Charities warn of Gov welfare reform

06 February 2012

Six of the country’s biggest disability groups -- Scope, Mencap, Leonard Cheshire Disability, the National Autistic Society, Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB), and Disability Alliance--have warned that the Government’s focus on alleged fraud and overclaiming to justify cuts in disability benefits has caused an increase in resentment and abuse directed at disabled people.

They primarily blame ministers and civil servants for repeatedly highlighting the supposed mass abuse of the disability benefits system, much of which is unfounded. They acknowledge that inflammatory media coverage has also played a role.

David Cameron’s adviser on families Emma Harrison has criticised the welfare cap as a “populist policy” that could harm some of the most vulnerable individuals.

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