Angela Eagle: Disabled who can work need our help and support

Oct 10 2012 Wallasey News

SHOCKING new figures show that the Coalition government is taking more money off disabled people than off the banks.

Figures released this week show that cuts to social care and disability benefits will total £8.6bn by the end of this parliament – £71m more than will be taken from the banks.

It is clear that the Government’s Work Capability needs fast and fundamental reform. In the Wirral News last month I revealed that 38% of Work Capability Assessments were successfully appealed.

Not only is this throwing the system into chaos as thousands of sick and disabled people are incorrectly judged fit to work but it is also estimated to cost the taxpayer millions.

I have always believed that it is important that we do what we can to support disabled people into work.

I am proud that under Labour there were an additional 576,000 disabled people in work by the end of 2009.

But the Government is putting all this at risk by putting up barriers and bureaucracy.

We need to have a sensible debate about the barriers that prevent disabled peopled from entering the job market and look at different ways that we can provide support.

Cutting support at a time when unemployment is high will be devastating for disabled people in Wallasey.

That’s why I will be calling on the Government to provide real help and support for disabled people in Wallasey who are able to work.