BENEFITS WORRIES UNACCEPTABLE – REFORM LEAVES PAYMENTS IN CHAOS

BENEFITS WORRIES UNACCEPTABLE – REFORM LEAVES PAYMENTS IN CHAOS

CONCERN OVER FUTURE CHANGES TO PARENTS BENEFIT

SNP MP and Work and Pensions spokesman John Mason has been joined by his
Holyrood colleague Glasgow MSP Bill Kidd in raising concerns over worrying
reports from Citizens Advice Scotland of the failure of reforms to
incapacity benefit and income support.


Citizens Advice Scotland today state that the new Employment Support
Allowance is now worse for those dependent on it than the previous
incapacity benefit system, with benefits unpaid or paid incorrectly,
private firms conducting health checks, increased numbers of appeals and
increasing stress, pressure and financial hardship on people who are
unable to work due to illness or disability.

SNP Work and Pensions spokesman and Glasgow East MP John Mason said:

“From the start the DWP have been warned that they were going about these
reforms in the wrong way.

“It is wrong that people with genuine disability and incapacity should be
subject to this kind of mental and financial pressure. The UK Government
has approached these reforms in an utterly irresponsible manner.

“That GPs are being overruled by private firms, subcontracted to the DWP
to do medical checks is a disgrace.

“As the first step in Labour’s plans for benefit reform this has been a
disaster with people facing increased stress, hardship and financial
difficulty.”

Glasgow MSP Bill Kidd warned of problems for further changes

“Many single parents across Glasgow and Scotland will be reading today’s
report with trepidation.

“The failure to get this change in the system right is reminiscent of the
failures over child support and tax credit payments.


"With parents next to be targeted by the government, with benefit cuts
used to force parents back into work or face benefit reductions regardless
of circumstance the next step of benefit reform looks like a disaster
waiting to happen."

“The DWP’s one size fits all approach is more about cutting its benefits
bill than helping those who can work back into employment or allowing
parents to support their children.


“Before any further changes are made and anyone else is left in hardship
the DWP must listen to Citizens Advice and get this system right.”