from employers.”

Led by independent crossbench peers Lord Low, Baroness Meacher and Baroness Grey-Thompson, the Review highlighted evidence from charities including the National Autistic Society and Mind, as well as disabled people. It reveals how the Government-proposed cut of £30 a week to the ESA risks contradicting its desire to get more disabled people into work.

The Review highlights concerns of how a cut to ESA-WRAG would lead to worsening health conditions, causing anxiety and stress from not being able to pay bills and, in some cases, clothes and food. Concerns were also raised about social isolation because claimants may not be able to afford to leave their home to access the community.

‘No justification for this reduction’

Lord Low of Dalston said: “The Review finds no evidence that the £30 a week disabled people receive as part of ESA-WRAG is acting as a disincentive to work and thus there appears no justification for this reduction in payment.

“In fact, our Review found that the current ESA rate is already not enough to work as an income replacement considering that claimants are often, through no fault of their own, out of work for a considerable time. The Government should halt this cut and instead introduce better and more personalised and tailored support to help disabled people who can work take steps to do so.”

Mencap has offered families advice on what they can do to help. Visit the charity’s website by clicking here.

Published: 14 January 2016