Welfare Reform Bill

My Lords, further to the comments of the noble Lord, Lord Boswell, I ask him whether it is fair that this group of people should be asked to pay for the country’s deficit. It seems to fall particularly hard on this vulnerable group of people. I support the solution of noble Lord, Lord Best, in these amendments and, if not, I support all the exemptions that have been spoken about, particularly those in relation to disabled people. It is very hard for non-disabled people to recognise how important our homes are to us, particularly when you can get into few others. The way that our homes are configured and designed means that they either enable us to live independent, contributing lives or completely disable us. The two steps that were in my house, as they are in every other house in my street, would completely have disabled me had they not been removed. They would have meant that I needed help from someone else to wash or to provide my food. I would not even have been able to answer my front door to take in a parcel from a neighbour. They would have removed any ability for me to contribute to my community. It is also important to recognise that no two disabled people are the same. You may be moved to another adapted property, but it will still cost to enable you to live in that adapted property and become a contributing taxpayer. One disabled person may be able to get into a bath by using the shelf at the back of the bath; another person needs a shower; another person needs a narrow bath. We are all extremely different, and our homes are adapted to our needs. It is also important to recognise how important our local networks are in enabling us to remain as independent beings. It means being able to call on a neighbour when you have just dropped a jar of honey that has broken on the floor and will puncture your wheels if you move anywhere around the house. It is impossible for you to clear it but a friendly neighbour can. We cannot just be moved out of our local networks, which take a long time to build, without enormous cost and without making us into people who do not have the time or energy to go out to work because our time is spent living day by day, surviving. It may be helpful to remind the Minister of the words of the Housing Minister, Grant Shapps, who said earlier this year: "““Being able to remain in your own home has a significant impact upon your health, well-being and feeling of independence. Helping disabled people to live as comfortably and independently as possible in their own homes is a key commitment for this Government””."