Disabled people protest against cuts that will KILL

The Conservative party's summer conference will be host to some of the most important protests of recent times.

Birmingham on Sunday October 3 will see disabled people from across the UK unite to rally against the drastic welfare cuts proposed by the Coalition, which are set to hit disabled people hardest.

The cost of the cuts will push disabled people, of whom three-quarters already live in poverty, towards levels of destitution that should be a distant memory in a first world society.

Campaigners say this group are being unfairly picked on by direct and indirect cuts because they are seen as an easy target.

Like many on the lowest incomes disabled people bear the brunt of the austerity drive. The cost of the cuts will mean some essential care and support is lost, meaning some cuts are quite likely to be life threatening.

Disability benefits designed to pay the extra costs of disability and originally awarded for a lifetime term are being reassessed. Many who were certified by medically qualified and independent doctors are losing their meagre incomes to politically appointed and performance incentivised ATOS assessors.

Data from the National Equalities Panel shows that over three quarters of all disabled people live in poverty with a tenth of disabled women attempting to live on less than 31 pounds a week. Yet ATOS makes millions in profits. This is part of the new economy of Britain.

Cuts in housing benefits, cuts in services, the closure of the Independent Living Fund, job losses in the public sector and VAT increases will impact severely on the poorest in society - however it is disabled people who might just pay the ultimate cost - their lives.

Linda Burnip said: Disabled people will be descending on Birmingham on October 3rd to tell all politicians that enough is enough. We are fed up with being vilified as scroungers by successive governments, we are sick of hearing about disabled people who have died from neglect and lack of services or who have committed suicide because services and benefits were withdrawn from them. We are fed up with being unfairly picked on because we are seen as vulnerable and we want to make sure politicians know we will not accept these attacks on our lives any longer. As disabled people we can and will fight back, and we plan to start in Birmingham on October 3rd.

Thanks to Salfordonline for this story