DWP Consultation
Croydon’s Mental Health Service User Group
Dear The Rt Hon Mel Stride MP
We are writing to express our serious concerns about the proposed changes to the Work Capability Assessment for Universal Credit and Employment and Support Allowance.
While most of our beneficiaries would like to undertake some form of employment, for many, that is simply not feasible or realistic in many employment situations and could be dangerous to their mental and physical health and to the health and wellbeing of others, including work colleagues, customers and family and friends.
By forcing more disabled people into work without the appropriate adjustments to the work environment to enable them to be successful, the DWP will not only fail to enable more disabled people into work, and they will ensure that more of them are left with poorer health, poorer life choices and increased inequalities within society. This will cause the deterioration of people’s mental health which could have serious repercussions for the individual and society as a whole. This will result in increased pressures on the NHS and social care, which are already overwhelmed by the pressures they face trying to cope with the ever increasing service demands.
Instead:
The DWP should be encouraged to work with and have meaningful dialogues with Disabled People and their representatives, including Disabled People’s Organisations, to ensure their policies and practices enable not disable improved life chances and social inclusion;
There should be a complete review of key public services to ensure they are joined up and offer services which enhance Disabled People’s lives and enable them to be more productive in society. This should be carried out in collaboration with the people who receive those services through the principles and practices associated with co-production
Come and meet us and our Mental Health community. We meet with service providers every first Tuesday of each month to engage on proposals which will have an impact on our service users. See www.hear-us.org/forum/next-open-forum
The attached consultation response from Inclusion London makes some valid points about the impacts of these proposals. We share many of their concerns and as a member of Inclusion London we support their campaigns to improve the lives of Disabled people not make them worse as this proposal is likely to do.
This proposal is not likely to save money – it is likely to cost more and it is likely to cost lives.
Please consider the impacts of these proposals on the lives of your constituents who are already marginalised and living in poverty. This will just make their lives much worse causing a breakdown in their ability to survive and prosper in our society which currently limits many Disabled People’s life chances.
Yours Sincerely
Abeline Greene, Chair
Tim Oldham, Chief Executive
David Ashton, Wefare Surgeries Project Manager
CC to
Liz Kendall – Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
The Rt Hon Tom Pursglove – Minister of State for Disabled People, Health and Work
Vicky Foxcroft Shadow Minister for Disabled People
Sarah Jones MP. Labour. Member of Parliament for Croydon Central.
Chris Philp MP. Conservative. Member of Parliament for Croydon South.
Steve Reed MP. Labour. Member of Parliament for Croydon North.
Tim Oldham
CEO
Orchard House
15a Purley Road
South Croydon
Surrey
CR2 6EZ
Tel: 020 8681 6888
Mobile: 07594 373 104
Email: tim@hear-us.org