We stand against changes to disability benefits

Support our campaign calling for the government to rethink proposals to cut disability benefits and Access to Work support.  

The government’s proposed changes could force thousands of disabled people into poverty and out of work, including in the North-East, where disabled adults already face the lowest employment rates in England.  We are worried about the impact these changes will have on the people we support so we are raising our voices together.  

What are we doing? 

• We are contributing to campaigns happening all over country to show that we stand against the proposals.  We have signed Scope’s open letter and added our names to Scope’s petition.  The cost of cuts | Disability charity Scope UK 

• We’ve written an open letter to the government alongside our partners in Good Life Collaborative pointing out the impact the changes will have in the North-East. Open Letter to Government - GLC.docx - Google Docs  

• We have written to the seven MPs who cover the areas we work in urging them to vote against the proposals in parliament.  Read our letter to Members of Parliament (pdf)

What can you do? 

• Share our message – look out for us and other charities like us sharing posts on social media.  Please like and share our posts and raise as much awareness as possible. 

• Add your name to Scope’s petition: The cost of cuts | Disability charity Scope UK 

• Contact your MP to tell them you do not agree with the proposals and you want them to vote against the changes. 

How do I contact my MP? 

MPs represent their constituents in parliament so it is vital as many people as possible make their views known to their MP.  Contact your MP by: 

• Searching for your MP’s contact details https://members.parliament.uk/FindYourMP  

• Using one of our letter templates below – make sure you include your name and address.  If possible, you can also include more information about yourself and how the changes will affect you. 

• Sending your letter via email or in the post.  

  • MP letter template for staff working in the sector (word doc)

  • MP letter template for people with a disability (word doc)

  • MP letter template for carers of people with a disability (word doc)

If you would prefer an Easy Read version, please use the Easy Read letter template created by Inclusion North Please-protect-PIP-Letter-template-.docx   

What should I do if I’m worried about my money? 

Our Financial Health team can help you if you have a learning disability or are autistic and are worried about managing your money.  Find out more about our service at Help to manage your money | yourvoicecounts. 

What next? 

We will continue to raise our voices and share information.  Please stand with us. Together we can show the government that disabled people have a voice and we will not tolerate cuts. 

#SupportNotCuts