Commenting on government plans to overhaul the welfare system announced today (Tuesday), UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said:
“Poor decisions made by previous Conservative governments have left ministers with little financial wriggle room.
“But going after disabled people and vulnerable families is not the way to get the UK economy back on track, nor out-of-work individuals back into jobs.
“Many can’t work because of lengthy delays in getting NHS treatment and rely on benefits awaiting operations or appointments.
“Helping the NHS turn a corner by investing in services and staff could see thousands of working-age people return to the labour market and leave benefits far quicker.
“Employers too could do more by getting over their reluctance to employ disabled workers, and adapting workspaces and schedules promptly when they do.
“But tweaking the rules to make it harder to claim personal independence payments is a false economy. Rather than help disabled people stay in their jobs, the work and pension secretary’s plans could have the opposite effect.
“People could be forced to quit the labour market and return to benefits. They’d be worse off, possibly in poverty, and with all the related stress and mental health issues of being out of work.
“The new right to try out a job without losing financial support seems like a sensible move. As does scrapping the complex and time-consuming work capability assessment, a source of frequent distress for disabled people. But that’s not going to disappear for another three years.
“The government must listen to concerns and row back on some of its plans. This is not the way to fix the UK’s fortunes.”
Notes to editors:
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.
Media contacts:
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk
Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk
The article Going after disabled people and vulnerable families is not the way to get the UK economy back on track first appeared on the UNISON National site.
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