Stigma is another impact of Welfare Reform changes
22/02/2012
Plaid Cymru’s South Wales East AM Lindsay Whittle has used a debate in the Assembly to further highlight the stigma put upon benefit claimants as the result of the UK government’s Welfare Reform changes.
Speaking in a debate on Disability Related Harassment in Wales, Mr Whittle pointed to the sometimes cynical use of statistics to justify the harsh cuts to benefit support. The effect of these changes is twofold – claimants are deprived of their benefits, and suffer from increased stigma.
Plaid Cymru’s Social Services, Children and Equal Opportunities spokesperson Lindsay Whittle has said:
“Plaid Cymru has already voiced our concerns at the cynical way claimants who are genuinely entitled to their benefits are being deprived of them, and today I addressed the issue of the stigma that this cynical approach encourages.
“The number of disability-related hate crimes reported to police increases year on year, and this increase will accelerate as Welfare Reform changes continue to encourage suspicion of benefit claimants.
“While the Welsh government is taking steps to tackle the issue of disability related harassment in Wales, the UK government continues to undermine this work by its cynical approach to the disabled.”