Mark Whitehead 19 December 2018

Universal Credit potentially ‘disastrous’ for disabled people

MPs have warned of potentially 'disastrous' consequences for disabled people if the Universal Credit benefits system goes ahead as currently planned.

The Department for Work and Pensions has said no claimant will be worse off when they move onto the new system, and severely disabled people will get more than they would have done under the old system.

But members of the parliamentary work and pensions committee say less severely disabled people could 'pay the price'.

They say benefits top-ups for disabled people who do not have a paid-for carer under the previous system do not exist under Universal Credit.

Committee chair Frank Field said: 'It would be a terrible betrayal of these people to allow another failure of planning in this mega reform to worsen their situations, even one bit.

'No one should ever be forced further into poverty, deprivation, miserable hardship by a policy reform.

'The Government must assure disabled people across this country that will not happen to them, and plan and put the measures in place to make that promise good.'

SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

Trainee Pensions Officer

London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and London Borough of Wandsworth
£30,225 - £34,389
Trainee Pensions Officer
Recuriter: London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and London Borough of Wandsworth

Street Lighting Project Engineer

North Yorkshire Council
£38,220 - £42,839 per annum
Are you looking for an electrical street lighting role within an innovative and exciting Electrical Engineering team? Leeming Bar, Northallerton
Recuriter: North Yorkshire Council

Team Leader - Electrical Engineering/Street Lighting

North Yorkshire Council
£51,356 - £55,539 per annum
Are you an experienced Street Lighting Engineer who would be interested in joining an award-winning team Leeming Bar, Northallerton
Recuriter: North Yorkshire Council

Roaming Ranger

Essex County Council
£25959.0000 - £29820.0000 per annum
Roaming RangerPermanent, Full Time£25,959 to £29,820 per annumLocation
Recuriter: Essex County Council

Partnership Director - Central Pool

West Midlands Pension Fund
£83,576 - £95,386
Shape the future of one of the UK's largest public sector investment partnerships Wolverhampton, West Midlands
Recuriter: West Midlands Pension Fund
Linkedin Banner