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Dear Mr Strickland,

As a constituent in Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor, I’m deeply concerned by reports of proposed changes to disability benefits, particularly those that would affect Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and the Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity (LCWRA) group. 

These changes could have a devastating impact on disabled people, pushing many into financial hardship.

I urge you to speak out against these cuts.

I am a disabled woman whose a mother to a disabled child as well as an independent disability advocate.

Disabled people with complex needs often face significant barriers to work and they should get the support they need to overcome these barriers.

But PIP is unrelated to work, so making it harder to access does nothing to improve people's path to work. And even if it did, employment is not a realistic prospect for every disabled person. No one should be forced to enter work or look for work at the expense of their health.

Regardless of their ability to work, disabled people should be able to rely on the benefits system to meet the costs associated with their disability.

Unfortunately, research from the charity Sense reveals that 44% of disabled people with complex needs who are on benefits regularly go without essential support and equipment because they cannot afford it.

No disabled person should be forced into financial hardship whether they’re in work or not. Yet I fear that some of the proposals would only make things worse for those in a vulnerable position.

If you would like more information on how disabled people with complex needs would be affected by welfare reform, I encourage you to get in touch with Sense at parliamentary@sense.org.uk.

Thank you for your time, and I hope you will consider backing the rights of disabled people in our community

Yours sincerely,

Sarah Wingfield