Hardest Hit Update

Over 5,000 disabled people protested in cities across the UK on the HARDEST HIT Day of Action on 22nd Oct 2011!

The protests took place one year on from the Comprehensive Spending Review where the Government promised to protect the most vulnerable when making cuts, and as the Welfare Reform Bill, which will significantly reduce support for disabled people, continues to go through Parliament.

The Hardest Hit campaign, organised jointly by the UK Disabled People’s Council and the Disability Benefits Consortium, brings together individuals and over 50 organisations to send a clear message to the Government: Stop these cuts!

Almost six months on following the 11th of May demonstrations in London, the situation remains critical as disabled people, those with long-term conditions and their families are still being hit the hardest by cuts to the benefits and services they need to live their lives. Local authority budget squeezes have resulted in cuts to frontline services causing anxiety and poverty, and in some cases forcing disabled people to take expensive and stressful legal action

Many disabled people are living in fear of cuts to essential benefits including Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). The total cuts will mean an estimated £9 billion loss to disabled people and their families’ incomes over the next four years, on top of cuts to many local care and support services.

Attendance at each event included:
Edinburgh: 1000 people
Cardiff: 1000
Leeds: 400 people
Nottingham: 350 people
Brighton: 250 people
Manchester: 400 people
Newcastle: more than 1000 people
Bristol: 500
Norwich: 500
London: more than 250 people
Birmingham: 300

We want:

  • No cuts to services vital to disabled people.
  • The Government to ensure that changes to DLA does not make disabled people worse off.
  • The Government to ensure that ESA works by improving the assessment process.
  • The Government to ensure that the welfare system supports disabled people with the additional costs of living with an impairment.

Photographs of the events are available in the UKDPC Library.