United Nations Slams the UK Government Saying Welfare Cuts Have Created A 'Human Catastrophe' For Disabled People

A UN panel has slammed the UK for creating a “human catastrophe” for disabled people, and is “going backwards” in areas such as education, health, transport and social security.

Following a major review, the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) said a combination of funding cuts, rights restrictions and Brexit mean its fears about the UK outstrip those of anywhere else it has investigated in its 10-year history.

UN CRPD committee chair Theresia Degener said the investigation revealed that “social cut policies have led to a human catastrophe ... totally neglecting the vulnerable situation people with disabilities find themselves in.”

She said austerity measures are affecting 500,000 people, costing those with disabilities up to £3000 a year and pushing “vulnerable” people into work, despite their needs. The committee raised concerns over restrictions on the ability to choose where, how and with whom to live and cited evidence presented by charities and expert groups about in-school bullying and service cuts. Degener said: “The evidence that we had in front of us was just overwhelming.”

But the report praised action by the Scottish Government to include disability groups in planning and policy making and for their inclusion of disabled people in designing the Scottish social security system.

Image Courtesy Natasha Hirst: UN CRPD committee chair Theresia Degener. 

SNP MSP and convener of Holyrood’s Equalities and Human Rights Committee, Christina McKelvie, said: “The UK Government should be totally ashamed that the pursual of welfare cuts and an austerity agenda at all costs has led to this damning criticism from the United Nations Committee. Now the UN is telling them to change the sanctions regime and Personal Independence Payments will they finally listen?

“The UN’s report needs to act as a wake-up call. The UN could not be clearer – UK ministers’ record on disabled rights is shameful ... and must be changed.

But the report praised action by the Scottish Government to include disability groups in planning and policy making and for their inclusion of disabled people in designing the Scottish social security system.

SNP MSP and convener of Holyrood’s Equalities and Human Rights Committee, Christina McKelvie, said: “The UK Government should be totally ashamed that the pursual of welfare cuts and an austerity agenda at all costs has led to this damning criticism from the United Nations Committee. Now the UN is telling them to change the sanctions regime and Personal Independence Payments will they finally listen?

“The UN’s report needs to act as a wake-up call. The UN could not be clearer – UK ministers’ record on disabled rights is shameful ... and must be changed.

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ABC Note: A recent report by researchers at Oxford and Liverpool universities claimed the stress of the Work Capability Assessment was probably the main cause of 590 suicides and 279,000 cases of mental illness.