Blind people set to lose thousands in benefits still cannot read details of Labour’s welfare reform plans

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Thousands of people with disabilities who lose their benefits under Labor’s welfare reforms of £ 5bn still can’t read details of what ministers plan to do.

Almost two weeks after work and pension secretary Liz Kendall revealed her green paper about welfare reform, an accessible version of the document still has to be made available.

The Department of Work and Pensions promised that sound versions for blind people, braille and other accessible forms would be ready in early April, but with the consultation there was anger that they were not available from the beginning.

Lib Dem -LP Steve Darling, who is blind and uncovered the delay, struck back, saying that it was “nothing less than a shame”.

Liz Kendall is secretary of work and pensions (Epa)

James Taylor, executive director of strategy at Charity Scope for Disability Equality, said: “This is one of the many, many things wrong about these catastrophic proposals.

‘These are some of the biggest cuts to benefits for disability on record. Yet it is almost two weeks after they are published, and disabled people who face thousands of pounds a year still cannot read the full plans.

“The government must reconsider these proposals and start listening to disabled people and work together.”

The row broke out as a result of a parliamentary question by Mr. Darling, who is the spokesman for Lib Dem Work and Pensions, answered by Welfare Minister Stephen Timms, who said that accessible versions will be published “over time”.

The minister further said that “we have published this green newspaper before all accessible versions to post detailed information on the issues subject to consultation in the public domain”. The government also failed to provide accessible versions of the subsequent impact study.

Mr. Darling said: “I have experienced firsthand how difficult things can be for someone who is visually impaired in this system, and is trying to navigate the maze of paperwork and information that needs to be understood. For the government to now suggest these important changes in a way that many people are not even accessing a shame.”

Disabled people have adopted most of the cuts, largely through a reworking of the criteria for personal independence payments (PIPs), which are intended to ensure that only those with serious disabilities qualify.

The government’s impact study suggested that 250,000 people, including 50,000 children, be plunged into poverty as a result of the changes. Some of these are one of the 340,000 people registered blindly or partially in the UK, who cannot read the details of the documents yet.

Liberal Democratic MP Steve Darling is Blind registered (House of Commons/UK Parliament)

The Lib Dems claimed that the delay could endanger the government to violate their own accessibility regulations. Part of the requirements for accessibility and public bodies is that “UU website or mobile app must make it more accessible by making it” observable, manageable, understandable and robust “. You must include and update an accessibility statement on your website”. They further say: “You can violate the law if your public sector or mobile app does not meet accessibility requirements”.

Accessible versions of documents may include: Great print (font size 16 or greater), braille (printed tangible documents), sound, mp3, daisy (sound only) sound description for multimedia, electronic, Microsoft word or other processor files, pdf, daisy (sound and text), HTML and a closure for multimedia.

The row also follows the Chief Treasury Secretary, Darren Jones, who claims to have the benefits removed, such as removing pocket money, for which he apologized.

Mr. Darling said: “First they compared to removing important support for taking away the pocket money of a child, and now they won’t even give those who influenced its dignity to go through the details of how much they will lose. This government has fallen in a real danger of losing its moral compass.

“Ministers must immediately publish the accessible versions of their green paper and impact study.”

A DWP spokeswoman said: “We have set out a greasy package of health and disability benefits reforms that really support people back in work while putting the welfare system on a more sustainable foot, so that the safety net is always there to protect those who need it most.”

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