The WOW Petition - 100,000 signatures captured. Next #WOWdebate2014 to stop the War on Welfare
10/12/2013
Stand up and fight for the society we want to live in
Stand up and fight for the society we want to live in- WOW Petition by Just Bring The Choc @RenataBplus3
An excerpt:
You see, despite the government’s reassurances that they are protecting the most vulnerable in society with the current welfare cuts, it’s simply not the case.
No one is immune to illness or accidents. At some point our body is going to stop working as efficiently, or we’ll accidentally break ourselves. As things stand the government are planning to make cuts to services that disabled people rely on to maintain independent lives, without ever having assessed the cumulative impact of these cuts to the people concerned. One example of this is a fund called the Independent Living Fund (ILF) that ensures that severely disabled people can live independent lives in the community rather than being forced to be moved into residential care. The government tried to take this away fund completely. 5 disabled people challenged the decision in the Court of Appeals and the decision was over-turned on the basis that the government had not taken into consideration duties outlined in the Equality Act. This victory meant that those who are currently receiving ILF will continue to receive it, but as the government has slammed the doors shut on anyone else being able to apply for it, it leaves severely disabled adults vulnerable to local council’s decisions about how best to allocate their resources, and to resulting cuts.
These are not benefit fraudsters, they’re not work shy, they’re just human and disability happened to them, in the same way it could happen to you, or your parents, or your siblings or your children. This is something that the whole of Britain should be up in arms about, but most people don’t even know it’s going on as they are being told so many times that it’s the benefit fraudsters who are being punished by the cuts and people genuinely in need are being protected. That’s about as honest as an MP’s expenses claim form I’m afraid, but it’s a rhetoric that means people can sleep comfortably at night so most people choose to accept it.
- See more at: http://www.justbringthechocolate.com/advocacy/stand-and-fight-wow-petition/
An excerpt:
You see, despite the government’s reassurances that they are protecting the most vulnerable in society with the current welfare cuts, it’s simply not the case.
No one is immune to illness or accidents. At some point our body is going to stop working as efficiently, or we’ll accidentally break ourselves. As things stand the government are planning to make cuts to services that disabled people rely on to maintain independent lives, without ever having assessed the cumulative impact of these cuts to the people concerned. One example of this is a fund called the Independent Living Fund (ILF) that ensures that severely disabled people can live independent lives in the community rather than being forced to be moved into residential care. The government tried to take this away fund completely. 5 disabled people challenged the decision in the Court of Appeals and the decision was over-turned on the basis that the government had not taken into consideration duties outlined in the Equality Act. This victory meant that those who are currently receiving ILF will continue to receive it, but as the government has slammed the doors shut on anyone else being able to apply for it, it leaves severely disabled adults vulnerable to local council’s decisions about how best to allocate their resources, and to resulting cuts.
These are not benefit fraudsters, they’re not work shy, they’re just human and disability happened to them, in the same way it could happen to you, or your parents, or your siblings or your children. This is something that the whole of Britain should be up in arms about, but most people don’t even know it’s going on as they are being told so many times that it’s the benefit fraudsters who are being punished by the cuts and people genuinely in need are being protected. That’s about as honest as an MP’s expenses claim form I’m afraid, but it’s a rhetoric that means people can sleep comfortably at night so most people choose to accept it.
- See more at: http://www.justbringthechocolate.com/advocacy/stand-and-fight-wow-petition/
05/12/2013
We Need to Get Cross Party Support - but its a steep learning curve!!!
Rather than bask in the glow of getting 100,000 signatures the workload seems to have trebled!!
All WOW hands are on deck at the moment trying to find ways to encourage cross-party support for a debate of the WOWpetition in the Main Chamber of the House of Commons. The reason this is important is that a debate in the Main Chamber has more status than the alternative of a debate at Westminster Hall and importantly if there is to be a vote on the WOWpetition that can only happen if the debate is in the Main Chamber.
We are trying to use the Change website to encourage people to approach their MP's directly and this is the message put out to the people that have signed the Change Petition so far:
All WOW hands are on deck at the moment trying to find ways to encourage cross-party support for a debate of the WOWpetition in the Main Chamber of the House of Commons. The reason this is important is that a debate in the Main Chamber has more status than the alternative of a debate at Westminster Hall and importantly if there is to be a vote on the WOWpetition that can only happen if the debate is in the Main Chamber.
