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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/mar/18/budget-disability-benefits-cut-just-a-suggestion-nicky-morgan
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| Budget disability benefits cut 'just a suggestion' – minister | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Nicky Morgan, the education secretary, has described the budget plan to slash £4.4bn from disability benefits as just a “suggestion” as the government faces the threat of a Conservative revolt. | |
| Morgan made the remarks on the BBC’s Question Time as she sought to defend the chancellor’s savings from changes to personal independence payments (PIP) – a benefit to help people pay for the costs of living with a disability. The cuts of thousands of pounds a year will affect payments for aids and appliances for those who struggle to dress or go to the toilet. | |
| Conservative backbenchers, led by Andrew Percy, have threatened a revolt over the changes, which were included in the same budget as tax cuts for companies and investors. | Conservative backbenchers, led by Andrew Percy, have threatened a revolt over the changes, which were included in the same budget as tax cuts for companies and investors. |
| Related: Disability benefit cut: Tory backbenchers call for rethink | |
| The rebels may have been emboldened by their successful challenge to George Osborne over tax credits, which he scrapped because he lacked Tory backbench support. | The rebels may have been emboldened by their successful challenge to George Osborne over tax credits, which he scrapped because he lacked Tory backbench support. |
| In a sign ministers may be prepared to rethink the disability cuts, Morgan said the government was “continuing the conversation” to make sure money was “going to the right people to help them with the right needs”. | |
| “First of all we’ve got to finish the consultation and the conversations that we’re having with MPs, but also with disability groups and others, before we even bring any legislation forward. | “First of all we’ve got to finish the consultation and the conversations that we’re having with MPs, but also with disability groups and others, before we even bring any legislation forward. |
| “It is something that has been put forward, there has been a review, there has been a suggestion, we are not ready to bring the legislation forward,” she said. | “It is something that has been put forward, there has been a review, there has been a suggestion, we are not ready to bring the legislation forward,” she said. |
| Morgan, who has said she might want to run for Conservative leader one day, may also have been signalling she was herself not entirely convinced of the need for the cuts at this stage. | |
| Owen Smith, Labour’s shadow work and pensions secretary, said: “Nicky Morgan was either too ashamed to admit cuts to disability benefits are Tory policy or she was signalling the start of a sharp U-turn. Either way, she and the rest of the Tories are quickly realising there’s no justification for these cruel cuts. | |
| Related: Disability benefit cuts not acceptable, Conservative rebels tell Osborne | |
| “They should now do the fair, sensible thing. Scrap these cuts completely and spare hundreds of thousands of disabled people who’ve already suffered enough under the Tories.” | “They should now do the fair, sensible thing. Scrap these cuts completely and spare hundreds of thousands of disabled people who’ve already suffered enough under the Tories.” |
| The cuts would hit 370,000 people, with an average loss of £3,500 a year, the Institute for Fiscal Studies has said. | The cuts would hit 370,000 people, with an average loss of £3,500 a year, the Institute for Fiscal Studies has said. |
| Percy accused the chancellor of hitting “exactly the wrong people”. The MP for Brigg and Goole said: “This is about need, it is not about welfare reform. These people have these needs. These needs are not going away and therefore the payments should not go away. | Percy accused the chancellor of hitting “exactly the wrong people”. The MP for Brigg and Goole said: “This is about need, it is not about welfare reform. These people have these needs. These needs are not going away and therefore the payments should not go away. |
| “The difference on this to tax credits is, although difficult to sell and wrongheaded, people who lost out from them would eventually be compensated through the system. Whereas that is not the case [with PIP payments]. They will be permanently dis-benefited. That is where it is much harder for a lot of [Conservative] colleagues to swallow than the tax credit changes.” | “The difference on this to tax credits is, although difficult to sell and wrongheaded, people who lost out from them would eventually be compensated through the system. Whereas that is not the case [with PIP payments]. They will be permanently dis-benefited. That is where it is much harder for a lot of [Conservative] colleagues to swallow than the tax credit changes.” |
| Writing for the Guardian, David Burrowes, a Tory backbencher, said he supported welfare reforms that had the interests of the vulnerable at heart but remained unconvinced by the cuts to PIP. | |
| Related: Disability benefits need reform, but the cuts to PIP are wrong | David Burrowes | |
| “The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) makes the case that the daily living component of PIP has tripled. However it is hard to maintain the claim of fairness when many disabled people face cuts of £4.4bn, while comparatively wealthy individuals receive a tax cut in capital gains tax. Why should ‘aid and appliance’ to help disabled people go to the toilet and get up in the morning be downgraded, whilst [these] tax reliefs are upgraded?” | |
| He added: “When families containing a disabled individual are vastly more likely to endure poverty than other families we need to handle with great care cuts to disability benefits. Recent costs and court cases suggest that PIP is clearly in need of reform and review. If there are to be cuts to PIP they need to be fully justified on the basis of reform, rather than just a cost-cutting measure. The government should press on with its commitment to reform disability benefits but in the meantime it should press pause on these cuts to PIP.” | |
