http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/oct/20/spending-review-disabled-people
Colin Revell
> Date: Fri, 22 Oct 2010 14:19:38 +0100
> From: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: UK Government cuts summary
> To: [log in to unmask]
>
> Hi further to the recent messages about UK policy changes, here is the current draft of our update on the situation, after yesterday's announcements. We are preparing similar summaries for the 29 EU/EEA countries which we hope to publish on the ANED website, with a brief overview, in the next weeks. Comments or corrections welcome.
>
> Best wishes
>
> Mark
>
>
>
> Draft ANED Flash Report: economic crisis and pensions
>
> Country: United Kingdom
>
> Author(s): Mark Priestley, Sarah Woodin, Angharad Beckett, Colin Barnes, Lisa Buckner, Bryan Matthews
>
>
> PART A: Monitoring the crisis
>
> 1. General assessment and indicators
> The Government Office for Disability Issues Disability Equality Indicators[1] draw on official statistics and social survey data. These do not yet show great change in social inclusion as a result of the crisis up to 2008/9 (there is time lag in the available data). Educational attainment continued to increase and the proportion of 16-18 year olds not in education, employment or training to decrease (with a narrowing of the gap compared to non-disabled young people). The employment rate of disabled people remained static, even though it declined for non-disabled people (but the gap remains very significant). There was no significant change in either the inactivity rate (16.1% in 2009) or in high-level jobs. People with mental health conditions remain particularly at risk of low employment. Non-disabled people continue to be paid more per hour, on average, than disabled people. Disabled people and families remain much more likely to live in household poverty than non-disabled people (the poverty gap reduced slightly in 2008/9 but persistent poverty rose). Reported difficulties using public transport and services declined but the gap in access to the Internet widened. Vulnerability to crime remained significant.
>
> 2. Specific policy changes in 2010
> Earlier in the year, the new Equality Act 2010 consolidated non-discrimination on all the grounds covered by Article 19 TFEU. Since the most recent data above, there have been radical policy changes and austerity measures following the election of a centre-right coalition Government in May 2010, including an emergency Budget (June) and Comprehensive Spending Review (October). There was no disability impact assessment of the budget (in breach of the Equality Act) but for the Spending Review[2]. There is already evidence that disabled people are adversely affected[3]. Cuts have targeted disability benefit claimants in particular (see next section). There will be very substantial public sector cuts (an estimated 490,000 jobs in central and local government and private contractors), which will impact on the availability of social services, social housing, children's services, transport and peripatetic SEN support services. Concessionary bus travel for disabled people remains but the Bus Service Operators Grant (a subsidy for reduced fares from long distance coach travel operators) will end by October 2011. Cuts/caps in housing support (mortgage support, rent subsidies and Housing Benefit) will impact disproportionately on disabled families. Numerous QuaNGOs are abolished, including the Disability Living Allowance Advisory Board, Disability Employment Advisory Committee, Disabled Passengers Transport Advisory Committee, and General Social Care Council. The personalization agenda in health and social care services will progress (welcomed by some disability groups) and personal budgets will be expanded for children, including special education purposes. However, the Independent Living Fund is effectively closed to new applicants not in employment and its future is 'under review'. There is substantial new investment of £1-2bn for social care in advance of a historic change in the system of funding (expected in 2011) but there are concerns that extra money will simply be absorbed in cuts to local government (where all budget ring-fencing will be removed) and rising demands from an ageing population.
>
> PART B: Disability benefits and pensions
>
> 1. Impact on level of disability cash benefits and pensions
> Some of the most significant changes arise from an unprecedented £11bn cut to the welfare budget, announced in the Emergency Budget and Spending Review. There will be a new general cap on the total level of benefits anyone can receive (i.e. limited to less than the average income for families in work). Disability Living Allowance has been exempt in this calculation but not Carers Allowance (workless families receiving carer benefits may be adversely affected). The budget for Disability Living Allowance (DLA) has been cut and people living in residential care will lose the 'Mobility Component' (£18.95 or £49.85 per week). This would have been used, e.g. for the additional cost of taxis, hire of scooter or adapted vehicle for personal mobility. This affects 58,000 people. A maximum cap is also placed on claims for Housing Benefit payments. This will require many poorer families in more expensive accommodation into cheaper or more crowded accommodation. It is most likely to affect families with larger/accessible living spaces in more affluent cities (e.g. having additional bedrooms/bathrooms, wheelchair access, parking space, in London). Single people, up to age 35, without children will only be able to claim for shared accommodation but disabled people remain exempt from this rule. Homelessness is expected to increase, with a known high risk for mental health service users. The Disabled Facilities Grants (for adaptation to accommodation) will be protected from cuts to the Department for Communities and Local Government. It is also expected that funding for the Supporting People programme will be retained (including its housing cost elements).