We are trying to use the Change website to encourage people to approach their MP's directly and this is the message put out to the people that have signed the Change Petition so far:
House of Commons Back Bench Business Committee: Allocate a Full Main Chamber Debate to the WOWpetition (e-petition 43154)' on Change.org
Firstly, Thank You for signing this petition and calling for the WOWpetition to be granted a full debate in the Main Chamber of the House of Commons. As I am sure you have also publicised this petition and asked friends and family to sign it as well, I would also like to Thank You for that! I hope that you have also already signed the
www.WOWpetition.com
but if you haven't please do so now, or at any time right up to it closing on the 12th December 2013.
Having already done this for us, I would now be grateful if you would consider contacting your own MP directly and asking them to support John McDonnell MP/ Ian Mearns MP/ Ian Lavery MP/ Caroline Lucas MP and many more in their efforts to secure a full debate in the Main Chamber at the House of Commons of the very important issues highlighted by the WOWpetition.com, which WOW, and many others, believe deserve to be properly debated and voted upon. You can do this quickly and easily either: by e-mail using
Having already done this for us, I would now be grateful if you would consider contacting your own MP directly and asking them to support John McDonnell MP/ Ian Mearns MP/ Ian Lavery MP/ Caroline Lucas MP and many more in their efforts to secure a full debate in the Main Chamber at the House of Commons of the very important issues highlighted by the WOWpetition.com, which WOW, and many others, believe deserve to be properly debated and voted upon. You can do this quickly and easily either: by e-mail using
https://www.writetothem.com/
which allows you to send them a personal message by e-mail;
or a more personal approach facilitated by
http://findyourmp.parliament.uk/
where you can often find information of your MP's office addresses, phone numbers and Constituency Surgeries (via their websites) enabling you to: ring their office and talk to the MP's staff about this; arrange to attend a constituency surgery (if time permits) to present your request in person; or write down the address so that you can send a letter to your MP. Whilst it is very desirable and some "SPAM" filters have even made it compulsory to write using your own words, WOWpetition have produced a Template which you could use to base your own personal letters upon (but please personalise it as much as you are able to):
http://wowpetition.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/example-letter-to-mp-for-main-chamber.html.
However, due to the British Postal System it is imperative that any letter is in the post by first thing tomorrow (Friday 6th December 2013). There is also very helpful information on this website on how you can contact your MP and make your voice heard.
http://philiplewis.wordpress.com/2013/12/04/if-you-have-signed-the-wowpetition-contact-your-mp-now/
Remember, you are not necessarily asking your MP to support the WOWpetition but instead requesting that they support a full main chamber debate of the important issues raised by the WOWpetition, as WOWpetition deserves that!
Thank you again,
Onwards and Upwards,
The WOWpetition
04/12/2013
Example Letter To MP For Main Chamber WOW Debate
Please write a paper letter and send to your MP, only email if you already have a good relationship with them and they habitually read and reply to your emails.
Best of all use this and the briefing note of the previous post and visit your MP in person and ask that they support a DEBATE in the MAIN CHAMBER.
They do not have to agree with WOW, what you are asking them is to agree to a democratic debate, on the record, of mortally serious issues of government policy that directly affect YOU, which is a basic democratic right.
Please do so as soon as you are able, this is TIME CRITICAL.
Best of all use this and the briefing note of the previous post and visit your MP in person and ask that they support a DEBATE in the MAIN CHAMBER.
They do not have to agree with WOW, what you are asking them is to agree to a democratic debate, on the record, of mortally serious issues of government policy that directly affect YOU, which is a basic democratic right.
Please do so as soon as you are able, this is TIME CRITICAL.
Dear …..
I am writing as a constituent to ask you to represent my
views in Parliament.
I signed and supported a government e-petition, the WOW petition, which
recently passed the 100,000 signature mark, meaning that it can be considered
for a debate in Parliament. I would like you in the interests of democracy to
do whatever you can to make this debate happen in the Main Chamber, and allow the voices of sick
and disabled people and carers to be heard.
The petition calls for a cumulative impact assessment of
welfare reform as it affects sick and disabled people and carers, and an end to
the Work Capability Assessment, as demanded by the British Medical Association.
I know you are very busy, but please allow me to present
some evidence to support the need for these measures.
The Welfare Reform Act 2012 was promoted as the biggest
shake up in welfare for 60 years, so it was extraordinary that no assessment
was carried out on how it would affect the most vulnerable people in society. I
believe the government now needs to take stock, and face the fact that sick and
disabled people have been caused great distress and hardship by measure such as
the bedroom tax, the twenty per cent cut in the budget for Disability Living
Allowance, the closure of the Independent Living Fund to new applicants, and many
more measures. The think tank Demos has calculated that disabled people,
already more likely to be living in poverty, will lose around £28 billion over
five years. This hardly seems to be sharing the burden of austerity fairly.
