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Source : Age Cymru Published on 21 October 2011 08:00 AM
Demonstrators will be marching through Cardiff city centre on Saturday 22 October to protest against UK Government plans to cut disability benefits.
The event is being organised by the Hardest Hit Cymru campaign as part of a series of UK-wide demonstrations taking place that day against the Welfare Reform Bill.
Rhian Davies, co-Chair of the Hardest Hit Cymru campaign says:
“The Welfare Reform Bill will cost disabled people in Wales an estimated £450 million* over four years.
“Although the Bill hasn’t been passed yet, it is already casting a shadow of fear over communities across Wales.
“Cuts to essential benefits such as Disability Living Allowance and Employment & Support Allowance will hit disabled people, those with long-term health conditions and their families hard.
“This is why the Hardest Hit Cymru is organising this rally to send a clear message to the UK Government to stop these cuts”.
Organisers are expecting up to 5,000 people from across Wales at the event on Saturday 22 October, which begins with a rally outside Cardiff City Hall at 12.30.
Marchers will then proceed into Cardiff city centre along the Hayes and back up through High Street.
Sarah Rochira, the Hardest Hit Cymru’s co-Chair says:"Wales has the highest proportion of disabled people in the UK, with more than one in five of the working age population living with a disability, so as a nation we really are at risk of being hardest hit by these cuts.
"As well as the impact on individuals, society as a whole benefits when disabled people are able to live full and independent lives.
“Cutting the benefits and services that enable people to do so will disadvantage Wales economically, socially and culturally.
“I'm delighted that politicians of all political persuasions will be attending the demonstration and will be looking for their commitment that they will do all they can to ensure we are not hardest hit by these cuts."
“The Welfare Reform Bill is currently at Committee stage in the House of Lords, but we can still stop it becoming law.
“Please come along and show your support for disabled people and their families who will be amongst the ‘hardest hit’ by government benefit changes by joining the rally on 22 October.
“You can also support our campaign today by writing to your Assembly Member or Member of Parliament or join our online protest at www.thehardesthit.org.uk.”
The Hardest Hit Cymru campaign brings together leading Welsh organisations including Action on Hearing Loss; Age Cymru; All Wales People First; Cymorth Cymru; Disability Arts Cymru; Disability Wales; Leonard Cheshire Disability; Mencap Cymru; MS Society Cymru; RNIB Cymru; Scope Cymru; The Stroke Association - Wales; Wales Council for the Blind;
The Hardest Hit Cymru rally is the main rally in Wales, but there will be similar events in London, Belfast, Edinburgh and in cities across England.
Writer, actor, and funnyman Boyd Clack will be among the addressing the Hardest Hit Cymru rally at Cardiff City Hall on 22 October.
Visit www.hardesthit.org.uk or www.facebook.com/thehardesthit for more information on times and locations.
ENDS
CONTACT
For media enquiries, please contact:
- Joseph Carter - Policy, Press and Campaigns Manager for the MS Society Cymru on 07825 725215 or 029 2078 6676- Iwan Rhys Roberts – Communications Officer for Age Cymru on 029 2043 1562 and 07739 894 923- NOTES TO EDITORS* Research by Demos and Scope found that changes to the benefit system brought in by the UK Government would find disabled people worse off by £9bn over 4 years. The Welsh figure has been extrapolated from this
We want:
1. No cuts to services vital to disabled people2. The UK Government to ensure that changes to DLA do not make disabled people worse off3. The UK Government to ensure that ESA works in improving the assessment process4. The UK Government to ensure that the welfare system supports people with the additional costs of living with a disability.
Welfare statistics
• Most disabled people have below average incomes, are likely to live below the poverty threshold and are dependent on benefits for a large proportion of their income; • Additionally, disabled people incur higher costs in achieving the same standard of living as non-disabled people; • This results in up to 60% of families with a disabled member living below the poverty line; • Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is a vital source of income for 240,710 disabled people in Wales;• 142,730 of these (59%) are working age disabled people, i.e. 1 in 12 of the total working population in Wales;• The Treasury’s projected 20% reduction to the DLA caseload could mean 48,000 disabled people in Wales losing the benefit;• The amount of DLA paid to DLA recipients in Wales is approximately £900 million p.a.;• The caseload in Wales for Incapacity Benefit is 154,360;• The caseload in Wales for Income Support is 106,640;• The caseload in Wales for Employment & Support Allowance is 34,810;• The caseload in Wales for ILF is 2000+.• The ILF budget in Wales is approx £9 million; • Over 18% of the working age population in Wales receive a key out-of-work benefit – higher than almost everywhere else in England & Scotland (except NE England);• 28% of the working age population in Blaenau Gwent and Merthyr Tydfil receive a key out-of-work benefit;• Wales has 9 of the top 18 (of 406) districts in Great Britain with the highest % of the working age population in receipt of Incapacity Benefit or Severe Disablement Allowance, together with DLA;
The Hardest Hit Cymru campaign
The Hardest Hit Cymru campaign includes the following charities: • Action on Hearing Loss;• Age Cymru;• All Wales People First;• Cymorth Cymru; • Disability Arts Cymru;• Disability Wales;• Leonard Cheshire Disability;• Mencap Cymru;• MS Society Cymru;• RNIB Cymru;• Scope Cymru;• The Stroke Association - Wales;• Wales Council for the Blind;
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For all media enquiries about Age Cymru, please contact our Communications Officer, Iwan Rhys Roberts.
07739 894 923
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