Liberal Democrat MP for Wokingham, Clive Jones, has backed the party’s amendment to the government’s controversial welfare bill, in a bid to protect carers at risk of losing support from the planned cuts.
He has urged ministers to “change course” in order to stop these reforms pushing a further 250,000 people, including 50,000 children, into poverty according to the government’s own assessment.
Despite Wokingham appearing to be a relatively wealthy area, there are many areas with higher levels of deprivation and people who rely on care, as many face challenges with food insecurity, income and disability.
Even more worrying, 5.3% of children in Wokingham live in absolute poverty. Cutting carers allowance and PIP would plunge many people and families
in Wokingham further into poverty.
If passed, the Liberal Democrat amendment would stop the bill from becoming law in order to protect thousands of unpaid carers and their loved ones, including in Wokingham, falling victim to these cuts.
The government’s own estimates say that 150,000 unpaid carers would lose Carers Allowance as a result of the proposed cuts contained in the legislation.
It would act as a double whammy for these households, as these carers lose their Carers Allowance as a result of the loved one that they care for losing their Personal Independence Payments due to the reforms.
The Lib Dems have said the government’s plans to strip away Carers Allowance would be a ‘false economy’, as carers becoming financially unable to look after their loved ones would increase pressure on the NHS, social care and local government services.
The Lib Dems have instead said that the best way to get the welfare bill down is by addressing the crisis in the NHS and social care, to get people off waiting lists and back into work.
Jones said: “The government needs to urgently change course and scrap these senseless cuts.
“I have heard from countless people in Wokingham who are deeply worried that they will lose out on vital support, which is the only way many can stay in work or just get through their everyday lives.
“The Conservatives made a complete mess of our welfare system, but the way to tackle that is not through cutting support for disabled people and those who care for them.
“Unpaid carers do tremendous work in often the most challenging of circumstances, taking huge pressures off our health services and helping loved ones.
“We need to offer them more support, not less, and that is why I am proud to have signed this Liberal Democrat amendment to the government’s misguided reforms that would protect carers and countless people here in Wokingham from these damaging cuts.”