As for the Work Capability Assessments, these have been a
disaster. The British Medical Association last year called for them to be
scrapped with immediate effect. Parkinson’s UK’s research found that almost
half of people with a progressive illness, when assessed, are told they will
get better and placed in the Work Related Activity Group. This means they are
required to prepare for work, and if they are unable to do what is required of
them can be sanctioned leaving them with no income. Please remember these are
people with Parkinsons Disease and other progressive illnesses.
I believe that the least Parliament can do is to debate
these issues in the Main Chamber, and would be very grateful if you, as my MP
would ensure that this debate takes place. Please notify John McDonnell MP's office of your support as soon as possible so he may inform the Backbench Business Committee that the debate has wide cross party support.
With best wishes for Christmas and the New Year,
03/12/2013
WOWpetition - Contact your MP - We need your help.
Tuesday, 3 December 2013
Today at the House of Commons Backbench Business Committee John McDonnell MP, Ian Mearns MP and Ian Lavery MP secured a backbench business committee debate of the WOWpetition.
Huzzah
The issue is that the debate may either be held in Westminster Hall or the Main Chamber of Parliament and the key factor in this decision is the amount of cross party support that the WOWpetition receives.
Please contact your MP by e-mail, letter or phone before next Tuesday and ask him to support a Main Chamber debate on the important issues contained in the WOWpetition (e-petition 43154).
You are not asking your MP to support the WOWpetition but instead asking him to recognise that the important issues it addresses are deserving of a full debate in the Main Chamber.
We have secured a Backbench Business Committee debate of the WOWpetition. Lets make sure it is a full debate in the Main Chamber.
If you wish to contact your MP and discuss the WOWpetition in his surgery we have prepared a briefing document you can base your discussion around. Please do not copy and paste this in it's entirety into an e-mail to your MP as it is likely to be intercepted by the spam filters and disappear into the Ethernet. It is best to either print it off and use it as the basis for a face to face discussion with him or use it to harvest ideas for your own individual message to your MP.
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WOWpetition Briefing on the Need for a Backbench Business Committee Debate of e-petition 43154.
On Saturday 30th November 2013 Government e-petition 43154, also known as the WOWpetition, was signed for the 100,000 time and qualifies to be considered for a debate by the Back Bench Business Committee. John McDonnell MP has agreed to make representations to the Backbench Business Committee in support of a debate of the WOWpetition.
The WOWpetition calls for
1. A Cumulative Impact Assessment (CIA) of all cuts and changes affecting sick & disabled people, their families and carers, and a free vote on repeal of the Welfare Reform Act.
The response received from the DWP upon the WOWpetition reaching 10,000 signatures, stated that the Government had not done a Cumulative Impact Assessment of the effects of the Welfare Reform Bill 2012 because “it is very difficult to do accurately and external organisations have not produced this either.” However, since posting this response, 2 external agencies, “DEMOS” and the “Centre for Welfare Reform” have separately produced relevant CIA’s.
DEMOS’s analysis showed a cumulative loss of income for disabled people of £28.3 billion over the 5 years to 2018. Referring to this analysis, Richard Hawkes, Chief Executive of disability charity Scope said: “At the moment there’s no place for disabled people in the Chancellor’s aspiration nation. In 2013 disabled people are already struggling to pay the bills. Living costs are spiralling. Income is flat-lining. We know many are getting in debt, just to pay for essentials. What’s the Government’s response? The same group of disabled people face not just one or two cuts to their support, but in some cases three, four, five or even six cuts. It paints a frightening picture of the financial struggles affecting disabled people in 2013. On top of this the Government is suggesting capping the welfare bill in the June spending review – having already slashed billions.”
Dr Simon Duffy of the Centre for Welfare Reform, on behalf of the Campaign for a Fair Society, produced analysis that suggested the cuts to benefits and services fell disproportionately on minority groups. The extreme unfairness of this policy is demonstrated if we compare the burden of cuts born annually by most citizens (£467 per person) to the burden on people in poverty (£2,195: 5 x rest of population), the burden on disabled people (£4,410: 9 x rest of population) and the Burden on people with severest disabilities (£8,832: 19 x rest of population).
We believe that the Government either needs to demonstrate that the CIA’s produced are not accurate and produce its own CIA or explain why the austerity measures have been targeted at people, who WOWpetition believe, the Government thought would not fight back.
2. An immediate end to the Work Capability Assessment, as voted for by the British Medical Association. Consultation between the Depts of Health & Education to improve support into work for sick & disabled people, and an end to forced work under threat of sanctions for people on disability benefits.
