The figures shatter the Chancellor’s pledge last month to “support the vulnerable”, which he made while capping their benefits
More than three million disabled people will be £156 a year worse off after George Osborne’s shocking “Strivers’ Tax”.
Today’s figures shatter the Chancellor’s pledge last month to “support the vulnerable”, which he made while capping their benefits.
Mr Osborne and Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith promised the disabled would not suffer from the move to limit benefit rises to one per cent for the next three years.
They insisted payments would go up in line with inflation, but Labour says ministers are “hiding the truth” over the cuts.
Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Liam Byrne said: “This is shocking.
“It tells you all you need to know about the priorities of this Government that David Cameron and George Osborne are cutting support for the disabled.”
The cap on benefits will leave at least 3.4 million people an average of £156 a year worse off in 2015, according to the new figures.
It means a third of homes with at least one disabled person will lose out by £3 a week, admits the Department for Work and Pensions.
And in a double blow, 206,320 people who have severe disabilities will be £62.76 a year poorer.
Those in the “support group” of the Employment and Support Allowance will lose out as just part of their benefits will rise in line with inflation.
The rest will be limited to the one per cent cap, giving them an increase of 1.4 per cent.
Labour has already slammed the “Strivers’ Tax” because of its impact on seven million workers who will lose out on tax credits.
And now Labour’s Mr Byrne has accused the Conservatives of mounting a cover-up.
He said: “David Cameron’s Government has once again been caught hiding the truth about their Strivers’ Tax bill.
“First, we discover that ministers weren’t being straight with the seven million working families set to be hit and now we know they have tried to hide the impact on the disabled as well. Iain Duncan Smith has repeatedly claimed that disabled people are protected.
“But these figures reveal that 3.4 million households with disabled people will be worse off, including the most vulnerable that this Government promised to protect.”
In a statement, Liberal Democrat Pensions Minister Steve Webb confirmed that 34 per cent of households where someone is disabled would be around £156 a year worse off.
The minister added: “This represents about 3.4 million households in Great Britain.”
Today’s figures shatter the Chancellor’s pledge last month to “support the vulnerable”, which he made while capping their benefits.
Mr Osborne and Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith promised the disabled would not suffer from the move to limit benefit rises to one per cent for the next three years.
They insisted payments would go up in line with inflation, but Labour says ministers are “hiding the truth” over the cuts.
Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Liam Byrne said: “This is shocking.
“It tells you all you need to know about the priorities of this Government that David Cameron and George Osborne are cutting support for the disabled.”
The cap on benefits will leave at least 3.4 million people an average of £156 a year worse off in 2015, according to the new figures.
It means a third of homes with at least one disabled person will lose out by £3 a week, admits the Department for Work and Pensions.
And in a double blow, 206,320 people who have severe disabilities will be £62.76 a year poorer.
Those in the “support group” of the Employment and Support Allowance will lose out as just part of their benefits will rise in line with inflation.
The rest will be limited to the one per cent cap, giving them an increase of 1.4 per cent.
Labour has already slammed the “Strivers’ Tax” because of its impact on seven million workers who will lose out on tax credits.
And now Labour’s Mr Byrne has accused the Conservatives of mounting a cover-up.
He said: “David Cameron’s Government has once again been caught hiding the truth about their Strivers’ Tax bill.
“First, we discover that ministers weren’t being straight with the seven million working families set to be hit and now we know they have tried to hide the impact on the disabled as well. Iain Duncan Smith has repeatedly claimed that disabled people are protected.
“But these figures reveal that 3.4 million households with disabled people will be worse off, including the most vulnerable that this Government promised to protect.”
In a statement, Liberal Democrat Pensions Minister Steve Webb confirmed that 34 per cent of households where someone is disabled would be around £156 a year worse off.
The minister added: “This represents about 3.4 million households in Great Britain.”
