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Oppose disability benefit cuts

Submitted 2 months ago by Ben Golightly

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The Open University is a lifechanging opportunity for many students who need to study remotely, at their own pace, due to caring responsibilities, disability, or illness. The Government green paper & spring statement, outlining £5bn in cuts to disability benefits, combined with the negative and irresponsible things MPs are saying about disabled people in the news, has caused a great deal of anxiety about our future. The Student Leadership Team should contact student groups such as Universities Against Disability Cuts UK (UADC), and disability groups such as Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC). The team should discuss how students, staff, and the Open University as an institution, can support disabled students and students with caring responsibilities. This should involve supporting our mental wellbeing at this upsetting time, but also exploring how to publicly oppose the disability benefit cuts that will have such a negative impact on disabled students, carers, and disabled members of staff.

Ben Golightly: 4:51pm on 9 Apr 25 The Open University student charter statement of values contains the following: We value diversity, anticipate and challenge inequalities, and commit to being an anti-racist, anti-discriminatory, accessible and inclusive university, so all feel a sense of belonging. We are committed to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of all members of our University community.
James Kelly: 5:34pm on 9 Apr 25 I am a student with ASD and dyspraxia who is currently receiving welfare. Recent proposals to cut welfare are potentially going to influence by disability allowance and make my life a bit harder. I currently am using my time to work towards a BA degree at the OU and am learning to speak German and Russian in the hope it will improve my future chances of job success. However, it would be very difficult with a reduction of disability benefit which might force me to find part-time work (which I would probably struggle a lot with at the current time) and would also impact my studies. Hopefully the student leadership team can lobby against such cuts. Thank you, James!
Robbie Bentley: 5:39pm on 9 Apr 25 I might be able to give you some input via steer. I saw the other day that the DWP are organising multiple sessions from May unitl the end of June to get an input from stakeholders and individuals. As someone who receives PIP I have secured a ticket for one of the events. I would formally submit on behalf of myself but perhaps it would be better than to just simply oppose something, rather the idea I would have is to emphasise what the Welfare net was and is designed for, which In my opinion is to give people such as ourselves the opportunity to contribute our considerable abilities to society while being reassured that our standard of living never drops below a certain level. I have made use of the principle that it's better to consult, and engage, before any decision is made. The recent High Court case of R(on the application of Roberts) V The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions is potentially useful in this respect. I could formulate a letter that could be carried on in this respect.
Ben Golightly: 11:42am on 23 Apr 25 By way of an update, DPAC Swansea have launched an open letter. It would be good to get OU students, and the Student Leadership Team, to sign https://bit.ly/swansea-dpac-debate-invite

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Current issues

Oppose disability benefit cuts