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| British government systematically violating the rights of the disabled, UN inquiry warns | British government systematically violating the rights of the disabled, UN inquiry warns |
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| The Government’s welfare reforms and austerity policies have led to “grave and systematic violations” of disabled people’s rights, an inquiry by the United Nations has found. | |
| The UN Committee on the Rights of Disabled Persons, which has been probing the Government’s approach since last year, dispatched investigators to London, Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast in October 2015. | The UN Committee on the Rights of Disabled Persons, which has been probing the Government’s approach since last year, dispatched investigators to London, Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast in October 2015. |
| They found that a string of legislation introduced since 2010 as part of “welfare reform” and austerity policies had had a negative impact, including the Welfare Reform Act 2012, Care Act 2014, and Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016. | They found that a string of legislation introduced since 2010 as part of “welfare reform” and austerity policies had had a negative impact, including the Welfare Reform Act 2012, Care Act 2014, and Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016. |
| UK disability charities, which have long warned the Government’s approach was hurting the disabled, said the UN findings confirmed that Tory policies are making life harder for disabled people. The Conservative minister in charge of the welfare system however branded the committee’s approach as “patronising and offensive”. | UK disability charities, which have long warned the Government’s approach was hurting the disabled, said the UN findings confirmed that Tory policies are making life harder for disabled people. The Conservative minister in charge of the welfare system however branded the committee’s approach as “patronising and offensive”. |
| The UN report warns that cuts and changed to disability support under the Conservative-led government had “hindered disabled people's right to live independently and be included in the community”. | The UN report warns that cuts and changed to disability support under the Conservative-led government had “hindered disabled people's right to live independently and be included in the community”. |
| Disabled people were also routinely portrayed as being “dependent or making a living out of benefits, committing fraud as benefit claimants, being lazy or putting a burden on taxpayers", the report found. | Disabled people were also routinely portrayed as being “dependent or making a living out of benefits, committing fraud as benefit claimants, being lazy or putting a burden on taxpayers", the report found. |
| Other policies such as the bedroom tax and benefit sanctions had also disproportionately affected the disabled, while work schemes had “no visible impact” in helping disabled people find work and were sometimes even counterproductive. | Other policies such as the bedroom tax and benefit sanctions had also disproportionately affected the disabled, while work schemes had “no visible impact” in helping disabled people find work and were sometimes even counterproductive. |
| The report comes as former work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith called on the Government to look at ending its freeze on working age benefits and for more funding for Universal Credit. | The report comes as former work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith called on the Government to look at ending its freeze on working age benefits and for more funding for Universal Credit. |
| Dan Scorer, head of policy at Mencap, the learning disability charity, warned that more policies in the pipeline would have similar effects. | Dan Scorer, head of policy at Mencap, the learning disability charity, warned that more policies in the pipeline would have similar effects. |
| "This report is further acknowledgement that cutting disabled people’s benefits will only make life harder and isolate people further from inclusion in employment and wider society,” he said. | "This report is further acknowledgement that cutting disabled people’s benefits will only make life harder and isolate people further from inclusion in employment and wider society,” he said. |
| “People with a learning disability face massive exclusion from the labour market, and have seen their benefits and funding for vital social care services reduced. With further cuts to Employment and Support Allowance being introduced in April, we urge the Government to use next week’s backbench debate in Parliament as an opportunity to reconsider this cut.” | “People with a learning disability face massive exclusion from the labour market, and have seen their benefits and funding for vital social care services reduced. With further cuts to Employment and Support Allowance being introduced in April, we urge the Government to use next week’s backbench debate in Parliament as an opportunity to reconsider this cut.” |
| Michelle Mitchell is chief executive of the MS Society charity, said the report was “yet more evidence” to support changes to the way the Government dealt with disabled people. | Michelle Mitchell is chief executive of the MS Society charity, said the report was “yet more evidence” to support changes to the way the Government dealt with disabled people. |
| Labour’s Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Debbie Abraham said the party would take a different approach and that the report was “reliable evidence that shows this Tory Government is responsible for grave violations of the rights of disabled people under its failing austerity plan”. | Labour’s Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Debbie Abraham said the party would take a different approach and that the report was “reliable evidence that shows this Tory Government is responsible for grave violations of the rights of disabled people under its failing austerity plan”. |
| Damian Green, the Work and Pensions Secretary, however said cuts to support for disabled people did not necessarily mean worse outcomes. | Damian Green, the Work and Pensions Secretary, however said cuts to support for disabled people did not necessarily mean worse outcomes. |
| “The UN measures success as the amount of money poured into the system, rather than the work and health outcomes for disabled people," he said. | “The UN measures success as the amount of money poured into the system, rather than the work and health outcomes for disabled people," he said. |
| “The UK is a recognised world leader in disabled rights and equality. Not only do we spend about £50bn a year to support sick and disabled people, but we also offer a wide range of tailored and effective support, which this report fails to recognise. | “The UK is a recognised world leader in disabled rights and equality. Not only do we spend about £50bn a year to support sick and disabled people, but we also offer a wide range of tailored and effective support, which this report fails to recognise. |
| “Our work and health Green Paper marks a turning point in our action to confront the attitudes, prejudices and misunderstandings within the minds of employers and across wider society.” | “Our work and health Green Paper marks a turning point in our action to confront the attitudes, prejudices and misunderstandings within the minds of employers and across wider society.” |