Opportunities Through Technology secretary Brian Snaith in the busy classroom

12:00pm Wednesday 12th September 2012 in News

A CHARITY helping disabled people remain independent and in work will close within months if it cannot find funding.

Opportunities Through Technology (OTT), based at the Colchester Institute, introduces disabled people to computer equipment and software to help them live a life without the need for support.

But after losing a grant of £25,000 due to government cuts to funding the charity is struggling to keep its head above water, and will close before Christmas if more cash cannot be found.

Disabled people are being unfairly and disproportionately targeted in the government’s “austerity war”, according to a new report commissioned by a Norfolk campaign group.

By CHRIS HILL, Rural affairs correspondent Saturday, September 8, 2012
7:00 AM

Disability protestors in Norwich. Photo: Bill Smith

Despite the government’s austerity mantra of “we’re all in it together”, the notion of collective responsibility for resolving the country’s financial crisis has been scorned by sceptics.

But one group in particular is claiming that the burden of the cuts to public services is being unfairly shouldered by some of the most vulnerable people in our society.

The Norfolk Coalition of Disabled People (NCODP) has commissioned a report which says the poorest 20pc of the 2.7 million households receiving disability benefits will lose 16pc of their cash income, plus benefits-in-kind, during the four years up to 2015.

It estimates the percentage loss for the poorest fifth is four times larger than the loss for the richest fifth.