Formal response to our open letter from Disability Minister

Following our open letter to the Prime Minister (along with a copy of our response to the Pathways to Work Green Paper) which we delivered to Downing Street on June 30, we have received a response from Disability Minister Sir Stephen Timms.

Read the letter from Sir Stephen Timms

Sir Stephen shares that the Green Paper received 45,000 official responses, though we notice he did not acknowledge the many open letters, petitions, letters to MP, or peaceful protests that were also passionate and legitimate forms of opposition. Many of you shared that you didn’t respond formally as a form of boycott or because of a lack of trust in the consultation process, which is important context. Sir Stephen also makes no mention that the consultation excluded the proposals with the most significant negative impact on Disabled people, which responses such as ours drew attention to.

Sir Stephen repeats the Government’s commitment to “involving Disabled people and stakeholders in reforms” but still offers no clarity what shape we can expect that to take. We know what we’re asking for: comprehensive collaboration with Disabled people and Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs). But is the Government prepared to meet us on the same page, or are they only interested in engagement at arm’s length? Until answers are shared, the credibility of this claim is limited.

Also missing from this response is any real recognition of the harm these cuts will cause, worsening mental health, isolation, and poverty. There is no acknowledgement of concerns surrounding safeguarding, nor is there any mention of the worrying two-tier system emerging between existing and future claimants.

While Sir Stephen references long-term plans to improve the NHS and social care, these changes are projected over 10 years. We have no understanding of how the Government plans to protect people now, as financial support becomes increasingly difficult to access.

And finally, we’re hearing from many of you about how the Access to Work scheme is already being quietly dismantled, with approved support reduced or withdrawn without explanation. The Government says it is still consulting on the future of the scheme, but people are losing support right now. This not only undermines trust but raises serious concerns about the future of workplace accessibility and inclusion.

Next Steps

We are looking towards our next meeting with the Pathways to Work collaboration committee in September, where we will continue to push co-production and disabled-led, opt-in employment support programmes built on the social model of disability. 

And there will be a White Paper in the Autumn, with more information on the Government’s proposals, to which we shall respond.

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