Disabled Leeds woman suffering 'stress and anxiety' amid proposed changes to benefits system
A former youth worker in Leeds said she is suffering with “stress and anxiety” as she waits to hear whether she will still be able to claim disability benefits.
Anna Toth, 59, was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder in her forties and has a number of physical health conditions, including a spinal issue and fibromyalgia.
She said that her illnesses have meant difficulties in sleeping as well as constant pain. But she is among many who have been left concerned about the implications of a government crackdown on the welfare system announced in the House of Commons yesterday (March 18).
In a new Green Paper, Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall unveiled plans to narrow eligibility for the main disability benefit PIP (Personal Independence Payments), along with other reforms.
The changes have prompted concerns from those currently in receipt of payments, including Ms Toth. She said: “I’m worried that the government could change the descriptors that decide whether you can access benefits.
“I have not got a date for my next review, so I have no idea when it will be. The fact that I don’t know what could happen causes so much stress and anxiety.”
She added: “If I lose my PIP, it would change everything about my life. And it wouldn’t just be a little change, it would be a big change.
“I use a lot of it for a cleaner, because I just physically cannot do things like vacuuming and mopping. The bending and twisting motion isn’t possible.
“I can’t stand up straight because of the pain in my shoulders and neck, and that affects my muscles further up. I use the PIP for things that make my life easier.”
Ms Kendall said it is hoped the reforms would generate £5 billion worth of savings for the government. They would see the Universal Credit measure used to determine whether someone is able to work scrapped, with assessments instead relying on PIP.
As part of the package, an additional £1 billion per year would be spent on helping the unemployed back into jobs, as Ms Kendall said people would be able to attempt to return to work “without the fear this will put their benefits at risk”.
The plans are currently at the Green Paper stage, which means they will be open to consultation. Ms Toth, from Tinshill, said: “I would hope that as many disabled people as possible fill out that consultation so that our voices can be heard.
“I’d say to the government - please really think about what you’re actually doing. The descriptors used to measure eligibility don’t cover the reality of illness and how difficult it can make life.”
Labour MPs have also expressed concerns about the cuts, including Leeds’ Richard Burgon who said in last week’s Prime Minister’s Questions that people in his constituency were “frightened”.
Shawn Williams, a former company director from Bradford, also spoke to the YEP about his concerns. Having been diagnosed with PTSD along with a number of other conditions, he claims PIP which he partly uses to keep up with mortgage payments.
“I use every bit of my benefit to keep my house and to be able to afford to eat,” he said. “But I am extremely fearful about the situation, because I can’t see how I’d be able to go back to work - even though they are saying there’d be support.”
He added: “I am worried that I could ultimately lose my house and end up on the street.”
Another claimant, who said she suffers with “severe depression and severe anxiety”, feared she is “likely to lose what little bit of PIP” she receives, adding: “The changes and cuts are completely unfair, especially when a long overdue wealth tax would cover the shortfall.”