The Work Capability Assessment judges the Capability for work or work related activity of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) claimants. We believe the current test is totally discredited, with the Prime Minister saying in October 2013 that its provider, Atos, had "to improve the quality of decision-making" in the face of sustained criticism of both the efficacy and effectiveness of what, WOWpetition believe, is not a tool meant to enable disabled people and help them to achieve what they feel capable of but instead a blunt instrument to reduce the social security bill. We do not believe it is right that in the 21st Century an experimental process has been imposed on sick and disabled people with in some cases fatal consequences. Over 10,000 people have died within 6 weeks of being compelled to submit to what has been described as a “dehumanizing, brutal and aggressive quasi-medical assessment”.
WOWpetition believes that any method for assessing the financial support given, and the life opportunities presented to sick and disabled people needs to be based upon 3 questions: “What do you want to do?” “What stops you from doing that?” “What adjustments can be made to enable you?” Any process that seeks to enable disabled people and give them equality of opportunity, needs to address not just the “supply side” issues of “what can you do” but also needs to address “demand side” prejudices and ensure society provides the opportunities to people facing significant barriers to mainstream employment opportunities, in a fair way that gives people with impairments equality of opportunity. Additionally, any individual trying to enhance their experience should not be penalised/ restricted, as they already face difficulty with employment.
More than anything, WOWpetition wants a system based upon trust. The evidence clearly shows that at approximately 0.7%, Benefit fraud is non-systemic and the overwhelming feeling of grassroots Disabled Peoples Organisation’s, expressed at a summit organised by WOWpetition in London on the 25th October 2013, was that sick and disabled people are sick of being treated as guilty until proven innocent and that the system needs to embody trust, not persecution.
Irrespective of their ability to work, sick & disabled people should be able to rely upon financial support from society that would allow them to experience a good standard of living.
3. An Independent, Committee-Based Inquiry into Welfare Reform, covering but not limited to: (1) Care home admission rises, Daycare Centre’s, access to education for people with learning difficulties, universal mental health treatments, Remploy closures; (2) DWP media links, the ATOS contract, IT implementation of Universal Credit; (3) Human rights abuses against disabled people, excess claimant deaths & the disregard of medical evidence in decision making by ATOS, DWP & the Tribunal Service.
WOWpetition cannot understand how in the Worlds 6th richest country (by GDP – IMF 2012) the situation can have been allowed to occur where, despite the UK ratifying the UN Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2009, what is arguably “retrogressive legislation” has been introduced, without being effectively challenged pre-implementation.
At its AGM on April 14 2013, Amnesty International UK passed a resolution on the Human Rights of sick and disabled people in the UK. The resolution (A5) read:
“This AGM calls for urgent action to halt the abrogation of the human rights of sick and disabled people by the ruling Coalition government and its associated corporate contractors.”
It is WOWpetition’s belief that The WRA 2012 was “rushed” through Parliament with the House of Commons using the procedural tool of “financial privilege” to curtail debate and over-turn the amendments tabled by the House of Lords. We believe The House of Lords had taken very relevant advice from the Equality and Human Rights Commission, with the effect that the Human Rights and Equality issues pertinent to the WRA 2012 have been largely ignored. Some overlooked amendments have since been the subject of successful legal challenges, and the Minister for Disabled People has been criticized in open court for failing to consider the effect her policies have on equality of opportunity.
WOWpetition call for the UK to comply with the spirit of its Treaty Obligations and, in line with “Article 4 – General Obligations” of the UNCRPD, strive to achieve full realization of the rights so included in that document without prejudice. As an example of what we would argue is the non-compliance of the UK with this Treaty, we are dismayed that an apparent working definition of “Equality of Opportunity” appears to be, that employers may choose to favour a disabled candidate over a non-disabled candidate. This, we believe, is not what was intended by “Article 3 – General Principles” of the UNCRPD.
In order for lessons to be learnt and safeguards put in place to ensure persons with disabilities are never again to face what we believe is a coordinated onslaught on our human rights and right to life, we call for an independent Committee based enquiry into Welfare Reform.
Most worrying are the comments attributed to the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson on Nov 28th 2013, in which he says “It is surely relevant to a conversation about equality that as many as 16% of our species have an IQ below 85, while about 2% have an IQ above 130.”
Is a person’s worth or right of equality to be linked to his measured IQ? Is economic potential the accepted measure of somebody’s value and equality? This comment is not acceptable.
