SADDLEWORTH’S MP has questioned her own party’s controversial welfare proposals – claiming it is ‘balancing the books on the backs of disabled people.’
The Government’s reforms are aimed at saving £5 billion a year by 2030.
Six key changes were announced by work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall, including rules on personal independence payments (PIP) being tightened up from November 2026, potentially resulting in reduced payments for many.
Critics have blasted Labour’s proposals as ‘immoral’ and claim up to £1.2 million people face losing between £4,200 and £6,300 a year.
And Debbie Abrahams, MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth, chair of the work and pensions select committee and a known disability campaigner, told her colleague she felt the policies may be the wrong way of going about the issue.
She said in the House of Commons: “I appreciate the difficult financial circumstances that we face.
“Despite the opposition’s assertion that £5 billion is not a huge figure, this is the largest cut in social security support since 2015.
“There are alternative and more compassionate ways to balance the books, rather than on the backs of disabled people.
“I implore my party to try to bed in our reforms before we make the cuts, as others have asked.
“There is so much evidence of the adverse effects that the Conservative party had through cuts to support and restrictions to eligibility criteria when it was in government, including the deaths of vulnerable people.
“That cannot be repeated.
“I absolutely agree our social security system is not fit for purpose.
“The measures, particularly those to increase employment support by £1 billion a year and to increase the standard allowance of universal credit, which the opposition failed to do in government, will be positively felt.”
In a later statement, she added: “Evidence of the effects of previous cuts in support to people with health conditions or disabilities in 2017 and for changes in eligibility criteria for incapacity benefits in 2010, revealed some adverse impacts, including worsening health conditions and even suicides.
“Any announcement of reforms can cause huge amounts of worry and anxiety, particularly among vulnerable claimants.”
In response, Ms Kendall admitted the Saddleworth politician ‘has rightly raised concerns.’
But she insisted something had to be done, adding: “Although this is a substantial package with those estimated savings, spending on working-age sickness and disability benefits will continue to rise over this Parliament.
“The last forecast was that they would continue to rise by £18 billion.
“As she says, these are important issues, and we need to work to get this right to ensure that proper support is in place for people.”
You must be logged in to post a comment.