The 'We are Spartacus' campaign has been doing amazing work on behalf of the disabled in the face of unnecessary government cuts. Today they've issued a new report entitled 'Emergemcy: Stop!' As it notes:
1.8 million people of working age in the UK currently receive Disability Living Allowance (DLA), a non-means tested benefit which helps individuals meet the extra costs, including mobility costs, which come with disability, regardless of employment status. The Welfare Reform Act 2012 provides for the Government to cut spending on the benefit by 20% by replacing DLA with PIP (Personal Independence Payment). Once PIP has been fully implemented, in 2018, up to 428,000 fewer people will qualify for the enhanced mobility element which provides eligibility to lease cars using the Motability scheme. This will have profound social and economic effects, including on the car industry.
These people aren't shirkers as the government likes to suggest those suffering cuts are. They're disabled. That means, like it or not, for many the odds are stacked against them. in many ways. And they need their mobility. But now they won't have it. And many won't be able to work as a result. Indeed, some will be trapped in their homes because the cost of mobility will be beyond them.
Come April a lot of people are going to be saying "I didn't mean cuts to apply to them". The disabled who need mobility cars amongst the hundreds of thousands that will apply to.
And all because the government won't close the tax gap.
Now what would you do? Crack down on tax abuse or deny a disabled person a car?
Answers please to George Osborne if you will. Try sending this to ministers@hmtreasury.gsi.gov.uk
Dear Mr Osborne
The campaign group 'We are Spartacus' has highlighted in a new report the fact that maybe 160,000 disabled people will lose their Motability cars as a result of changes you are introducing arising from the Welfare Reform Act 2012.
I am shocked that people who are disabled should suffer in this way and as a result be denied an equal chance with the rest of us in the UK.
You have a choice on this matter. Although you admit that the UK's tax gap is at least £32 billion you are cutting 10,000 staff at H M Revenue & Customs. Those are people who not only collect more than enough tax to cover their wages, they are people who, if they were still employed and doing useful work, would raise plenty enough money to ensure that this cut was not needed.
You have a choice Mr Osborne: you can deny the disabled their mobility or you can close the tax gap. Why are you choosing to let the tax cheats get away with their crimes and are making the disabled pay for it?
Yours sincerely"
I've sent it.
Will you?
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Done.
Now, noticed this morning…..have a read (with your inside track):
Notice the lifespan/income graph.
http://www.testosteronepit.com/home/2012/7/22/why-your-health-care-is-so-darn-expensive.html
Which is an adjunct to:
http://www.testosteronepit.com/home/2012/9/18/the-inexplicable-american-consumer-is-putting-the-screws-to.html
Done
Richard, I am 100% certain that George Osborne will totally ignore any protest on this (your comments policy prevents me from saying why). My tory MP, however, is only 99% certain to ignore it, so I have written to him instead. The link below has a template letter for MPs.
http://wearespartacus.org.uk/pip-emergency-act-now/
I am hoping that if we can get enough MPs to be worried about their re-election, they may put pressure on their masters to change tack.
THE NEW RULES ON WALKING DISTANCE WILL LEAVE MANY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HOUSEBOUND OR RELIANT ON FRIENDS OR NEIGHBOURS INCLUDING MYSELF I WAS AWARDED THE MOTORBILITY BENEFIT IN1996 AND HAVE A LETTER THAT STATES I HAVE BEEN AWARDED THE HIGHER RATE FOR LIFE I WAS 52 YEARS OLD THEN, DOES MR OSBORNE THINK 16 YEARS LATER AT 68 YEARS OLD MYLUNGS HAVE HEALED THIERSELVES,I WOULD BE INTERESTED TO KNOW THE LEGAL SIDE OF BEING IN POSSESION OF MY LETTER STATING FOR LIFE PS I CAN
WALK 20mtrs BUT NOT 50mtrs WITHOUT STOPPING TO GET MY BREATH
WALK 20
I was also awarded the mobility component of DLA for life as far back as 1990. I have since had the same hip replaced three times, the last time following a complete failure of the prosthesis which smashed out through the bone in my thigh.
I now have severe nerve damage and my mobility is very limited, although I was able to work for fourteen years following my first surgery and two years following the second, all the time contributing to society I now feel that I am being punished for being disabled.
Is this award not a contract? Should the government not be made to answer in court for breaking it?
I note that the bankers are not going to collect their bonus until after the turn of the tax year to take advantage of the cut in income tax costing society ££millions…is this legal?…is anything being done about it?
This government are most certainly the return of the nasty party and the Lib-Dems are muppets who should just pack up and go home !!
What Cameron &Co. are doing to honest disabled people is disgusting!! and any medical test will be a sham just like my ATOS report which was ignored by the DWP who placed me in the work related group despite the medical report stating that I would remain unfit for work for at least two years and would probably never be able to return to employment.
What is being done is criminal and should be STOPPED !!!