Conclusion
WOWpetition suggests that sick and disabled people are the target of a sustained attack on their human rights and standard of living as it is believed they will not fight back. We agree with Richard Hawkes of Scope who said “At the moment there’s no place for disabled people in the Chancellor’s aspiration nation.” WOWpetition seeks a society where disabled people (through birth, trauma or illness) are given true equality of opportunity and valued appropriately, based upon their intrinsic humanity.
On the 10th July 2013 an Opposition Day Debate on “Disabled people” called for a Cumulative Impact Assessment of the changes made by Government that affect disabled people. We argue that the debate called for by the WOWpetition is significantly different to this debate, based on:
· Following this debate, two independent organisations have done what is “very difficult to do accurately” and produced Cumulative Impact Assessments. These demonstrate how this government’s austerity measures have unfairly targeted sick and disabled people. The House needs to debate why disabled people are seen as easy targets by this government or the DWP needs to challenge the findings.
· It is widely reported that both the new Universal Credit Payment (UC) and the Personal Independence Payments (PIP) are in trouble. WOWpetition believe the UK government should take the time to carefully consider the effect the transition to these potentially flawed procedures would have on sick and disabled people and if it is prepared to inflict more excess deaths on these communities.
· Paul Maynard MP, who referred to WOWpetition as “extremists” using the protection of Parliamentary Privilege, made reference in this Opposition Day Debate to the DWP publication “Fulfilling Potential – The Next Steps” and implied it was a remedy for the exclusion and barriers to society facing disabled people. WOWPetition believes this document is flawed and based upon Esther McVey’s inability to distinguish between the Social Model of Disability and the Bio-psychosocial Model of Disability which, we believe, she seems to think are the same thing. This document should be debated in conjunction with relevant meaningful published statistics to identify whether it really is a tool in leading to meaningful Equality of Opportunity for sick and disabled people and how long it is to be before sick and disabled are given this meaningful Equality of Opportunity, defined appropriately. This is a requirement under “Article 3 – The General Principles” of the “UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities“.
As outlined earlier, WOWpetition calls for much more than a Cumulative Impact Assessment and to refuse a debate dismisses and trivializes the other very real concerns of the Sick and Disabled Community.
WOWpetition therefore ask you to support a Main Hall Backbench Business Committee debate of the important issues contained in their e-petition 43154 and engage with our plea for a New Deal for Sick and Disabled People based upon their needs, abilities and ambitions.
30/11/2013
The WoW Petition Reaches 100,000 Signatures
SICK AND DISABLED PEOPLE HOLD IAIN DUNCAN SMITH TO ACCOUNT
DISABLED PEOPLE’S PETITION GAINS 100,000 SIGNATURES.
A government e-petition, http://epetitions.direct.gov.
Francesca Martinez, who has been championing the petition, says:
“This is a hugely important issue because many disabled and sick people cannot go out and protest against these devastating policies. It is vital that those of us who can, join together to ensure these basic rights aren’t eroded away. With 83% of disabilities acquired, anyone can find themselves with an impairment, or as a carer, and we must make sure that people are adequately supported when in challenging times. This is what a civilised society does. Instead of demonising those on welfare, we should be proud to create a society that provides for everyone regardless of health or ability. We will never forget the many tragic deaths already caused by this government and we will continue to fight in the hope that we can protect those in need from despair, poverty and death. We’d like to thank everyone who signed and shared the petition, and we look forward to the next phase of Parliamentary debate.”
Rick B one of the originators of the petition says:
“In July 2012 I almost died because of how the government treated me, many have not been as fortunate. Another founder of the campaign, John Dyer, sadly passed away in November before we reached 100,000 signatures. So we are resolute to take this democratic mandate and pursue the cause of making justice for sick and disabled people and carers a reality.”
Michelle Maher another WOW originator says:
“I became involved because of my cousin who had been living with Parkinson's for five years, with osteoarthritis and diabetes. Her claim for DLA took eighteen months to settle and she was in sheltered accommodation when she had to attend a tribunal. She was frightened, stressed and confused by the process. Inhumane.”
The petition was promoted through social media by people directly affected by welfare reform, many housebound or bedbound. Getting signatures was difficult at first, with the public unaware of a growing national scandal.
Recently however, public awareness has grown due to stories like this;
A dying grandmother faced the stress of moving home due to the bedroom tax, http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/
Macmillan Cancer Care revealed that due to benefit problems, a terminally ill cancer patient was offered a foodbank voucher, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-
Parkinson’s UK revealed that almost half of people with a progressive incurable illness are told they’ll recover, saying ‘A system which tells people who have had to give up work because of a debilitating progressive condition that they'll recover, is farcical and simply defies belief’
‘On top of this, many have their benefit removed after a year as an added 'incentive' to find employment. http://www.parkinsons.org.uk/
It is time for the Secretary of State to be held to account.
