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It's not about the pennies, it's about the principles

Press release – 28 March 2008

Disability Alliance is very concerned that the Government intends to cut benefit rates for the poorest people in society. A reduction of £1.85 per week is being introduced for most new claimants of employment and support allowance from October 2008, compared to current rates of the equivalent benefit.

We remain extremely concerned that alongside a new, more stringent test of entitlement, there will be an increase in the number of disabled people that will be forced into even greater poverty as a direct result of this reduction. We also remain concerned that about the lack of adequate provision of appropriate support for the increasing number of disabled people who will be required to take up employment. We call on the Government to urgently review the proposed rates of employment and support allowance to properly reflect the extra costs faced by disabled people.

Notes for editors

• Disability Alliance is a membership organisation of 380 disability organisations , aiming to break the link between disability and poverty.
• We publish an annual Disability Rights Handbook that provides information and advice on benefits, tax credits and services for disabled people, their families, carers and advisers.
• Regulations for employment and support allowance have been laid today reducing the amount of benefit paid to anyone claiming benefit due to incapacity or disability by £1.85 per week, if they have a low income.
• The rate of income support for a single person assessed as incapable of work and entitled to a disability premium is £86.35 p/w (£60.50 personal allowance and £25.85 disability premium). Depending on their circumstances, this could be payable from their date of claim, from the 28 th week of their claim, or from the 52 nd week of their claim.
• The rate of income-based ESA for a single person placed into the work-related activity group following the 13-week assessment phase will be £84.50 p/w (£60.50 personal allowance and £24.00 work-related activity component). DWP estimate that approximately 90% of ESA claimants will be in this situation.
• We acknowledge that for some people, the higher rate of ESA becomes payable sooner than is the case for income support paid due to incapacity, yet this represents a reduction of £1.85 p/w in the longer term for people who, by definition, are some of the poorest in society because they are entitled to claim a means-tested benefit.

For further information, please contact: Neil Coyle
Director of Policy and Services
020 7247 8759
NCoyle@disabilityalliance.org

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