Greens criticise coalition changes to disability benefits

The Green Party have criticised the government’s changes to disability benefits as being unrepresentative of the needs of the disabled. The switch from the current system of Disability Living Allowance to Personal Independence Payments will coincide with tougher rules upon who can claim the top rate of support, which includes access to lease cars and specially converted vehicles. Under the new rules, only those unable to walk more than 20 metres would qualify for support, but the previous distance was 50 metres.

Jonathan Bartley, Green Party spokesperson, said: “The new rules on the qualifying distance for the enhanced mobility rate completely undermine what the Government claims the Personal Independence Payment will achieve. It will create greater dependence, not independence. It will mean exclusion rather than inclusion. Instead of saving money it will cost money through huge numbers of appeals, fewer disabled people being able to work and the detrimental impact on Motability related industries.“

As part of a commitment to valuing and empowering people with illness and disabilities, the Green Party recognises the vital role that the enhanced mobility rate plays for facilitating as independent and self-determined a life as possible for the disabled. 

Mr. Bartley said: “It is now also clear that the changes aren’t targeted at those in need. They also fail to reflect the views of disabled people themselves. The fact that there has been no Parliamentary debate on the new rules- something so fundamental and which will have such as devastating impact on so many – underlines how unrepresentative the changes really are. The way that the Government has tried to sneak the changes in at the last minute makes it clear that the Government knows this.”