Call for Sheffield money advice service to be expanded as councillors criticise disability benefit cuts
Moves to expand face-to-face advice services to Sheffield people facing hardship have been backed by councillors who criticised government plans for disability benefit cuts.
Green councillors brought forward a motion to a meeting of Sheffield City Council yesterday (September 3) that also called for a “ fair, just and progressive taxation system where those with the broadest shoulders take the greatest burden”.
The motion criticised the government’s intentions to target Personal Independence Payments (PIP) for people with disabilities and Universal Credit in new legislation. The government was forced to make concessions in July, including exempting current PIP claimants from any cuts it makes, after it faced a major rebellion from Labour MPs.
Coun Marieanne Elliot, proposing the motion, said: “Putting disabled people into poverty will not provide people with a route towards employment. You cannot on the one hand threaten benefit cuts that penalise disabled people and then with the other assure people that they will be given support they need.
“These are completely mixed messages. What we need, along with a fair benefit system, is an access to work scheme that really works, not the worrying 35-week waits we’re hearing about.”
An income maximisation advice scheme piloted by the council’s South Local Area Committee (LAC) had proved to be a success that now must be rolled out citywide when it is discussed by councillors in October, said Coun Elliot. A team of financial navigators offered people visiting community centres and food banks free advice to help with bills and make their money go further.
Skills
Coun Elliot said this could be extended to employment and benefits advice. She said a face-to-face service is key because not everyone uses the internet or has the capacity to make a phone call.
Green group leader Coun Angela Argenzio said that disabled people live on average 20 years less than others. Vulnerable people need support to get the benefits they are entitled to, she added.
“Of course we would not be in this position if the billionaires and millionaires paid their fair share of taxes,” Coun Argenzio said.
A Labour amendment welcomed the government Pathways to Work scheme “which will help individuals find or stay in work and overcome employment barriers”.
It also hailed a Connect to Work scheme to help tackle economic inactivity, which has supported more than 1,600 people in Sheffield, “the biggest ever increase to Carers’ Allowance alongside extra funding to social care” and the extension of free school meals. It called on the council’s strategy and resources policy committee to consider proposals for a Help Sheffield programme, working with the voluntary, community, faith, and social enterprise (VCFSE) sector to support children and families, pensioners and the most disadvantaged.
Delays
LibDems proposed another amendment. It criticised delays to long-term and sustainable reform of the social care system.
The amendment said: “The last-minute nature of the government’s partial climbdown will have caused stress and anxiety for those who would have been impacted by the original proposals”.
It supported “initiatives like free bus passes for members of Sheffield Young Carers group” and an exemption for care providers from the increase in employer National Insurance contributions and for those with a lifelong PIP entitlement to be exempt from the cost of renewing a Blue Badge.
The Labour amendment was passed 71-0 with six abstentions. The LibDem amendment was also passed 72-1 with four abstentions.
The amended motion was agreed by a vote of 76-1.