Relief as Scottish Parliamentary committee accepts disabled people's concerns

Capability Scotland today welcomes MSP's support of disabled people facing severe hardship as a result of the UK Government's Welfare Reform Bill.

The backing, seen in the Scottish Parliament's Health and Sport Committee report published today, is 'little chink of light in an otherwise dark future for disabled Scots' according to Capability Scotland's Richard Hamer.

Figures from the Department of Work and Pension show that if the Bill is implemented as planned, Scotland's income from benefits will drop by 20% from £12bn to £9.5bn. Many of the current claimants would also lose out on 'passported' benefits such as Blue Badges, concessionary transport and additional support for carers. This led the Health and Sport Committee to note 'The loss of entitlement to UK benefits could, therefore, create a double disadvantage for certain claimants, including disabled people.'

In particular, the Bill will result a reduction in expenditure of 20% on Disability Living Allowance for the 230,000 Scottish recipients. Disabled people will also be forced to move from accessible houses into inaccessible ones or face a cut in their Housing Benefit if, for example, they have an extra bedroom for essential equipment or informal carer. Disabled children will also be severely affected by the 50% cut proposed in the benefit their parents receive specifically to look after them.

Commenting on the report, Capability Scotland Director of External Affairs Richard Hamer said:

"Capability welcomes the report published by the Health and Sport Committee.  Its recommendations show that the Committee has listened to what disabled people and disability organisations have been telling them about how the Bill will impact on their lives."

The Welfare Reform Bill Legislative Consent Motion (LCM) must be passed by the Scottish Parliament if the UK Parliament is to legislate on matters affecting Scotland through the Welfare Reform Bill. The Scottish Parliament's Health and Sport committee were tasked with reviewing whether support should be given following opposition in the Main Chamber when the motion was previously discussed.

Richard Hamer adds:

"We would urge MSPs to follow the Committee's findings and either support the Committees call for Scottish legislation on this matter, or to vote against those parts of the Welfare Reform Bill LCM that will have a negative impact on disabled people in Scotland.  If the Parliament does not stand up for Scotland now it will have missed the opportunity to protect disabled Scots from the devastating impact of this legislation."

The Cabinet Secretary Nicola Sturgeon acknowledged in her evidence to the Committee that the Scottish Parliament could legislate for itself on the relevant areas of the Bill. In response, the Committee has recommended:

'The Committee has heard from witnesses many strong criticisms and serious concerns about the changes to the UK benefits system proposed in the Welfare Reform Bill. It is appropriate for the Scottish Parliament to scrutinise these changes, particularly where they will impact directly on areas of devolved policy.'

Capability hopes that the report findings will be enough to convince MSPs to vote against the Legislative Consent Motion on the Welfare Reform Bill unless key concessions  are made at Westminster. These are:

• Remove the time limit on contribution based Employment Support Allowance
• Exempt those with sufficient supporting evidence from independent medical assessments
• Reverse its decision to reduce the disability premiums that families with disabled children receive by 50%.
• Reverse changes to Housing Benefit which will disproportionately affect disabled people

The effect this will have on disabled people and their families cannot be overestimated. The parents of a young man with a rare genetic disorder told us about their concerns for their son's future. They told us that "The benefits provided now are insufficient to properly provide a decent standard of living for many disabled people. These cuts would mean that our son's basic human right to an inclusive and meaningful life would be at risk."