An overview of the cumulative impact of UK government policies on disabled people. Prepared as a briefing for MPs for the Opposition Day Debate in the House of Commons on 10th July 2013. Supporting: the Campaign for a Fair Society, Pat's Petition and the WOW Campaign.

1. How the cuts target disabled people
Briefing for Opposition Day Debate:
10th July 1013

2. Introduction
This briefing has been prepared by Dr Simon Duffy of The Centre for Welfare
Reform. Facts and figures are from official sources, but the detailed analysis
can be seen in A Fair Society? How the cuts target disabled people which is
available at: bit.ly/afscuts
The report provides an initial assessment of the cumulative impact of the UK
government’s policies for disabled people. However the analysis is
somewhat conservative; the real position is likely to be much worse than
this. No attempt has been made to include the latest round of further cuts,
increased regressive taxation (e.g. VAT) or the enormous subsidy to the
better off that is hidden within the deflated rate of interest. Even if cuts are
necessary there is no reason to target those cuts on disabled people. No
other Western government has targeted disabled people like the UK
government and many have tried to protect disabled people from the worst
affects of‘austerity’.
The report was produced, pro bono, for the Campaign for a Fair Society and
in support of the demand by Pat’s Petition for an official cumulative impact
assessment of the cuts.
We encourage all MPs to stand up against this injustice and to support the
WOW Petition.

3. The current crisis was not created by public expenditure, which
has remained relatively stable at around 43% of GDP since 1971:

4. The crisis was caused by lending by banks. Government bailed out
the banks and reduced the cost of borrowing:

5. To pay for this‘bail out’the government has cut public services.
Cuts are not spread evenly, but with great variations:

6. Financially the biggest cuts are to local government and to people
relying on benefits:

7. In fact, more than 50% of all cuts fall on people on benefits or on
local government services.

8. Although benefits and local government services make up only
25% of central government expenditure.

9. More than 60% of non-ring-fenced local government expenditure
is for social care for children, adults and older people:

10. Further analysis shows how different groups in society are
differently affected by the targeting of the cuts:

11. The cuts target people in poverty, disabled people and people
with the most severe disabilities, those using social care.

12. The targeting of disabled people is extreme and the inevitable
consequence of central government policy.

13. Government policy seems based on
misinformation and stigmatising
rhetoric which is then fed into the
popular press. Here are some facts
that MPs of all parties should
remember when debating the future
of the welfare state, poverty and
situation of disabled people.

14. The poorest 10% of households pay the most tax.

15. The poorest 10% pay different taxes to the rich.

16. The net cost of benefits is less than 3% of GDP.

17. The level of benefit fraud is very low.

18. Entitlement to disability benefit is not easy.

19. Low interest rates provide a hidden subsidy.

20. Real leaders defend justice and the rights of those under attack.