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Posts: 75
Location: Derby | PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/AttendanceA
Thank you
Recent message..
A government green paper has revealed proposals to change how ‘disability benefits' are administered, for example, attendance allowance and hand the cash over to social services instead.
Under the plan, current claimants would have their disability benefits converted to a ‘personal budget’ administered by local authorities and used to pay for services – not to spend as they wish.
Once the green paper consultation period ends, if an almighty row has not been raised, it is likely that both major political parties will see the lack of outrage as a green light to reform both DLA and AA.
Find out how you can take part from this link:
www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/disability-living-allowance-(dla)/dla-aa-cuts
We know that many people will take false comfort from the fact that, unlike AA, DLA is not specifically named as being for the axe. But if the government was planning only to abolish AA it is extremely unlikely that they would refer constantly throughout the green paper to ‘disability benefits’, a term which includes not just AA but also DLA.
Others will dismiss this as just another idle discussion document and our concerns as scare mongering.
But it’s much more than that.
36 meetings have already been organised around the country for people working in government and the caring professions to meet to be told about the setting up of a new National Care Service which would oversee the system. In addition, a stakeholders panel of more than 50 voluntary sector organisations, trades unions and academics has been established to offer advice to the government.
Some organisations and individuals, such as RNIB and welfare rights worker Neil Bateman writing for Community Care magazine, have already voiced their alarm.
But not every disability organisation is opposed to the proposals and some even agree with them.
In a press release, Disability Alliance has welcomed the publication of the green paper and said that it ‘looks forward to working alongside Government and all the other stakeholders in bringing these plans into fruition.’ They have even said that they agree that there is a case for ‘integrating disability benefits such as attendance allowance’ into the new system.
One thing everyone does seem to agree on is that huge cuts in public spending will have to take place in the next few years as a result of the credit crunch and global recession.
Political parties are desperately looking for the softest targets to be the victims of these cuts. Dismissing the green paper’s proposals as hot air and not worth worrying about could be the costliest mistake you ever make.
Find out more about the proposed abolition of DLA and AA and how you can join our campaign to fight back:
www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/disability-living-allowance-(dla)/dla-aa-cuts
Good luck,
Steve Donnison |
AA DLA Green paper info /petition
