The Department for Work and Pensions published its new Health & Disability Green Paper on Tuesday 20 July. The Paper sets out proposals to improve the welfare system’s support of disabled people & those with long term health conditions. We’ll be reviewing its contents and consulting with our member organisations. Please respond to the consultation.

Matthew Harrison, Public Affairs Manager at Mencap and Parliamentary Co-Chair of the DBC, says: “We welcome the Green Paper, as it is crucial that disabled people have the opportunity to shape how the social security system can work better for them.

The Disability Benefits Consortium’s report from 2019 on the last 10 years of welfare changes found that disabled people have lost payments of around £1,200 on average each year due to these changes and our surveys have shown that many disabled people have faced additional financial struggles during the pandemic.

This Green Paper will hopefully set us out on a new path to address the numerous widely known issues in the social security system including assessments, advocacy, and support.

Moreover, it is important that this is truly a listening exercise rather than simply a ‘tick box’ on the path towards pre-determined outcomes. We shall be consulting our member organisations, which between them are in touch with thousands of disabled people and their carers.”