A group of Surrey-based parents are petitioning all three main party leaders, David Cameron, Nick Clegg, and Ed Miliband, to stop the cutting of benefits for disabled and vulnerable adults in society.
The group has started the petition,entitled “Stop the False Economy of Cutting Benefits for Disabled and Vulnerable Adults. Ring Fence Long Term Funding for Their Support.” because of concerns that their disabled (adult) children’s funding comes entirely from benefits and social services.
They believed that this secured their future, and that they were safe in the hands of UK government and local authorities, but:
- The Welfare Benefits Uprating Bill has capped workingage benefit rises at 1% until 2016, including benefits for the disabled Councils say “By the end of this parliament, councils’ funding from central government will have been cut by 33%”.
- This funding includes social care for the disabled Disabled, vulnerable adults have low disposable income and have to pay for items and services to help them overcome the effects of their disability. They are thus more affected by price rises than most UK citizens.
- 2009/ 2012 inflation averaged 4.3%.
- The Bank of England hopes to reduce this to 2% but even this is 1% above the caps.
- Energy has risen by 9% this year and will rise above inflation for the foreseeable future.
- Food prices rose by 33% between 2007 and 2013.
- 2013 was “the tenth year running that rail fares have increased by more than inflation”.
- Fuel prices have risen by at least 36% between 2009 & 2012.
To find out more about the campaign and to sign the petition, visit the Change.Org website
Note: A Change.Org petition does not have ‘official’ status (unlike an e-petition to the Prime Minister’s office at Number 10); but it is an excellent means of gathering and demonstrating support for a ‘campaign’. Change.Org describes itself as “the world’s largest petition platform, empowering people everywhere to create the change they want to see.”