Activists to hold protest in Northampton town centre this weekend against 'cruel' proposed disability benefit cuts
Disabled campaigners and activists will gather in Northampton this Saturday (April 5) to protest the government’s proposed cuts to welfare benefits, branding them as “cruel”.
Crips Against Cuts Northants, which has organised the event at 2pm in Abington Street outside the BBC Northampton building, was founded as a protest network following the disability benefit cuts announcement in the government’s Spring Statement.
The group say the cuts will cause intense harm and suffering, pushing disabled people further into poverty, and taking away vital equipment and carers.
Bowie Taylor, part of the Crips Against Cuts group, said: “We are protesting because these cuts will harm so many people in our community, and across the country. Under these new rules, someone who needs assistance to wash and bathe themselves wouldn’t be awarded PIP and likely couldn’t afford a carer.
“We need to come together as a community to show the government we won’t take these cruel cuts.”
This is the group’s second protest, after one was held in Wellingborough two weeks ago, on March 22. It was just one of 17 that took place around the country, from Portsmouth to Edinburgh.
The government recently announced a range of controversial changes to the benefits system such as tightening the eligibility criteria for personal independence payments (PIP), the scrapping of work capability assessments and reducing incapacity benefits for people aged under 22.
Nick Wilson, a veteran from Towcester who has a degenerative spinal injury and will be attending the rally this weekend, said: “So many people are stressed and anxious, and their mental health has declined massively with how this has been mishandled. What do you do when you literally feel like no one cares and no one is listening to you?
“[The government] aren’t even thinking about the current infrastructure and support services which aren’t working. If we can’t even get basic health care support how are we possibly meant to hold down a full time job.
“As someone who served 14 years in the army for this country and was actually injured and disabled from my service, to not be able to trust the state to look after me is a very bitter pill to swallow. I’m beyond scared, fearful and frightened for my future and the situation that I am in.”
Crips Against Cuts Northants say that if disability benefits are cut, disabled people’s needs won’t suddenly lessen and the burden will likely fall on councils, who’ll have to find more money to meet their care costs.
The government is currently carrying out a consultation on its proposals to reform health and disability benefits and employment support.