Launch of the Parliamentary Review into Employment Support Allowance Work Related Activity Group

How will this affect people?

A Parliamentary Review

Easy read

/ What is changing?
The Government has an idea for a new law.
This is called a Bill. The Bill is about Benefit changes.
It is called the Welfare Reform and Work Bill.
The Government has said that in April 2017, the benefit for new people claiming in the Employment and Support Allowance Work Related Activity Group (ESA WRAG) would be less.
This would mean that new people in ESA WRAG would get £73.10 a week instead of getting £102.15 a week.
This is almost £30 less.
Many disabled people told disability charities that they were really worried about this and about what it would mean for them.
/ What happened?
Disability charities did some research with the Peers from the House of Lords to look at what might happen if the change to ESA happens.
The Peers were
  • Lord Low
  • Baroness Meacher and
  • Baroness Grey -Thompson
The Disability charities were:
  • Leonard Cheshire Disability
  • Mind
  • MS Society
  • National Autistic Society
  • RNIB
  • Royal Mencap Society
  • Scope
The House of Lords is a part of Parliament.
The Peers can tell the Government what they think about the changes and the Bill and if they think the changes are a good or bad idea.









/ We asked disabled people four questions about the ESA cuts.
We asked: How do you feel about the amount of money you are currently getting to help you find employment?
People said:
  • They felt like they were finding it difficult to cope on the money they were getting
  • WRAG support is being used to help them buy the important things that they need.
  • Going out and being part of their community was very important to them.
  • Most people said that the payment was too low and still was not enough to cope.
We asked: How would your daily life change if you had £30 less per week?
People said:
  • They will not have enough money to buy food and pay their bills.
  • They will find it difficult to visit their family and friends.
  • With less money it will put them in poverty and that will also affect their health.
  • With less money their stress and worry would affect them hugely.
We asked: How would having less money a week affect you being able to find work?
People said:
  • They will find it even harder to find work. £30 less would make them more stressed and worried.
  • They wouldn’t be able to afford the right clothes to attend a job interview and pay for travel to get there.
  • It would take them even longer to find a job.
  • People said it would make it hard to afford internet in their homes, which they need to look for work.
We asked: What more support do you want to help you to be ready for work?
People said:
  • Most people said the support they get doesn’t always meet their support needs.
  • People also said they wanted their advisors to understand better what disabilities they have to support them in the right way.
  • They also wanted them to understand what they can and can’t do without support.
Conclusion
The Review found that the Government should not cut ESA WRAG

Instead they should introduce better back to work support

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