{"id":6532,"date":"2025-06-16T13:49:36","date_gmt":"2025-06-16T13:49:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.burn-the-priest.com\/?p=6532"},"modified":"2025-06-17T11:34:33","modified_gmt":"2025-06-17T11:34:33","slug":"im-one-of-the-100000-people-against-the-disability-cuts-and-i-cant-remember-a-time-it-was-this-bad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.burn-the-priest.com\/index.php\/2025\/06\/16\/im-one-of-the-100000-people-against-the-disability-cuts-and-i-cant-remember-a-time-it-was-this-bad\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018I\u2019m one of the 100,000 people against the disability cuts and I can\u2019t remember a time it was this bad\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\t\t\"Back\t<\/div>
Back – left to right – Sophie George, Jessica Leigh and Katriona Maguire. Front – left to right – Rachel Batton, Myles Pearson and Layla Steadman-Bevan. The group were part of the Scope team who delivered the petition to Westminster today.(Picture: James Gifford Mead)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Volunteers from disability<\/a> equality charity Scope <\/a>today handed a petition to the government<\/a> with the voices of 100,000 people opposing the cuts to welfare and PIP.<\/p>\n

Today, members of the charity<\/a> gathered at Downing Street<\/a> after receiving the backing of people across the UK and the disabled community. <\/p>\n

In March, Labour announced plans to save \u00a35bn a year <\/a>by overhauling the welfare system, plans which have been called ‘barbaric’ by campaigners.<\/p>\n

Volunteers for the charity included Rachel Batten, 53, from Cardiff, who, if the government papers are given the green light, her PIP cuts would be halved.\u00a0<\/p>\n

She told Metro <\/strong>she was \u2018really scared\u2019 about the future and in \u2018constant stress waiting on tenterhooks\u2019 awaiting what cuts the government is going to make. <\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\tSign up for all of the latest stories\t\t\t<\/h2>\n
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Start your day informed with Metro’s News Updates<\/a><\/strong> newsletter or get Breaking News<\/a> <\/strong>alerts the moment it happens. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Rachel has hypermobility type EDS (Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome). EDS\u00a0 impacts Rachel by causing joint and muscle pain, easy bruising, frequent dislocations, and severe fatigue.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

She also has Multiple Sclerosis (MS), which further affects her mobility and fatigue. <\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Jessica\t<\/div>
Jessica Leigh, Sophie George and Katriona Maguire from Scope were part of the team to deliver the petition<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\n\t\t\"16.06.25_Scope-10.jpg\t<\/div>
Jessica Leigh handed in the petition to Downing Street and told Metro: ‘Life costs a lot more when you’re disabled, and these cuts will have a devastating effect on disabled people’s health, ability to live independently or work.’ (Picture: James Gifford-Mead Photography)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

She said she felt \u2018resilient\u2019 but that there was a \u2018black cloud\u2019 over her everyday. <\/p>\n

She said: \u2018You feel like you’re walking through treacle, just because your symptoms are getting worse and things and your pain is getting significantly worse.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\tWhat is PIP? \t\t\t<\/h2>\n
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Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is not a means-tested benefit. Your earnings, other income or savings do not affect this.<\/p>\n

If you struggle with everyday tasks or your mobility, you could be entitled to PIP.<\/p>\n

PIP criteria<\/h2>\n

To qualify you must:<\/p>\n