Response to the ending of repeat assessment for severe lifelong conditions

Inclusion London gives a cautious welcome to this news but we will need to see the detail before we can be confident about what this means for Deaf and Disabled people. For example ‘Does it cover PIP as well as WCA? What conditions are covered?’ Will there be frequent reassessments of people in mental distress continue, which can lead to a worsening in people’s mental health?

The announcement could potentially save tens of thousands of Deaf/Disabled people a lot of stress, fear and uncertainty about their financial security and that can only be good news but, as DPAC suggests, given this government’s track record the policy change could have more to do with reports from earlier this year that assessments of Deaf and Disabled people are costing more than they save and a need to reduce costs’ and lets not forget that Green voted in favour of Universal Credit, the Bedroom Tax, the Benefit Cap, limiting the annual rise in benefit payments to 1%, the ESA Wrag £30/week cut, and the closure of the Independent Living Fund.

Inclusion London calls on the Prime Minister Theresa May and Damian Green to reverse the many policies that impact disproportionately and negatively on Deaf and Disabled people and to start talking to Deaf and Disabled people and our organisations about how justice and fairness can be restored to Government policy now that we’ve seen both Labour pledge to scrap WCA and “Punitive Sanctions” (a welcome step in the right direction) and the Liberal Democrats to scrap WCA and more. Both a direct result of Deaf/ Disabled peoples campaigning.