The petition, (dubbed the WOW petition as it was set up to resist the War On Welfare) calls for
‘A Cumulative Impact Assessment of all cuts and changes affecting sick & disabled people, their families and carers, and a free vote on repeal of the Welfare Reform Act.
An immediate end to the Work Capability Assessment, as voted for by the British Medical Association.’
The Welfare Reform Act 2012 http://services.parliament.uk/
was proclaimed as ‘the biggest shake up in welfare for sixty years’ and Iain Duncan Smith personally described the changes as ‘aggressive’.
So it came as a shock to learn that for the people most affected by these changes, sick and disabled people and carers, no cumulative impact assessment had been carried out. The Secretary of State had no knowledge or understanding of, and apparently no interest in, how their lives were about to be turned upside down.
In a similar show of disregard for the welfare of sick and disabled people, the government has ignored calls from the medical profession to scrap the Work Capability Assessments (WCA) used to decide whether someone can receive Employment Support Allowance (ESA).
At their British Medical Association conference in June 2012, GPs called for the WCA to be scrapped ‘with immediate effect and be replaced with a rigorous and safe system that does not cause unavoidable harm to some of the weakest and vulnerable in society’. http://bma.org.uk/news-views-
The WCA process has been blamed for the deaths and suicides of people caught up in it, many of whom are denied the support they desperately need. According to the DWP’s own figures,
‘between January 2011 and November 2011, some 10,600 claims ended and a date of death was recorded within six weeks of the claim end.’ https://www.gov.uk/government/
More recent figures on the deaths of claimants denied ESA cannot be obtained. The DWP decided to stop publishing them, and a Freedom of Information request was denied. Following this denial a number of people made similar requests, which were then described as ‘vexatious’.
Misinformation has abounded on these issues. The government, indeed the Prime Minister himself, has frequently and wrongly claimed that disabled people are exempt from the bedroom tax. http://blogs.channel4.com/
Grant Shapps claimed that ‘nearly a million people’ dropped their claims before facing a WCA, the implication being that their claims were not legitimate. This was completely untrue and he was rebuked by the UK Statistics Authority. http://disabilitynewsservice.
In its own analysis of welfare reform, think tank Demos calculated that sick and disabled people will lose £28 billion in five years. http://www.demos.co.uk/press_
This contradicts David Cameron’s promise to disabled people, ‘we will always help you,we will always stand by you’
In April 2013 Amnesty International condemned the government’s attack on the human rights of sick and disabled people. This went largely unreported. http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/
In September 2013 the Dean of St Paul’s Rev David Ison presided over a ceremony in Parliament Square to remember the thousands of people who have died due to welfare reform. You can watch a brief video of the event here.
http://vimeo.com/75673397
The petition is still open until the 12th December 2013. http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/43154
Thank you to everyone for signing, supporting and sharing.
DISABLED PEOPLE’S PETITION GAINS 100,000 SIGNATURES.
A government e-petition, http://epetitions.direct.gov.
Francesca Martinez, who has been championing the petition, says:
“This is a hugely important issue because many disabled and sick people cannot go out and protest against these devastating policies. It is vital that those of us who can, join together to ensure these basic rights aren’t eroded away. With 83% of disabilities acquired, anyone can find themselves with an impairment, or as a carer, and we must make sure that people are adequately supported when in challenging times. This is what a civilised society does. Instead of demonising those on welfare, we should be proud to create a society that provides for everyone regardless of health or ability. We will never forget the many tragic deaths already caused by this government and we will continue to fight in the hope that we can protect those in need from despair, poverty and death. We’d like to thank everyone who signed and shared the petition, and we look forward to the next phase of Parliamentary debate.”
Rick B one of the originators of the petition says:
“In July 2012 I almost died because of how the government treated me, many have not been as fortunate. Another founder of the campaign, John Dyer, sadly passed away in November before we reached 100,000 signatures. So we are resolute to take this democratic mandate and pursue the cause of making justice for sick and disabled people and carers a reality.”
Michelle Maher another WOW originator says:
“I became involved because of my cousin who had been living with Parkinson's for five years, with osteoarthritis and diabetes. Her claim for DLA took eighteen months to settle and she was in sheltered accommodation when she had to attend a tribunal. She was frightened, stressed and confused by the process. Inhumane.”
The petition was promoted through social media by people directly affected by welfare reform, many housebound or bedbound. Getting signatures was difficult at first, with the public unaware of a growing national scandal.
