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The Government’s controversial Welfare Reform Bill has now passed through the House of Lords and will be passed for royal assent.

The Bill, which Prime Minister David Cameron has hailed as the biggest welfare revolution in more than 60 years, introduces an annual cap on benefits, at £26,000 per working age household, and overhauls many payments within the welfare system.

Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith seemed relieved that the Bill had finally passed saying: “This bill reforms every part of our welfare system and I look forward to implementing the changes our country badly needs.”

However, a report from the Joint Committee on Human Rights has warned that the bill’s changes to the benefit system could result in disabled people losing their right to independent living. These MPs worry that the ‘cumulative impact’ of welfare reforms could force some people out of their homes.

People who fall ill or have a serious accident, and have to take prolonged time off work will be negatively affected by the plans to replace Disability Living Allowance with Personal Independence Payment, by changes to Employment and Support Allowance, and will get less help from the Universal Credit during the first six months of their illness than they would get at present.

Also, people with a disability trying to work will be negatively affected by the plans to replace Disability Living Allowance with Personal Independence Payment, and will get less help from the Universal Credit than they would get at present, as the Universal Credit does not reflect help currently available to disabled people through Working Tax Credits.

Many have called for an immediate assessment on the feasibility of a law that properly enshrines the rights of disabled people to lead an independent life into UK law.

A document outlining how people might be affected by the reforms has been published by the Citizen’s Advice Bureau and can be read here.

Posted on 09.03.12

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