Here's an insight into how this shower twist the facts in a most callous and selfish way. It's wordy but interesting. Please let your M.P. know you know the facts. The students are fighting for themselves but many of the Disabled are unable to make any impression on the streets. They are gradually watching their quality of life roll back to the dark days when you hardly ever saw a disabled person out on the streets. If you care let's all make a noise about it!
..and sorry to be so preachy but I feel so gutted to see our society turned so sour
Mr Osborne’s 2010 emergency Budget speech.
" "Mr Deputy Speaker, it is right that people who are disabled are helped to lead a life of dignity. We will continue to support them, and we will not reduce the rate at which this benefit is paid. But three times as many people claim it today than when it was introduced eighteen years ago. And the costs have quadrupled in real terms to over £11 billion, making it one of the largest items of government spending. We will introduce a medical assessment for Disability Living Allowance from 2013, which will be applied to new and existing claimants. This will be a simpler process than the complex forms they have to fill out at present. That way we can continue to afford paying this important benefit to those with the greatest needs, while significantly improving incentives to work for others. " "
10 Jun 1997 : Column 835 of Hansard states:
""Have the Government any plans to encourage their take-up in the months and years ahead to enable people with disabilities to take their rightful place in society?
Baroness Hollis of Heigham: My Lords, I am pleased to confirm from my personal knowledge that that is indeed the case. I am fully aware of the importance disabled people attach to these benefits in meeting the extra costs of their disability. DLA will account for nearly £8 billion of the Department of Social Security's expenditure this year and more than 3 million people will be receiving help under DLA and attendance allowance. The noble Lord raised the question of take-up. Disabled people can get help with claiming these benefits from many sources such as disability organisations and the CABs. Most importantly, they can access, as I hope they will do, the Benefits Agency's free inquiry line--I shall give the number so that it goes into Hansard--on 0800 88 22 00 for information, advice and help with their claim forms. " "
in real terms - £8 billion in 1997 is worth £11 billion now.
The state of the nation report,
www.cabinetoffice.go... states that there are 3.1 million DLA and attendance Allowance claimants, of which 1.8 million are of working age (the other 1.3 million being of pensionable age, or children.
In 1997 it was "this year and more than 3 million people will be receiving help under DLA and attendance allowance". Snap!
So the reality is that whilst the number claiming DLA and the amounts involved rose substantially in the first 5 years of it's existence, as you'd expect with any new benefit,(particularly one targeted at a wider group than the old allowance it was replacing). It has remained static for the last 13 years
The Disabled are an easy target for this government who are feeding out 'Benefit scrounger' stories to the papers on a daily basis. So that in the Publics eye empathy declines. They have even managed to give the impression that DLA is a benevolent pat on the head type benefit and not one that was designed to give disabled people a level playing field in this society where it is soooo expensive to be Disabled on so many fronts.