Welfare benefits are undergoing the largest change in generations, affecting millions of people nationally. Eligibility tests are far tougher than previously and the government has openly announced that it wishes to cut disability benefits for people of working age by at least a fifth. These changes have been brought in piecemeal and, until now, it has been difficult to see exactly how many people this could affect here in Bucks. But, by using hard data collected by the Disability Alliance about how many people are managing to get the new benefits, and applying that to official statistics for Bucks from the DWP, BuDS has been able to demonstrate the full impact of the Government’s cuts on the most vulnerable people in Bucks. Thousands of local people, many with very serious disabilities, are going to find life even harder in the future, especially as the cuts in benefit will be accompanied by cuts in local government and NHS services and in charity funding.
- Up to 6,500 people in Bucks who currently receive Incapacity Benefit or Severe Disability Allowance may well lose all their benefit over the next 2 years (although some may continue to receive means-tested benefits if on a very low income)
- Around 1,200 people of working age (660 of them with very serious disabilities, including wheelchair users and people with long-term conditions like Multiple Sclerosis) may lose part or all of their main benefit, Disability Living Allowance, when this benefit is replaced from 2013
- 210 seriously disabled people of working age may lose their Motability car or scooter
- Cuts will affect people with all types of disability, including people with a physical or sensory disability, those with mental health issues or people with learning disability
BuDS is currently running a number of free seminars on what this means for both the individual at risk of losing their benefits and for those who provide services for people with disabilities. If you would like to find out more on how we could help you, please fill out the contact form, call the office on 01494 568864 or write to us at The Saunderton Estate, Wycombe Road, Saunderton, Bucks HP14 4BF.
Disability Rights UK
Formed through a unification of Disability Alliance, Radar and National Centre for Independent Living on 1 January 2012. Their website rovides factsheets free to download http://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/factsheets.htm
These provide basic information regarding benefits, tax credits, social care and other disability related issues for claimants and advisors.