The Government’s proposed welfare reforms are the biggest threat to benefits and support in a generation – today you can help take action.

A giant Christmas card has been organised by the Hardest Hit campaign group (Disability Benefits Consortium).  There are two weeks (deadline 6 December) to gather 10,000 signatures before the card is presented to the Government.

Please sign the card and, if you can, ask ten of your friends, family and contacts to also sign the card. The easiest way is online, by following this link http://www.e-activist.com/ea-action/widget?widgetId=752

The message in the card will read:

“Dear David Cameron and Nick Clegg,

While we don’t expect gifts this Christmas, we do want our basic rights protected and the support to enable us to live independently and with dignity.

Please make the New Year something disabled people can look forward to by:

• Not bringing in an arbitrary time-limit on Employment and Support Allowance for those who’ve paid into the system and still need support.
• Making sure that those who rely on Disability Living Allowance continue to receive the financial support they need through Personal Independence Payment”

You can also provide a short comment which will be put alongside your signature.

Why now?

The Welfare Reform Bill is now making its way through the final stages in Parliament.  December provides us with our last real opportunity as a sector to influence the bill and we need to make our next action BIG and LOUD.

The action is timed for the Welfare Reform Bill reaching a crucial final parliamentary stage, called Report Stage in the House of Lords, where we have the best chance of securing amendments to improve it.  We are aiming to increase political pressure on the Government by demonstrating mass concern over how disabled people will be affected by proposals within the Welfare Reform Bill, particularly the time-limit on Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) proposals.

For more information about the Disability Benefits Consortium contact www.disabilityalliance.org/dbc.htm