Recently however, public awareness has grown due to stories like this;
A dying grandmother faced the stress of moving home due to the bedroom tax, http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/
Macmillan Cancer Care revealed that due to benefit problems, a terminally ill cancer patient was offered a foodbank voucher, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-
Parkinson’s UK revealed that almost half of people with a progressive incurable illness are told they’ll recover, saying ‘A system which tells people who have had to give up work because of a debilitating progressive condition that they'll recover, is farcical and simply defies belief’
‘On top of this, many have their benefit removed after a year as an added 'incentive' to find employment. http://www.parkinsons.org.uk/
It is time for the Secretary of State to be held to account.
The petition, (dubbed the WOW petition as it was set up to resist the War On Welfare) calls for
‘A Cumulative Impact Assessment of all cuts and changes affecting sick & disabled people, their families and carers, and a free vote on repeal of the Welfare Reform Act.
An immediate end to the Work Capability Assessment, as voted for by the British Medical Association.’
The Welfare Reform Act 2012 http://services.parliament.uk/
was proclaimed as ‘the biggest shake up in welfare for sixty years’ and Iain Duncan Smith personally described the changes as ‘aggressive’.
So it came as a shock to learn that for the people most affected by these changes, sick and disabled people and carers, no cumulative impact assessment had been carried out. The Secretary of State had no knowledge or understanding of, and apparently no interest in, how their lives were about to be turned upside down.
In a similar show of disregard for the welfare of sick and disabled people, the government has ignored calls from the medical profession to scrap the Work Capability Assessments (WCA) used to decide whether someone can receive Employment Support Allowance (ESA).
At their British Medical Association conference in June 2012, GPs called for the WCA to be scrapped ‘with immediate effect and be replaced with a rigorous and safe system that does not cause unavoidable harm to some of the weakest and vulnerable in society’. http://bma.org.uk/news-views-
The WCA process has been blamed for the deaths and suicides of people caught up in it, many of whom are denied the support they desperately need. According to the DWP’s own figures,
‘between January 2011 and November 2011, some 10,600 claims ended and a date of death was recorded within six weeks of the claim end.’ https://www.gov.uk/government/
More recent figures on the deaths of claimants denied ESA cannot be obtained. The DWP decided to stop publishing them, and a Freedom of Information request was denied. Following this denial a number of people made similar requests, which were then described as ‘vexatious’.
Misinformation has abounded on these issues. The government, indeed the Prime Minister himself, has frequently and wrongly claimed that disabled people are exempt from the bedroom tax. http://blogs.channel4.com/
Grant Shapps claimed that ‘nearly a million people’ dropped their claims before facing a WCA, the implication being that their claims were not legitimate. This was completely untrue and he was rebuked by the UK Statistics Authority. http://disabilitynewsservice.
In its own analysis of welfare reform, think tank Demos calculated that sick and disabled people will lose £28 billion in five years. http://www.demos.co.uk/press_
This contradicts David Cameron’s promise to disabled people, ‘we will always help you,we will always stand by you’
In April 2013 Amnesty International condemned the government’s attack on the human rights of sick and disabled people. This went largely unreported. http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/
In September 2013 the Dean of St Paul’s Rev David Ison presided over a ceremony in Parliament Square to remember the thousands of people who have died due to welfare reform. You can watch a brief video of the event here.
http://vimeo.com/75673397
The petition is still open until the 12th December 2013. http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/43154
Thank you to everyone for signing, supporting and sharing.
25/11/2013
Open Letter From WOW Campaign Calling For Iain Duncan Smith's Resignation
The WOW Petition have become increasingly concerned with the rhetoric coming from Iain Duncan Smith and that concern has given way to no small amount of fear for the future of ill and disabled people. In light of the proposals attributed to Iain Duncan Smith in The Guardian today http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/nov/23/iain-duncan-smith-wrag-benefit-cuts we have written to Rachel Reeves, Shadow Minister for Work and Pensions, and Kate Green, Shadow Minister for Disabled People, to express our deep concerns. This is the content of that letter:
As you will be well aware, Social Security claimants have faced a torrent of changes since this Coalition took office in May 2010, and no group more so than ill and disabled people who have borne the brunt of this concerted attack on benefits. The limiting of contributory based Employment Support Allowance (ESA) to one year, the change from Disability Living Allowance (DLA) to Personal Independence Payments (PIP), the Bedroom Tax, changes to Council Tax support, the benefits uprating being limited to 1% (which, contrary to government promises, does in fact affect disabled people) and more have had a cumulative effect on the lives of ill and disabled claimants.
