Paralympian and cross-bench peer Tanni Grey-Thompson has joined disability campaigners in condemning the government’s planned welfare reforms, describing the cuts as “brutal and reckless” and warning that toxic rhetoric around the changes has fueled hatred against disabled people. Grey-Thompson revealed that she has been contacted by disabled individuals who have faced verbal abuse in public, with passersby shouting that they are “going to get their benefits cut.” She criticized the government’s approach, stating, “It’s not a great time for disabled people. The worry is that these changes won’t achieve the goal of getting people into work but could instead push those who are just about surviving into greater poverty.”
The criticism comes after Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall announced sweeping reforms to the welfare system, including tightening eligibility for Personal Independence Payments (PIP) and cutting health-related Universal Credit. The changes, aimed at saving £5 billion, have been met with widespread condemnation from charities and disability advocates. TV presenter and disability advocate Sophie Morgan, who is paraplegic, described the cuts as unjustified, warning that the “scapegoating of disabled people is not only toxic, it could be really fatal.” She argued that the reforms would push more disabled people out of work and into poverty, adding, “If the government can treat people with the highest needs in our community this way, what else could they possibly do?”
Charities and campaigners have also voiced their concerns, with Disability Rights UK accusing the government of making “brutal and reckless cuts” rather than addressing systemic issues. Paul Kissack, chief executive of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, warned that the cuts risked undermining positive aspects of the reforms, such as the “right to try guarantee” aimed at helping people back into work. Disabled activist Dermot Devlin, who relies on PIP to cover the costs of essential equipment, described the reforms as “absolutely devastating,” saying, “Public opinion is getting nasty towards disabled people, but PIP is needed for survival. Taking it away will push so many of us deeper into poverty.”
As the backlash against the reforms grows, campaigners are calling on the government to reconsider its approach, warning that the cuts will have devastating consequences for disabled people and further marginalize an already vulnerable community.
For more updates and analysis, visit London Pulse News.
