Scope response to Amber Rudd's speech on welfare benefit reforms

Scope responds to Amber Rudd's announcement that hundreds of thousands of disabled pensioners will no longer have to undergo repeat assessments for disability benefits and other plans for welfare reforms.

Mark Hodgkinson, Chief Executive at disability equality charity Scope, said:

“It is right that today’s speech from the Secretary of State seeks to address some of the many barriers disabled people face in Britain today, but far more progress needs to be made before disabled people are truly equal. Disabled people will rightly say that these measures don’t go far enough.

“Just last week Scope published research showing that disabled people face a financial penalty of £583 a month, because life costs more if you are disabled. Disabled people tell us every day about the challenges they face as result of a punitive welfare system and about a whole host of barriers to getting into and staying in work.

“At Scope we welcome Amber Rudd’s commitment to review the current goal to get one million disabled people into work: we urge the government to stand by its previous commitment to halve the disability employment gap, which was a more ambitious target.

“If the government is serious about reform, they should move quickly to reform outdated and damaging WCA and PIP assessments.

“Government must ensure disabled people can get the support they need when out of work without the fear of sanctions.

“We hope today’s announcement leads to a shift in how the Government engages and works with the disability community, including more direct engagement with disabled people and Disabled People’s Organisations.

“We urge the Secretary of State to act quickly in addressing these issues so that all disabled people can enjoy equality in society”.

ENDS