Budget response: Disabled people must be seen as part of growth strategy, says BDF

Responding to the Chancellor’s Budget Statement today, Diane Lightfoot CEO of Business Disability Forum, said: 

“We believe that access to benefits needs to be protected for those who need it, and a strong welfare system is essential for disabled people and ultimately good for the economy too.  The welfare system also has an important role to play in helping disabled people find and stay in work. We welcome any measures to reduce the burden on disabled people of having to frequently be reassessed for PIP when their condition is unlikely to change.  Getting the narrative right around welfare changes as a whole is important, however. What we need to hear is that disabled people are a critical part of the growth strategy – as part of the solution rather than a target for cuts. We also need to frontload the employment support that disabled people need to get in and stay in work before cutting benefits they rely on.”