MP demands review of disabled welfare system

* Susan Elan Jones MP at the launch in Parliament of the Disability Benefits Consortium report Has Welfare Become Unfair?

Clwyd South Labour MP Susan Elan Jones has called for a compete review of how the welfare system treats disabled people.

Her demand came after she attended the parliamentary launch of the Disability Benefits Consortium report Has Welfare Become Unfair?

Ms Jones said: "Every year my staff team and I help around 800-1,000 constituents. Some of these will be local people with disabilities who are led down badly by an unfair system. 

"The Disability Benefits Consortium is a national group of more than 80 different charities and organisations.  

"I am pleased to support their excellent report and really hope the Government listens."

She added: "We urgently need a thorough review of the Personal Independence Payments assessment criteria and the inclusion of a disability element to Universal Credit."

The Disability Benefits Consortium report calls for the Government to act upon a series of 22 recommendations. 

These include suggestions that the Department for Work & Pensions produces simplified claim forms, increased resources so that charities and other advice agencies can better assist people in completing forms and a commitment to review of Personal Independence Payments assessments.