Vigil at High Court challenging DWP work capability consultation

On Tuesday 10 December, we joined many organisations at the Royal Courts of Justice. Disabled People Against Cuts held a vigil in support of Ellen Clifford’s court case — challenging the DWP and its consultation in 2023 on tightening the Work Capability Assessment and the “Substantial risk to health” regulation. The government put it forward as helping people into waged work, with no mention of the impact on us of benefit cuts.

More info about the court case here.

If the changes in the consultation go ahead, more than 400,000 people would lose £416 a month (the Support Group amount or LCWRA amount). And they would lose their protection from being sanctioned: “And then there is the risk that people will lose even more money if they are sanctioned for not being able to comply with conditions they will now need to fulfil in order to receive their benefits”, says Ellen Clifford.

The Labour government have said they want to make similar “savings” and will put out proposals in the Spring, so it’s important to oppose these now.

The vigil was supported by DPAC members from many places including Salford, by Black Triangle (Scotland), Inclusion London, Waltham Forest Stand Up for Your Rights, PCS the DWP workers’ union, Equity, Unite the union, Dorothy from Liberation, Simone Aspis and others. John McDonnell MP lent his support.

Paula Peters of DPAC invited speakers to address the vigil before people went to the Rolls building to attend the court case.

Claire from WinVisible spoke against how Keir Starmer has pledged to keep an increase to the military budget of £75 billion, which if redirected, could cover increased benefits and meet many needs in the community. But instead the UK military inflicts death, disability and destruction across the world. Including the RAF supporting the Israeli government’s genocide in Gaza.

And we champion the “Substantial risk to health” rule relied on by women in our group and network. Disability News Service reported: “the substantial risk rule helped many of the women in their network who were survivors of violence, including refugees, those who have fled domestic violence, and women who were abused as children.”

The judge’s ruling on the case will be announced in the near future.