An Open Letter to Andrew Cooper MP
Dear Andrew Cooper MP,
We the undersigned, implore you to vote against this Labour Government's plans to tighten the eligibility criteria for Personal Independence Payments, should they be brought to a parliamentary vote.
According to the most recently available data from the Department of Work and Pensions, approximately 14,000 people in your constituency have submitted a PIP Claim. Just over half of these claims are successful. If the eligibility criteria is tightened, then the proportion of unsuccesful claims will rise dramatically.
For many people, the application process is a daunting mountain of paperwork, built on a perception of mistrust. Disabled people, many of whom either want to work but can't, or are in some form of work, are heavily dependent on PIP to help with the extra costs associated with their disability. If these benefits are taken away, it could lead millions of disabled people to destitution.
Without this support, disabled people could be forced into working more hours in their current job, or into occupations that are simply not suitable for their disability. In turn, employers may be hesitant to hire disabled people, due to the increased risk of absence associated with disabled workers.
We accept that the Conservatives left our public services and our public finances in a perilous state, but that recovery should not be built off the backs of the most vulnerable people in our society.
We implore you to fight back against this Labour Government's cruel and callous plans for disabled people. Please vote against any cuts to Personal Independence Payments.
Yours Sincerely,
Jack Price-Harbach
Parliamentary Spokesperson For Mid Cheshire
Liberal Democrats
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