Crazy as a Left Handed Computer

The conservative government promised that those with the greatest need, those that are the most severely disabled would not be affected by benefit cuts. But the conservative government have continually misled the public by quoting that benefit freezes and the 1% cap will only affect those who are on unemployed out of work benefits like JSA or ESA in the work-focused group.

Those in the support group who are too ill to work won't be affected by these reductions in benefits in real terms or that is what the government stated. But this is completely incorrect as the main component of ESA even for those in the support group is affected by these reductions, for it affects their main component and that makes up a large percentage of their benefit entitlement on ESA and universal credit.

Those who were moved over from incapacity benefit had a reduction in their benefit and had transitional relief until 2020 and this transitional relief is eroded over time because ESA is a reduction in comparison to incapacity benefit, so that was a reduction in benefits not a 1% cap on benefits for those in this group even though they were exempt from all forms of work for they are the most severely ill.

When the most severely disabled are moved to universal credit there is also transitional relief for it is also a reduction in benefits in comparison to ESA, it is not a 1% cap as the conservative government would have you believe but a real reduction below what the most severely disabled in our society should receive to live a productive healthy life. I can only state one thing about these reductions, it is discrimination against the most severely disabled and poorest in our society, please support those in this state and restore their benefits to at least the level they were when on incapacity benefit.

If you take a severally disabled couple the benefits they receive for 2015/2016 if they are in the support group of ESA, and both receive DLA/PIP's at the highest care component then their income would be £114.85 for the main phase of ESA, enhanced disability of £22.60 and £123.70 for severe disability and £36.20 for support component of ESA: making a total of £297.35 a week. They would also receive the carer premium if the main ESA claimant applies for carer allowance; this would give an underlying entitlement to carer allowance, and an additional £34.60 carer premium would be payable on top of ESA, they would not be paid carer allowance because of an overlapping benefit. This would give a total of £331.95 week.

These individuals have no requirement to take part in any work related activity because they're the most severely ill, which the conservative government stated they'd look after with more support, surely that is financial as they cannot do any meaningful paid work owing to their severe illnesses/disabilities.

All of these amounts were updated by 1%, the benefit 1% cap; except severe disability, enhanced disability, support group component and carer premium, which were updated by inflation. Only a minority of our benefit was updated by inflation and the rest was capped by 1%, even though we are the most severely ill. For a month this is a total income of £1,438.40 under ESA for the most severely ill under the current ESA system per month for the cost of living for a couple most severely disabled/ill.

Under universal credit the main couple rate is £498.89 and £315.16 for limited capability for work component for a income of £814.49 a month, for the most severely disabled. In effect that is a £623.96 reduction in benefits under universal credit a month for those most severally disabled, how is this protecting or supporting those that are the most severely disabled in our society. In effect it is a large reduction in benefits for those that are supposed to be protected in our society by the conservative government!