Please join the campaign for a fair society
Wednesday, 23 February 2011
and communities. But we don't want the government's 'Big Society' if that means a loss of basic human rights and unfair cuts focused on the most vulnerable. We want a fair society
The PFG are proud to support the Campaign For A Fair Society
If you are worried about coalition government cuts to services for disabled people, we invite you to join The Campaign For A Fair Society. The Campaign was launched on the 8th February with the publication of a full-page advert in The Times, we hope that in the coming days and weeks many thousands of you will join the campaign.
In the government’s comprehensive spending review, announced on October 20 last year, Chancellor George Osborne insisted that those with the "broadest shoulders should bear the greatest burden." In fact, the government is implementing cuts that will impact on some of the most vulnerable people in society, including people with learning disabilities and disabled children. Cuts include:
Reductions in local authority budgets of up to 25%, which lead to similar reductions in funding to all local authority funded care and support services.
The closure of the Independent Living Fund (ILF) and the loss of funding will affect 21,000 of the most severely disabled people in the country, and may prevent many from continuing to live independently in the community.
Changes to Support for Mortgage Interest benefit effectively rule out shared home ownership for disabled people.
A threat to the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for people in residential care, which helps meet some of the cost of things such as electric wheelchairs, mobility aids and taxis where there is no accessible public transport. Without it many people could be isolated at home
The campaign argues that cuts to benefits and services are counter-productive and unfair:
Counter-productive, because there is evidence that, when people have the support to lead fulfilling lives, their needs become less severe and the cost of supporting them actually reduces over time. Unfair, because they will prevent disabled people enjoying many of the things most of us take for granted: our own home, loving relationships, work, an income.
The campaign is not just about protest, but also about making a positive contribution. It proposes seven principles to guide decisions about policy and funding, and seeks to engage policy makers in dialogue.
To join The Campaign For A Fair Society, and find out more about the principles it promotes, visit www.campaignforafairsociety.com
Please help spread the word by telling your friends, family and colleagues.
