Sinn Féin working to secure fundamental changes to Welfare ‘Reform’ Bill

At a packed Public Meeting held in Ballycolman Community Centre on Thursday (15 Nov), Sinn Féin elected representatives highlighted the draconian nature of many of the measures contained in the Tory led Government’s Welfare Reform Bill and outlined how the party is pro-actively working to secure fundamental changes to the Bill both within the Assembly and through directly lobbying the British government. Michaela Boyle MLA chaired the meeting and was joined on the panel by local MP Pat Doherty and by Newry/Armagh MLA and DSD Committee Vice-Chair Mickey Brady, who was standing in on behalf of his DSD Committee party colleague Alex Maskey.

Michaela Boyle said, “At the outset of the meeting, the panel highlighted the main changes proposed in the Welfare Reform Bill and outlined our major concerns about how many of the proposed measures, if implemented as currently designed, would represent an unacceptable attack on the living standards and well-being of our lowest income families and the most vulnerable sections of society here. “These included outlining our concerns around proposed measures in benefit areas such as: Housing benefit-under-occupancy penalties, reduced eligibility criteria and problematic payment methods; Universal Credit -replacing Income Support, Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income-related ESA, Housing Benefit, Child and Working Tax Credit with a single ‘Universal Credit’ with changing criteria governing eligibility for benefit, new work related activity requirements and an increased sanctions regime even for lone parents with no access to childcare; and a marked step up in targeting the disabled and sick by extending the flawed medical assessments which currently govern those applying for or who are in receipt of ESA , to the disabled as they apply for or are migrated to the new Personal Independence Payment (PIP) which is scheduled to replace DLA as an from April next year. With the Tory’s aiming to make 20% savings in terms of expenditure and caseload under “PIPs” this will undoubtedly result in many genuinely disabled people losing or having their benefit cut in the same way many people who are genuinely sick are losing their entitlement to ESA. “During an extensive Q&A session many of those present were taken aback at the extent of the draconian measures in this Bill and were deeply concerned at how they would affect them both individually and in terms of their wider family. “While the levels of benefits for the north are set in London, we once again re-iterated our party position that unless meaningful flexibilities and mitigating measures are secured to alleviate the harsher aspects of this Bill we will not be supporting it.

“Mickey Brady outlined how the Bill is now at Committee Stage and how he the other 2 party DSD Committee members are scrutinizing every measure and clause in the Bill and are bringing forward proposed amendments in line with all our areas of concern and how the Committee has now supported a re-submitted Sinn Féin proposal to bring forward a motion to the Assembly calling for an Ad-Hoc Committee to establish whether the ‘Bill’ is Human Rights and Equality complaint. He also outlined that the Committee Stage will be followed by a Consideration Stage and a Further Consideration Stage on the floor of the Assembly where Sinn Féin will be also pressing our proposed amendments to the Bill. “Pat Doherty outlined how he and other MPs are directly lobbying the British government on an ongoing basis in an effort to secure flexibilities in how the Bills administered in the North given that it has already accepted that the situation here is graver than elsewhere. “Sinn Féin will be continuing with our strategy to secure fundamental changes to this Bill and also through our constituency office services we will be continuing to advise and assist the ever growing number of people contacting us seeking our help on the full range of benefit related issues ranging from: helping people to maximize their benefit entitlements, help with filling in benefit forms, engaging with decision makers, as well as representation at benefit Tribunals. ENDS