We now read that Iain Duncan Smith is planning another “radical” change to ESA by disbanding the Work Related Activity Group (WRAG) which covers over half a million people. These are clamaints who are currently deemed unable to work due to illness or disability but may be able to sometime in the future. The article does not make clear what Mr. Smith would intend to happen to these claimants, and we are hugely concerned that they would be expected to claim Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) whilst not being ready to reenter the workplace due to their illnesses.
This proposal would leave many vulnerable people “in limbo” as they are caught between out of work benefits and their illnesses and leave them without the support they so desperately need at that time. It would also mean that people who should be concentrating on their health will have the added stress and anxiety of dealing with a system that is stacked heavily against them.
We are also extremely worried that this is coming across more and more as a targeted attack on the most vulnerable in our society and that this government is going too far in its’ perceived persecution of ill and disabled people. Iain Duncan Smith, in particular, has become a figure of genuine and heartfelt concern and we are concerned as a community over the rhetoric being used by him and his department.
We would point you to searching “IDS” on Twitter and read some of the comments, especially after this article. Many of them are fuelled by fear of what Mr. Duncan Smith has shown himself to be capable of and we are frightened of what he will do next. Many people have questioned his motives and I would concur with their concerns. I would perhaps go further and question if he should be in such a position of power given his track record.
As you will know, the WOW Petition is calling for, amongst other things, a Cumulative Impact Assessment of all the cuts and changes affecting sick and disabled people, and we believe strongly that this is even more important given that Mr. Duncan Smith proposed further dangerous changes. We believe that questions must be asked of Iain Duncan Smith.
We believe his proposal is dangerous and will cause misery and hardship for thousands of ill and disabled people, at a time when we are already struggling. We believe that questions need to be asked of the Department for Work and Pensions. We believe strongly that Iain Duncan Smith does not command any respect of those he should be representing, not persecuting, and we believe that Labour should call for his immediate resignation.
I truly hope that you can look to protect ill and disabled people and join the WOW Petition in our calls.
As you will be well aware, Social Security claimants have faced a torrent of changes since this Coalition took office in May 2010, and no group more so than ill and disabled people who have borne the brunt of this concerted attack on benefits. The limiting of contributory based Employment Support Allowance (ESA) to one year, the change from Disability Living Allowance (DLA) to Personal Independence Payments (PIP), the Bedroom Tax, changes to Council Tax support, the benefits uprating being limited to 1% (which, contrary to government promises, does in fact affect disabled people) and more have had a cumulative effect on the lives of ill and disabled claimants.
We now read that Iain Duncan Smith is planning another “radical” change to ESA by disbanding the Work Related Activity Group (WRAG) which covers over half a million people. These are clamaints who are currently deemed unable to work due to illness or disability but may be able to sometime in the future. The article does not make clear what Mr. Smith would intend to happen to these claimants, and we are hugely concerned that they would be expected to claim Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) whilst not being ready to reenter the workplace due to their illnesses.
This proposal would leave many vulnerable people “in limbo” as they are caught between out of work benefits and their illnesses and leave them without the support they so desperately need at that time. It would also mean that people who should be concentrating on their health will have the added stress and anxiety of dealing with a system that is stacked heavily against them.
We are also extremely worried that this is coming across more and more as a targeted attack on the most vulnerable in our society and that this government is going too far in its’ perceived persecution of ill and disabled people. Iain Duncan Smith, in particular, has become a figure of genuine and heartfelt concern and we are concerned as a community over the rhetoric being used by him and his department.
We would point you to searching “IDS” on Twitter and read some of the comments, especially after this article. Many of them are fuelled by fear of what Mr. Duncan Smith has shown himself to be capable of and we are frightened of what he will do next. Many people have questioned his motives and I would concur with their concerns. I would perhaps go further and question if he should be in such a position of power given his track record.
As you will know, the WOW Petition is calling for, amongst other things, a Cumulative Impact Assessment of all the cuts and changes affecting sick and disabled people, and we believe strongly that this is even more important given that Mr. Duncan Smith proposed further dangerous changes. We believe that questions must be asked of Iain Duncan Smith.
We believe his proposal is dangerous and will cause misery and hardship for thousands of ill and disabled people, at a time when we are already struggling. We believe that questions need to be asked of the Department for Work and Pensions. We believe strongly that Iain Duncan Smith does not command any respect of those he should be representing, not persecuting, and we believe that Labour should call for his immediate resignation.
I truly hope that you can look to protect ill and disabled people and join the WOW Petition in our calls.
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