McCROSSAN: Benefit claimants come under pressure!

SDLP Constituency Representative Daniel McCrossan has expressed his outrage at the levels of pressure and stress benefit claimants have come under due to the upcoming episode of welfare cuts.

Mr McCrossan said “I am outraged at ATOS, a private health care trust who are the architects of the capability for work questionnaire which is being rolled out to the doors of Strabane’s most vulnerable people in recent weeks. The questionnaire which has been submitted to a significant level of Strabane people and would appear extremely complex for any individual in full health let alone those victims of mental health and depression. The questionnaire has proved considerably daunting for many disabled people across our Strabane District who is struggling to understand what exactly the questions contained mean and worry as to whether or not they will fill them out correctly in fear of potentially losing their benefits.”

A number of the questions contained within the questionnaire seem absolutely ridiculous, such as; ‘Can you lift an empty cardboard box? Or can you set an alarm clock or open a letter or sustain a simple conversation?’ It is my opinion and the opinion of many Strabane people that such questions can be extremely offensive, degrading, condescending and show a major lack of appreciation or respect for the many people who suffer from mental health or other disabilities such as heart complaints or cancer.

We the SDLP will not allow the genuinely vulnerable people of Strabane to be victimised or intimidated in this way. These questionnaires and the cuts which will follow are an attack on our people by the Tory Government which are being pushed through Stormont by the DUP and Sinn Fein who refused to vote against it.

Our offices have been inundated with many genuinely vulnerable and disabled people, pleading for some form of help, support, advice or guidance. I have witnessed a number of men and women fall to their knees with worry and anxiety in fear of being driven into the poverty trap.  I fear for many young people who see no way forward as the Government fail to provide an alternative option to claiming welfare, what are they to do?

The cuts which lay ahead will be both damaging and distressing and could cause considerable adversity to the health of many people across this district. Our team will continue to help advice and support the people of Strabane and will be on standby to provide that help and support where and if we can.”