Dignity and Opportunity for All: Securing the rights of disabled people in the austerity era

Dignity and Opportunity for All: Securing the rights of disabled people in the austerity era

Guest blog piece by Revd Paul Nicolson of Taxpayers Against Poverty

Just Fair has set out the devastating cumulative impact on disabled people of the coalition's so called welfare reforms in the context of human rights. Their analysis and recommendations are also relevant to every one impacted by what is more accurately named welfare abolition since 2010.

TAP (Taxpayers Against Poverty) includes in our aims and objects Article 25 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Article 25.

(1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
(2) Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.
http://just-fair.co.uk/hub/single/dignity_and_opportunity_for_all/

May I add,  three Taxpayers Against Poverty members have added to my submission to the All Party Parliamentary Group on Hunger and Food Poverty.

Mike Shaw a small holder, on the contribution small holding in the UK could make to the UK food chain saving expensive imports of food.

Alan Wheatley, on the way a landlord profited from his benefit income by installing a pre-payment meter in his flat.

Dr Carl Walker on the link between mental and physical ill health and debt among benefit claimants and others.

The photo of mothers leading the 1000 Mothers March in Tottenham is on the front cover of the my TAP submission.

They have all been accepted by the group as formal submissions to their thinking.