17 Discrimination, recession and welfare reform

Submitted by TUC Disability Conference

Congress notes that unemployment is predicted to increase to almost three million by 2010 and that disabled people are particularly at risk when unemployment rises.

Congress welcomes the announced increase in Access to Work funding but believes that even doubling the budget will prove inadequate to move one million people from incapacity benefits to employment. Congress believes that government proposals to abolish income support and compel disabled people, parents with young children and others to do work or training or lose benefits ignores the root causes of their circumstances and will disadvantage disabled people in particular. Congress opposes compulsion, and believes that voluntary entry to schemes is more effective.

Congress recognises that without measures aimed at tackling issues like discrimination and the lack of suitable childcare, government aims of increasing employment will be unachievable.

Congress resolves to:

i) continue its campaign against the privatisation of public services, including initiatives supporting disabled people into work

ii) support the TUC lobby of Parliament to protect Access to Work

iii) press the Government to restore entitlement to Independent Living Fund (ILF) funding to all disabled people

iv) support local and national campaigns to oppose attacks on services to disabled people.

Congress calls on the General Council to work with affiliates and other campaign groups to promote compassionate public service employment support and for welfare provision that:

a) provides a safety net including increased levels of benefit and entitlements

b) supports disability employment costs and the eradication of poverty

c) does not allow organisations to profit from the unemployed

d) provides fair, equal and publicly accountable treatment.

(this motion is exempt from the 250-word limit)