email from Kerry McCarthy (Labour MP, Bristol East)

Read some of the email that Labour MP, Kerry McCarthy ( @kerryMP ) has sent me today. It's really great to see how "most" of the Labour MP's are supporting people like me with Disability's. Kerry states "As you know, our Shadow DWP team are also looking closely at the Work Programme in practice".

But it's a shame that the both the Conservative's and the Lib Dems, cannot respond like this. Kerry writes....

Thank you for your recent emails.  I am certainly very concerned that Jobcentre Plus offices do not have the resources to meet the needs of all their clients, and this is something that I have discussed with Jobcentre Plus staff on several occasions. With unemployment continuing to rise, it seems that the service will unfortunately become increasingly over-stretched, yet Ministers do not seem to understand the impact of this so we will of course continue to press this issue. As you know, our Shadow DWP team are also looking closely at the Work Programme in practice.

At the moment though, our immediate priority must be the Welfare Reform Bill, which is understandably, and unacceptably, causing a great deal of anxiety for people around the country. You mentioned Working Tax Credit, and this is included in the benefits replaced by Universal Credit. The Universal Credit of course has a completely new structure, so it is difficult to say at this stage what exactly people will receive but, as now, there will be additional disability premiums. It is also important to remember that Working Tax Credits are means-tested, even if the disability component is not, so you have already been means-tested. The earnings disregards will also be higher under Universal Credit.

Given your experience and your conditions, I wondered if you had contacted organisations like the National Autistic Society and Epilepsy Action, as they may well be campaigning on these issues and be pleased to hear from you. If you have not already, you may also like to look into Disability Rights UK, which, as well as their campaigning work, has some useful factsheets.  As you appreciate, there are a great many people around the country who are being adversely affected by the Coalition’s policies and although Labour’s Shadow Ministers are not able to meet personally with everyone who is understandably anxious, the groups are very effective at lobbying MPs and explaining the concerns of their members when they meet with MPs on their behalf.  Getting more involved with an organisation that represents your interests can, therefore, be a very good way of influencing the debate and making sure these important issues stay on the agenda.

I hope, though, that you soon hear back from the Disability and Carers Service and of course, I will, like my Labour colleagues, continue to do what I can to make Ministers understand the impact of their welfare policies on people’s everyday lives.

I Say... "Thanks Kerry for writing this email to me. I'll reply shortly"