Disability benefits cuts

So in Rachel Reeves spring statement earlier this week it was confirmed that there will be massive changes to the benefits system including the way that PIP is assessed and changes to the health element of Universal credit.

As someone who is receipt of both PIP and ESA disability benefits I find this whole situation…

🔲 terrifying

🔲 baffling

🔲 rage inducing

🔲 disgusting

🔲 [all of the above]

I honestly cannot believe that a LABOUR government is looking to balance the books of the country by taking money from some of the poorest and most vulnerable in our society. This is the sort of thing I would have expected the Tories to do but when I voted Labour I honestly thought that not only would they look after and protect the neediest but they would actually make things in our society better and fairer. How wrong I was. Looks like I’m going to have to get some ‘Fuck Labour’ merch to go along with my ‘Fuck the Tories’ stuff I already own!

Now I do believe the benefits system needs to be reformed. The whole process for applying for, being assessed for and keeping your disability benefits is long, arduous and at times degrading. So if there were plans to reform this and make it better I would be all for it. But to say that the changes are to support disabled people into work is completely disingenuous. PIP is a benefit that is able to be paid to people that are in work so cutting it won’t support people to work- more the opposite. I know disabled people that use their PIP money to pay for taxis to work as they cannot use public transport and if they lost their PIP they would have to give up work.

So when I heard about a protest taking place in Nottingham I knew I wanted to go along.

But because of my recent Crohns flare up and hospitalisation I’m feeling pretty crappy and didn’t know if I would make it. I waited all day to see how I was feeling and decided that this was an important issue and worth expending my energy on. So me and my neighbour headed into the city centre.

One of the organisers spotted me with my walking stick and came over and got chatting. He asked if I would be interested in saying a few words about my thoughts on the cuts and sharing my lived experience. At first I wasn’t sure but then thought ‘fuck it’ and said yes. So I ended up addressing the rally along with two other ladies that were disabled and worried about the proposed cuts.

Now anyone there would have looked at me and thought ‘she looks ok’ but this is the effect of doing that. Today I am completely fucked and probably won’t be able to get out of bed. But I’m glad I went and I found it quite life affirming to connect with other like minded individuals.

To all my disabled friends- we must fight these planned cuts. Please protest in whatever way your health allows.

To all my non-disabled friends- please be an ally. You may not be affected by these cuts but the government has shown that nobody is safe. They have come after the pensioners winter fuel allowance, they’ve broken their promises to the WASPI women and there are families living in poverty due to them refusing to abolish the 2 child benefit cap. Who will they decide is next???

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