>
> 2. Impact on eligibility for disability cash benefits and pensions
> There will be further tightening of eligibility to the former Incapacity Benefit (IB) (an inactivity disability pension), which was replaced by Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) in 2008. This continues the previous Government's policy to move more people off disability-related benefits into economic activity/work. All claimants are being re-interviewed with tighter medical-functional 'work capability' testing. It is now announced that those in the 'Work Related Activity Group' (i.e. judged as able to work) will receive only 12 months benefit before moving to Job Seekers Allowance (JSA). Their income will drop by £20 to £40 per week, with less support to find work and further cuts in benefit 12 months later. Evidence shows that disabled people are more likely to need more than 12 months to find work. Around one million people are affected. From 2013, DLA claimants will require a new medical assessment, 'to reduce dependency and promote work'[4]. However, disability groups have noted that represents a misunderstanding of DLA, which is not an out-of-work, income replacement or temporary needs benefit. It contributes to the additional cost of personal mobility/care (in or out of work). Those removed from the 'higher rate' of the Mobility Component will lose other entitlements (e.g. Motability adapted car scheme). Based on evidence from IB testing, many people with less 'severe' (or less easily assessed) impairments are expected to lose some or all of their DLA benefits. It is then proposed that all benefits and tax credits for people of working age will, in future, be replaced by a single 'Universal Credit'. It is not yet clear how distinctive of disability and carer benefits could be mainstreamed within this proposed framework.
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mark Priestley
> Sent: 18 October 2010 17:17
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: RE: Important - UK Government cuts to QuaNGOs
>
>
>
> good comments all round from yourself, Kirsty, Larry. Apologies for my lack of nuance in posting the list of bodies without comment.
>
>
>
> We're currently working on brief flash reports for the European Commission detailing the impact of the economic crisis and recent policy changes across 29 European countries (just one or two pages of key points and stats for each country). We'll try to make those available on the ANED website once complete.
>
>
>
> In the meantime, I'd very much welcome items for the UK summary, arising from this week's spending review or anything you feel has changed in the past year or two.
>
>
>
>
>
> Best wishes
>
>
>
> Mark
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
>
> From: The Disability-Research Discussion List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Mike Higgins
>
> Sent: 26 September 2010 11:18
>
> To: [log in to unmask]
>
> Subject: Re: Important - UK Government cuts to QuaNGOs
>
>
>
> Looking at the list of organisations for the chop sent by Mark, didn't New
>
> Labour already pull the plug on the Hearing Aid Council and cut the
>
> Independent Living Fund to shreds so that it was unable to offer support to
>
> any 'new' applicants? Don't get me wrong, I will be in Birmingham next
>
> Sunday at the demo to oppose the cuts the ConDems are implementing , but New
>
> Labour laid the path for them I think, not just with the cuts to funding I
>
> mention above, but with its wholesale lack of any practical support for our
>
> (Disabled People's) Organisations?
>
>
>
> Best wishes,
>
>
>
> Mike Higgins,
>
> Email: [log in to unmask]
>
> (in a personal capacity)
>
>
>
> ________________End of message________________
>
>
>
> This Disability-Research Discussion list is managed by the Centre for Disability Studies at the University of Leeds (www.leeds.ac.uk/disability-studies).
>
> Enquiries about list administration should be sent to [log in to unmask]
>
>
>
> Archives and tools are located at:
>
> www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/disability-research.html
>
> You can VIEW, POST, JOIN and LEAVE the list by logging in to this web page.
>
> ________________________________
>
> [1] http://www.officefordisability.gov.uk/roadmap2025/indicators.php
>
> [2] http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/spend_sr2010_equalities.htm
>
> [3] http://www.demos.co.uk/publications/destinationunknowndisability
>
> [4] Chancellor's emergency budget statement, June 2010
>
> ________________End of message________________
>
> This Disability-Research Discussion list is managed by the Centre for Disability Studies at the University of Leeds (www.leeds.ac.uk/disability-studies).
> Enquiries about list administration should be sent to [log in to unmask]
>
> Archives and tools are located at:
> www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/disability-research.html
> You can VIEW, POST, JOIN and LEAVE the list by logging in to this web page.
________________End of message________________
This Disability-Research Discussion list is managed by the Centre for Disability Studies at the University of Leeds (www.leeds.ac.uk/disability-studies).
Enquiries about list administration should be sent to [log in to unmask]
Archives and tools are located at:
www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/disability-research.html
You can VIEW, POST, JOIN and LEAVE the list by logging in to this web page.
|
