There is a link between the government’s approach to cutting the benefit bill and negative attitudes towards disabled people and people suffering with mental health problems. For example, Theresa May’s advisor says disability benefits should go to ‘really disabled people’, and not to ‘anxiety sufferers’. Conservative MP, George Freeman, was in favour of cutting £3.7 billion from personal independence, suggesting this way the money would be used for people that are ‘really disabled’ and actually need this money. The impact of this will affect around one thousand individuals. For example, people need guidance for taking their medication and need monitoring with regards to their health condition. It is also important to acknowledge the fact that 164,000 people are unable to actually leave their homes on their own due to the psychological distress it will cause. Therefore, this suggests that there is a still a stigma around mental health; it is not taken as seriously as physical health. The government’s approach to this further contributes to these negative attitudes around people who are actually disabled and suffer with mental health conditions. Further research can support this claim; it was predicated by the director of the centre for welfare reform and citizen network, that there would be a reduction in support for disabled people of about £4410 per person per annum. Twenty-nine percent of cuts are typically aimed at those suffering with disabilities (Duffy, 2012). When examining the link between negative attitudes focusing on disabled individuals and those with mental health, and the benefit bill, it suggests that in the future, disabled people within the UK could lose £9 million with regards to the welfare state (Briant, Watson and Philo, 2013). According to a professor of social policy, at the university of Kent, this social dilemma is being used as an excuse for the government to remodel public services and the welfare system (Taylor-Gooby and Stoker, 2011). The changes being made in how the welfare system operates is seeming to be more focused on whether individuals are physically fit for work, rather than accessing that they are suffering with a disability. Therefore, psychological issues, such as someone suffering with depression, is not taken as seriously as someone with a physical condition, such as needing a wheelchair.
The role of the media plays a role in fostering hate crime towards disabled people. Tabloid newspapers, such as The Sun, often portray negative ideas and beliefs of those who are disabled. For example, one article was ‘Help us stop £1.5bn benefits scroungers’, giving the impression that people who claimed benefits were wasting the government’s financial support, creating this negative image of a handout culture for those who claim benefits (Sloan, 2010). It creates a sense of a moral panic of disabled individuals, making out that they are taking hard earned money from others because they are too lazy to find employment or take advantage of using an illness as an excuse, even though they are capable of work. The media will often report on disabled people with newsworthy stories, rather than actually focus on reporting on the truth, contributing towards the hate crime of disabled people. For example, they will not report on how disabled people are at high risk of crime, as this will not sell as well as reporting on how disabled people are robbing obdurate hard working people. It is almost as if a folk devil of disabled people is created through the media; we should fear those who are claiming benefits as it is portrayed as a negative thing in society. Likewise, people suffering with ‘invisible’ disabilities, such as depression, are often looked down upon as others do not see a physical disability and will just assume the wrong reasons as to why they are claiming benefits; there is still a stigma around mental illness which is not reported enough on throughout the media. Media coverage like this can lead to hate crimes and discrimination towards disabled people. For example, research suggests that there is a startling amount of discrimination targeting disabled people, which will impact their lives on a daily basis. Fifty-six percent of disabled individuals have reported they have experienced negative attitudes towards them because of their condition. Furthermore, fifty percent of disabled people state they have actually faced discrimination on a regular basis, and thirty-seven of these individuals strongly believe that attitudes and views towards them from others have changed in a more over negative way; ideas people hold about disabled people are getting worse (Scope, 2018).
It can be seen that the bedroom tax is an attack on disabled people’s rights and is not actually focused on the ending of a ‘spare bedroom subsidy’; it is just being used as excuse. Research has discovered that ninety percent of those suffering with a disability have no choice but to reduce spending on food, paying bills and so on, in order to meet the needs of the bedroom tax, due to the fact they are being denied support from emergency housing payments. Papworth Trust, a disability charity, found that approximately one third of disabled individuals are being refused for help from discretionary housing payments, which are actually in place by the government in order to offer support for those who have difficulties in paying their rent. Furthermore, around two thirds of those impacted by rooms stated as ‘spare’, are actually disabled. Even though, discretionary housing payments are in place to prevent the worst effects happening to disabled people, those with disabilities and those without disabilities are given the same chances of being given emergency housing. Disabled people are not being given priority in this situation, even if the property they are staying at has been adapted to support their disability (Ryan, 2013). Overall, there are large amounts of people that are affected by the bedroom tax, leading to those with disabilities to be negatively labelled as those who need it the most. Members of parliament have put forward the idea that the social sector with regards to the bedroom tax is considered under the basis of need, explaining why not all those who suffer with a disability have the right to have the bedroom tax removed. Members of parliament suggest that the disability living allowance is often calculated as an income, which is not being calculated for entitlement. Furthermore, Steve Webb, British member of parliament, has publicly stated that DLA (disability living allowance) payments are discretionary, and that who receives these are decided by the local council. The fact that local authorities have the power to judge individuals case based on own personal judgements ideas shows that not all payments with regards to the bedroom tax are equal, as well as them determining which payments should be prioritised (Publications of Parliament, 2018).
