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Peter Black and South Wales West Liberal DemocratsRepresenting Aberavon, Bridgend, Gower, Neath, Ogmore, Port Talbot, and Swansea |
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Tackle system of support to help disabled children in poverty says AM
March 19, 2008 12:00 AM
A recent report from the Commons Work and Pensions Select Committee has made the startling point that children who are disabled or have a disabled parent are at a much greater risk of growing up in poverty.
Commenting upon this fact, the Welsh Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Social Justice Peter Black said:
"Wales starts from behind in combatting child poverty generally. The likelihood of a child in Wales being in poverty is higher than elsewhere in the UK. 27% of Welsh children live in poverty.
"For disabled children, or those with a disabled parent, matters are worse. As the committee pointed out, one in five families with a disabled child end up cutting back on food.
"There is no reason whatsoever why having a family member with a disability should mean that family ends up in poverty. Rather it is how society and the system of support react to the fact of someone's disability that we must tackle urgently.
"For instance, Disability Living Allowance has a low take-up because it is seen as being 'too difficult' to claim; Working Tax Credits take no account of the increased cost of childcare for disabled children; and a family with more than one disabled child will get no increase in Carers Allowance as it is paid at a flat rate.
"This is one of the reasons why the Welsh Liberal Democrats are calling for a simplified benefits system that people can understand better and more easily get the help to which they are entitled as citizens."
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