Impact of reducing ESA for new claimants in the WRAG – our evidence to Parliamentary Review

Inclusion London responded to the call for evidence by the parliamentary review into the impact of reducing the Employment and Support Allowance Work-Related Activity Group (ESA-WRAG) payments on Disabled claimants and their readiness for work and the opportunity to give evidence.

In the evidence we highlighted that the ESA-WRAG measures are being brought in at a time when the number of Deaf and Disabled people living in poverty is rising.  Deaf and Disabled People’s Organisations (DDPOs) in London are informing Inclusion London that evictions and the risk of eviction have greatly increased over the last eighteen months, due to rising rents, the impact of sanctions, inaccurate benefit assessments or delays in benefit payments.  DDPOs are also telling us that many more Disabled people are having to resort to food banks to survive, while in the past this would have been a very rare occurrence.

Reducing the payments for new claimants in the Employment and Support Allowance Work Related Activity Group (ESA-WRAG) from £102.15 a week to £73.10 is likely to increase the number of Deaf and Disabled people living in poverty and struggling to pay basic household bills.

If a Disabled person is trying obtain food or fighting a rent eviction they are in no position to look for work or attend job interviews.

Inclusion London’s full response is available to download here:

Inclusion London’s evidence Parliamentary Review impact reducing ESA WRAG