The impact of any cuts to disability benefits would be devastating. Image credit: Shutterstock.
The Government’s Department for Work and Pensions has announced plans to drastically cut disability benefits - a decision that the Musicians’ Union is deeply concerned by.
Disabled musicians already face financial challenges
The Musicians’ Census: Disabled Musicians Insight Report revealed that disabled musicians already face significant financial challenges, including an average disability pay gap of £4,400 per annum and a further £1,700 per annum for musicians with a mental health and/or neurodivergent condition.
The report also found high rates of disabled musicians experiencing cost-related career barriers and in addition to the pay gap, 22% of all disabled musicians are in debt, rising to 27% for musicians with a mental health and/or neurodivergent condition.
The findings revealed the multi-faceted financial challenges for disabled musicians working in the music industry.
The devastating impact of cuts
Disability benefits such as Personal Independence Payments (PIP), designed to help with some of the extra costs caused by long-term ill health or disability, enable some disabled musicians to work and support them to stay in work.
Cuts to disability benefits would mean that more disabled musicians are pushed into poverty and out of the music industry altogether.
Schemes like Access to Work are being used by more and more disabled people; the Government recently reported an increase of 15,000 applicants last year, showing that disabled people are actively working when the right support is in place.
We need a reform of the benefits system
The MU agrees with the Government’s ambition to support more disabled people into work and have made a series of recommendations that would make the music industry more accessible for disabled musicians.
Instead of cuts, the MU would like to see an increased budget and more resources invested in the Access to Work scheme and a reform of the benefits system to provide sufficient support and streamline application processes. The government should prioritise fixing these problems in consultation with disabled people, as a matter of urgency.
The MU fully supports an open letter published by more than a dozen charities warning against disability benefit cuts. The letter details how life costs more for disabled people and huge numbers already live in poverty because of these extra costs. The impact of any cuts to disability benefits would be devastating.
Anti-benefit and anti-disability rhetoric in the media
There has also been an increase in anti-benefit and anti-disability rhetoric in the media. This is a trend that was apparent under a Conservative Government, and it is disturbing that it is continuing.
It is particularly difficult for disabled people who are unable to work being surrounded by phrases and articles that continually reinforce the ‘work is dignity’ message.
Any changes to benefits should be made in consultation with disabled people to provide them with the right support, that they can access when they need it.
Reducing benefits is not the way to get disabled people working
MU General Secretary Naomi Pohl comments, “I would urge the government to rethink its approach to cutting disability benefits.
“PIP contributes to the extra costs disabled people face because they are disabled. The cost of living crisis has hit disabled people hard, and increases in PIP claims rose steadily just after the cost of living crisis began. This has meant more Disabled people are claiming PIP, but it’s not necessarily because they’re out of work. Many disabled people who claim PIP work, and PIP supports them to stay in work.
“The real issue is that many disabled people cannot afford to live. Reducing benefits is not the way to get disabled people working. More accessible support - that reflects the true cost of being disabled - is.”