There has been a huge rise in the number of people using food banks, such as those run by Trussell Trust (a food bank organisation). It is especially impacting those with disabilities and mental health problems. From April 2018, up until September, Trussell Trust provided 3-day emergency food supplies to 658,048 individuals who found themselves in a crisis. This is a thirteen percent increase from the year before (The Trussell Trust, 2019). Due to benefits not being able to help people cover basic costs, there has be a significant increase in the usage of food banks within the United Kingdom. One of the biggest reasons for referrals to food banks is because of individuals having low incomes. It is clear from analysing trends over the years, that there has be a major increase in the usage of food banks from April 2016. It is also important to take into account that being in debt has played a vital role in the rise of people using food banks, as well as the cost of living, such as utility bills and housing, increasing since April 2016. As well as benefit delays also playing a huge role in the increase of referrals to food banks. In other words, the ‘reduction in benefit value’ is significantly impacting people’s lives in a negative way; it is making it harder for people to survive off basic living needs, meaning more people are having to rely on food banks. The rollout of universal credit is also contributing to the large numbers of people having no choice but to turn to food banks. Universal credit has been put in place in the United Kingdom as a part of a social security payment scheme. This will affect the lives of those who are dependent on benefits; it will replace jobseeker’s allowance, housing benefits and so on. Approximately a fifty-two percent increase of food bank usage is due to the full rollout happening (Bulman, 2018). There is a significant amount of disabled people and those with mental health problems who are having to rely on food banks, this may be due to the fact their illness is seen as invisible and therefore not enough support is being provided for them. For example, benefit delays may impact them being able to actually afford to live or they may not even be getting the benefits they need and should be entitled to. Half of households that have referrals will include a person with a disability, and a third of households who have been refereed will include an individual suffering with a mental health condition (Morley, 2017). Overall, this suggests the government is not providing enough or the right amount of social protection for those suffering with a disability or mental illness.
In order to resolve this issue around the alarmingly high numbers of referrals to food banks, there must be improvements on benefit levels to align with inflation. This way, not as many people will feel the need to rely on food banks as cost of living will be more affordable. This will especially be the case for individuals suffering with disabilities and families with children who are highly reliant on food banks. Another thing is that local authorities should play a role in helping to tackle this issue; local authorities should provide a ‘Universal Support’ service. Improvements need to be made with administration with regards to Universal Credit in order to deal with errors that are taking place. This will help those who are claiming universal credit and are in desperate need of help. If this is not done it could play a huge role in ruining the lives of those in need help, such as disabled people and those with mental health problems. The future will mean that benefits are based on universal credit, which is why it is so important to ensure the cost of living assigns with inflation. To deal with this, costs of essentials should be made affordable to prevent more people from struggling. More than a third of parents, who are working full time, are earning less than the minimum wage, causing them to skip meals on a regular basis. To tackle this, businesses should play a role in helping those in need of help.
Businesses could provide more than just what the government is offering and commit to helping those in need (Bulman, 2018). For example, food wastage is getting worse in the United Kingdom; by the year 2030, the amount of food wasted in a year will increase by a third. 2.1 billion tonnes of food will be lost, thrown away, and so on, which is the same as sixty-six tonnes of food being thrown away each second (Ratcliffe, 2018). Therefore, if businesses even offered a bit of food to those in desperate need of food, food which they are just going to get rid of, then this will have a significant positive impact in the long run, especially if more and more businesses take part in this. Overall, this could play a vital in reducing the number of referrals that are made to foodbanks and will help contribute towards the bettering of society.
09.01.2019