The UK government has published a bill which aims to reform the benefits system.
Mark Rowland, Chief Executive at the Mental Health Foundation, said:
“This bill is a disaster for disabled people, and we urge MPs to reject this legislation in its current form. It will take vital financial support away from hundreds of thousands of disabled people, many of whom have mental health problems. Previous austerity measures worsened people’s living conditions, undermined their mental health and increased the risk of suicide and premature deaths – and that’s likely to be the case here too.
“These plans will not help the UK government reduce the number of disabled people out of work. Personal Independence Payment is also granted to disabled people who are in work to help them meet the cost of their disability – and removing this support will make it harder for them to remain in the workforce. The Office for Budget Responsibility has also said there is no robust analysis showing this will encourage anyone to return to the workforce. Given that, our view is that these cuts are counterproductive and cruel.
"A more effective alternative for the government would be to move forward with its progressive policies that encourage people to return to work, such as the Right to Try scheme and improvements to support in job centres, and evaluate how these help people return to the workforce. Cutting support for disabled people without knowing that is a recipe for disaster."