Shocking privations under Conservatives

THE legacy of the Conservatives is shocking, and we are now shamefully the first country in the world to have been found guilty by the UN of the grave and systematic violation of disabled people’s human rights following a lengthy inquiry.

It would be impossible in a letter to outline all of the vicious attacks against disabled and older people made by the Conservatives since 2010, but a few of the main cuts include £4.6bn of cuts from social care funding, 700 disabled people a week losing their entitlement to Personal Independence Payments and access to adapted vehicles, and loss of a third of their income for many disabled people from their ESA disability benefits in spite of the additional costs of being disabled.

Many disabled people have also lost £14-£28 from support for their housing costs due to the Bedroom Tax, yet are unable to downsize or have homes that have been adapted to meet their needs, which makes moving impossible.

Britain’s benefits, including pensions, are already among the least generous in western Europe. Women born in the 1950s have had up to six years’ retirement income stolen from them and now the triple lock on pensions. The winter fuel allowance is also being threatened by the Conservatives.

Due to cuts to disability benefits 2.8m disabled people are existing in deep poverty – that is, they have 50% below the median income.

And even though we’re not yet a third world country, shockingly nearly 400 citizens died from malnutrition or hunger in 2015, up 27% since 2010. K Gray Llanilltud Fawr