Wiltshire foodbank charity joins calls to stop UC & PIP Bill
MPs are set to vote on the bill next Tuesday
Wiltshire charity Trussell has partnered with nine other charities on a briefing for MPs ahead of the UC & PIP Bill vote next week.
The controversial bill would see around 3.2 million disabled people lose eligibility for the benefits.
Over 100 Labour MPs have already signed a reasoned amendment to scrap the bill.
Helen Barnard, director of policy at Trussell, said: “MPs who have signed this reasoned amendment are taking a stand for the disabled people, carers, and food banks who are terrified at the potentially devastating impact of the bill. If the cuts go ahead, nearly half a million people will be pushed into severe hardship, at risk of needing to turn to a food bank. If it proceeds, this government risks leaving a legacy of increased hunger and hardship.
"We would encourage as many as MPs as possible to join the ones who have already followed the evidence and the voices of their constituents and sign the amendment."
'They've got this back to front'
The charities, which include Mind, Citizens Advice and Scope, are arguing that the vote is taking place too early.
“What we are concerned about is that the Government is pressing ahead with these record cuts to disability benefits before they have seen the results of welcome changes that they're making”, explained Sumi Rabindrakumar, Head of Policy at Trussell.
“They are reviewing the PIP assessment. They are working with Charlie Mayfield to look at what employers should be doing to help people enter and sustain work. They are set to invest in employment support to help disabled people prepare for and to work.
“All of these things will happen after the vote takes place, and we think they've got this back to front. We think MPs should be voting on this package after they see what will happen as a result of those changes because those three things together in particular will determine the extent to which disabled people can move into work and therefore make up some of the income that they will lose as a result of these cuts and we will get a better picture of the number of people who will not be able to do that.”
According to Trussell’s research, the cuts would cause around 440,000 people from disabled households to live in severe hardship.
As a consequence, the demand for foodbanks is likely to rise.
“The near-record levels of food bank need that we that we already see will show no sign of stopping or letting up”, added Ms Rabindrakumar.
“And what we will see is that a government that came into power on a promise to end the need for emergency food runs the risk of leaving its lasting legacy being rising food bank need, rising child poverty and rising levels of hardship for disabled people in particular at the end of this Parliament.
“We don't think that's right. And so, we need to see a change.”