EHRC debate briefing: Cumulative Impact Assessment of Changes to Disability Support, Wednesday 19 December 2018
Equality and Human Rights Commission
Below is the briefing by the Equality and Human Rights Commission ahead of tomorrow’s backbench business debate on the Cumulative Impact Assessment of Changes to Disability Support.
As this briefing sets out, in March 2018 we published an assessment of the cumulative impact of tax and welfare reforms on people sharing different protected characteristics. Our assessment revealed that changes to taxes, benefits, tax credits and Universal Credit announced since 2010 will have a disproportionately negative impact on disabled people, among other protected characteristic groups.
In order to mitigate the negative impact of recent reforms, we recommend that the UK Government should:
- Monitor and publish the impact of welfare reforms on disabled people, including assessment of the cumulative impact of tax and social security changes
- Review the levels of benefits to ensure they provide an adequate standard of living
- Ensure that work coaches are trained to deliver tailored employment support, so that the specific needs of disabled people are being met
- Make the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) part of UK law so individuals can effectively challenge rights violations in the domestic legal system, and develop a clear and coordinated plan for how the UK and devolved governments will systematically address the UN’s recommendations on disability rights
- Ensure that the loss of EU funding does not undermine the UK’s equality and human rights infrastructure.
You can view the full briefing online here.
