On Wednesday 26 March, disabled people up and down the country protested on the streets about the changes to welfare benefits being proposed by the Government, including Darlington and Newcastle.
It is anticipated an estimated 250,000 more people, including 50,000 children, will be left in relative poverty after housing costs by the end of the decade as a result of the government’s squeeze on welfare, according to an impact assessment by the Treasury.
The Resolution Foundation (a respected Think Tank) said that about 3 million families on incapacity benefits would be affected. About 800,000 claimants will have reduced personal independence payments, saving the government £8.1bn by 2029-30.
Unfortunately many disabled people in the Tees Valley will be affected by this national issue, but are they aware of this? And if they do understand, how do they campaign or get involved in trying to change it?
This is a present example of things that disabled people need really need to know about, which is why I've helped set up A Voice of Disabled People in Tees Valley and am organising an event with others.
A Voice of Disabled People would potentially offer a mechanism whereby disabled people (and their carers) can come together to find out about issues which affect them on a daily basis and offer a route to amplify their voices.
Things that affect disabled people are mostly not as high profile as this, but are still crucial for the disabled person or a group of disabled people. The Voice of a Disabled People will be much more than just a complaining organisation, it will work with local disabled people to offer local solutions to local problems. For example finding local solutions to local transport problems and talking to local bus/train companies to implement changes.
The aim will be that ultimately local difficulties will be overcome by disabled people talking directly to those who can change things. This is known as Co-Production and is something which the current Government said it would do, so we need to hold them to that.
The next meeting to develop a Voice of Disabled People in the Tees Valley will take place on Monday 31st March, from 12.30 – 3pm at the Dolphin Centre, Darlington (lunch provided).
To book your place at the meeting and inform us of your access, communication and dietary needs please contact Richard Yuille by phoning 01642 955614 or email richard.yuille@mvdauk.org.uk
Craig Duerden
MVDA
In February 2007 Craig joined the Planning & Partnership team with a focus on Health & Social Care. He left MVDA in 2010 and re-joined us in August 2014 as Strategic Development Officer. He is currently acting as the partnership manager for both the Middlesbrough Carers Partnership and Middlesbrough Mental Health Partnership as well as leading MVDA’s work around VCS intelligence and supporting the Health and Wellbeing VCS Forum.