Disabled Claimants Face Cuts for Conditions Not 'Severe & Lifelong'
Charities warn new rules will reduce benefits for disabled people if their conditions aren't deemed terminal or lifelong with no prospect of improvement.
In a concerning move, charities have raised alarms over forthcoming changes to the benefits system that could significantly impact hundreds of thousands of severely ill and disabled people making new claims. Under the new rules set to take effect in April, the health element of universal credit – an extra payment for individuals assessed as too unwell to work or prepare for work – will be reduced to just £50 a week and frozen for new claimants, unless their condition is found to be terminal or severe and lifelong with no prospect of improvement.
This tightening of eligibility criteria has been met with widespread criticism from disabled people's organizations, who warn that many debilitating conditions may not meet the government's strict new standards. Disabled people who are struggling with serious, chronic illnesses or disabilities could face significant cuts to their benefits if their situations are not deemed severe and lifelong enough.
Source: The Guardian