| Meawhile, Sarah Wollaston, the Conservative chair of the health committee, joined those expressing disquiet about the changes. She tweeted: | |
| Govt will never meet approval for change that wld reduce entitlement to #PIP at the same time as raising higher rate tax threshold | |
| 2/2 if you read the #PIP docs, there is a case for some changes but only to refocus on those with greatest need https://t.co/uh9ksrha7g | |
| Johnny Mercer, the Tory MP for Plymouth Moor View, tweeted: | Johnny Mercer, the Tory MP for Plymouth Moor View, tweeted: |
| Last day in Washington. Trying to get detail on the budget yesterday. Concerned by proposed changes to PIP. Not sure right direction. | Last day in Washington. Trying to get detail on the budget yesterday. Concerned by proposed changes to PIP. Not sure right direction. |
| We must look after our most vulnerable at every turn. No doubt welfare spend still too high, but for those who really need it,it is lifeline | We must look after our most vulnerable at every turn. No doubt welfare spend still too high, but for those who really need it,it is lifeline |
| Government sources said that Iain Duncan Smith, the work and pensions secretary, who wrote to MPs explaining the changes, would listen carefully to the concerns raised during a consultation that is not due to end for several months. The regulations introducing the changes are expected to be amended before MPs vote. | Government sources said that Iain Duncan Smith, the work and pensions secretary, who wrote to MPs explaining the changes, would listen carefully to the concerns raised during a consultation that is not due to end for several months. The regulations introducing the changes are expected to be amended before MPs vote. |
| Some unhappy senior Tories say the handling of the affair is reminiscent of the way in which Jeremy Hunt has alienated junior doctors in a bitter industrial dispute. | Some unhappy senior Tories say the handling of the affair is reminiscent of the way in which Jeremy Hunt has alienated junior doctors in a bitter industrial dispute. |
| Wednesday’s budget revealed the chancellor’s biggest single revenue-raising measure over the next five years, prompting Labour to condemn the cuts as “morally reprehensible”. | Wednesday’s budget revealed the chancellor’s biggest single revenue-raising measure over the next five years, prompting Labour to condemn the cuts as “morally reprehensible”. |
| The depth of concern over welfare cuts was underlined when it emerged that three Tory MPs were asked to step down as patrons of prominent disability charities. Zac Goldsmith, the party’s London mayoral candidate, resigned on Wednesday as patron of his local Richmond AID disability charity after coming under pressure for voting for disability benefit cuts. | The depth of concern over welfare cuts was underlined when it emerged that three Tory MPs were asked to step down as patrons of prominent disability charities. Zac Goldsmith, the party’s London mayoral candidate, resigned on Wednesday as patron of his local Richmond AID disability charity after coming under pressure for voting for disability benefit cuts. |
| Kit Malthouse, the MP for North West Hampshire, was told to resign as patron of the MS Society, the national charity that campaigns on issues surrounding multiple sclerosis, because he was seen as no longer “suitable” for the position after he voted in favour of cuts to ESA that would see people with MS among hundreds of thousands of disabled people to lose critical allowances. | Kit Malthouse, the MP for North West Hampshire, was told to resign as patron of the MS Society, the national charity that campaigns on issues surrounding multiple sclerosis, because he was seen as no longer “suitable” for the position after he voted in favour of cuts to ESA that would see people with MS among hundreds of thousands of disabled people to lose critical allowances. |
| James Cleverly, the MP for Braintree, was also told to resign as patron with “immediate effect” by Advocacy for All, a charity that works to help vulnerable people in the local area, which said it was “surprised and disappointed” to learn he had voted for £30 a week cuts to ESA benefits. | James Cleverly, the MP for Braintree, was also told to resign as patron with “immediate effect” by Advocacy for All, a charity that works to help vulnerable people in the local area, which said it was “surprised and disappointed” to learn he had voted for £30 a week cuts to ESA benefits. |
| Downing Street defended the cuts on the grounds that health professionals examining whether people were eligible found that, after initial payments to fund aids to help disabled people, the ongoing extra costs were low or non-existent in 96% of cases. | Downing Street defended the cuts on the grounds that health professionals examining whether people were eligible found that, after initial payments to fund aids to help disabled people, the ongoing extra costs were low or non-existent in 96% of cases. |
| Claimants are assessed for PIP by undergoing tests in 10 daily activities. If they are not able to perform the activities, or they need an aid or appliance, they receive points that go towards deciding whether a claimant is eligible. One of the tests is whether claimants can dress themselves on their own. | |
| The prime minister’s spokeswoman said: “Health professionals were asked to review cases where people qualified for personal independence payments based on a need for aids and appliances they have for their disability. | The prime minister’s spokeswoman said: “Health professionals were asked to review cases where people qualified for personal independence payments based on a need for aids and appliances they have for their disability. |
| “What they found was in 96% of cases they were unlikely to have extra costs. For example, they might have needed to have a hand toilet rail fitted in their home. Once that was completed they were unlikely to need significant extra costs over a sustained period that would therefore justify a weekly allowance.” | “What they found was in 96% of cases they were unlikely to have extra costs. For example, they might have needed to have a hand toilet rail fitted in their home. Once that was completed they were unlikely to need significant extra costs over a sustained period that would therefore justify a weekly allowance.” |