Take Action To Oppose The Disability Benefits Cuts! - Sign The Petition, Write To Your MP

A new petition backed by Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs) aims to unite opposition to the government’s “devastating” disability benefit cuts and reforms by calling for every one of the measures to be abandoned. 

The petition has been endorsed by DPO Forum England, whose 40-plus members include GMCDP, Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC), Disability Rights UK, Inclusion London and the National Survivor User Network. 

Unlike previous petitions, this Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People (GMCDP) petition targets the whole Green Paper reform strategy. 

The petition calls on the government to work with Disabled people to draw up a national disability strategy in line with the UK’s international disability rights treaty obligations. 

It calls on the government to drop the green paper proposals “and instead begin a process of co-production with Disabled people’s representative organisations to create a whole government disability strategy” 

As the GMCDP petition has been lodged on the UK parliament website, it should lead to a parliamentary debate if at least 100,000 people sign it.  

Such a national disability strategy, it says, would ensure the labour market, employment rights and social security reforms necessary for an adequate standard of living for Disabled people, in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. 

It also calls on the government to “protect the income of Disabled people from further shocks”. 

As the GMCDP petition has been lodged on the UK parliament website, it should lead to a parliamentary debate if at least 100,000 people sign it. 

The Coalition Against Benefit Cuts, DPAC, Disability Rights UK and Well Adapt are planning a mass lobby of parliament later this month – on 21st May – which will give Disabled people and allies the opportunity to try to persuade their MPs to oppose the planned cuts. 

Write to your MP  

Inclusion London has created an online template letter so you can write to your MP to urge them to protect Disabled people from the proposed harmful cuts to vital benefits. 

It suggests that sharing your personal story can make a more significant impact, so if possible, include your experiences or explain why this issue matters to you. 

However, if that would be too difficult, you can also send the template letter as it is.   

Meet with your MP 

You can find out who your MP is by searching your postcode on the parliament website. 

Each MP’s page should contain an address, email address and contact number for their office. 

To arrange a meeting with your MP, call or email the local constituency office to ask for a time to meet them. They may suggest booking an appointment at a specific time or they may encourage you to come along to the MP’s next constituency surgery (meeting).  

We need a full spectrum of opposition to this attack on Disabled people