MP speaks out for disabled and their carers.

Gordon Marsden MP for Blackpool South raised the issue at Prime Minister’s Questions by asking David Cameron about his plans to scrap an aspect of the Disability Living Allowance, as part of the Welfare Reform Bill, which he believes would leave disabled people “prisoners in their own homes”.

Mr Marsden says taking away the DLA – which gives money to disabled adults and children to help them in their everyday lives – would have a substantial impact on the number of disabled people living in Blackpool and could significantly change the way disabled people look after themselves in their own homes.

Mr Marsden said: “I raised the issue because although it’s a country-wide cut that will affect up to 80,000 people with disabilities, cuts will hit people in Blackpool particularly hard because we have a larger than average number of people living in care homes with a disability.

“The Bill will come before Parliament in due course and it’s one of the provisions in there to scrap the support for people living in residential care.”

The Blackpool South MP says taking this money away would take away funding for items such as specially adapted wheel chairs or paying for taxis to get them to meetings or groups.

In response to Mr Marsden’s question, Mr Cameron told the shadow minister for Further Education and Skills to look at the proposed bill to see how the Government will tackle the problem.

Mr Marsden added: “The Prime Minister did not give me a very satisfactory answer today but hopefully he is aware of the issue because I think taking it away is cruel and inhumane.”

http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news/local/mp_speaks_out_for_disabled_1_3193404