ACT NOW!

Planned Government Cuts to Disability Welfare

​​​​​​​DASH and NAWM are asking for an urgent call to action to support Disabled artists, arts workers and audiences, who are facing the biggest cuts to disability benefits on record.

If we want a truly diverse and inclusive visual arts sector, we need to raise visibility and act now. We have a small window in the next 3-4 weeks, before MPs vote in June.

We are sharing resources and meaningful actions you can take as disabled people or allies.

As well as explaining which benefits will be affected, the resources provide practical suggestions as to how we can act to resist these cuts and support those facing the additional challenges brought about by them.

​​​​​​​​
If you want to know more:​​​​​​​​​

• Read the Disability Arts Online Access to Work resources page.
  
  
• Sign the Open Letter about Access to Work
  
  
• Visit the Taking The Pip website to view a list of info and actions ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
  
  
• See Unlimited’s brilliant April message, which is full of background info, detailed stats, resources and suggestions
  
  
• Read this On Crip Wisdom: Surviving the Erosion of the Welfare State
  Abi Palmer reflects on a life spent in the welfare system in a piece supported by DASH to explore the impact of PIP cuts on disabled artists.​​​
  
  
• Read this Art Review article by Alice Hattrick
  ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
• Read this Frieze article by Mariana Lemos
  
  
• Watch the recording of the parliamentary debate called by Diane Abbott MP or read the transcript​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
  
  

If you want to take action (most of these take 2-5 minutes):

• Email your MP (Find your MP). This action is URGENT because the most damaging cuts aren’t being consulted on. They will only go to an MP vote in June. In your email, please explicitly ask your MP to vote against the cuts and ask them to reply stating how they will vote. A short personal email is best, but if you need a template, Scope, Inclusion London and the Trussell Trust all have them. Please do change templates slightly to ensure they don’t get blocked.

• Get involved with disabled-led organisations e.g. DPAC or CAC

• Respond to the government’s Green Paper consultation, which is asking for feedback on some of the cuts. Deadline 11:59 pm 30th June. Disability Rights UK have created this info document. It's incredibly important that Disabled people are part of the decision-making processes that affect our lives.

• Invite your MP to meet you at the mass lobbying event on 21 May.

• Sign petitions - here are a few: Parliamentary petition; Scope; Organise
  
  
• If you're an artist or arts worker, you can contribute an anonymous testimonial about your experiences of PIP to this campaign, started by Leah Clements, Jamila Prowse, Mariana Lemos and Jade Foster

• Sign this open letter, if you are disabled or a health professional (or send on to people you know who are).
  
  
• Post about this crisis on socials (LinkedIn, Instagram etc.) to spread the word and keep it at the forefront of people’s minds, linking to useful stats, resources, petitions, art writing and news articles etc.
  Use these hashtags: #StopTheCuts #MassLobbyAgainstBenefitCuts #MassLobby #BenefitCuts #AgainstCuts #GreenPaper #DisabilityJustice #SocialSecurity #CripsAgainstCuts #SocialJusticeUK #TakeAction #WelfareNotWarfare
  
  
• Contact an All Party Parliamentary Group about the cuts. More info here.
• If you’re part of union, urge them to raise their voice publicly against the cuts. For example, the London Fire Brigade Union have openly called on Labour MPs to vote against the cuts.
  
  
• Donate to Disabled People’s Organisations who are actively fighting the cuts e.g. DPAC, Inclusion London, Scope
  
  
• Invite your friends, colleagues and associates to take action and signpost them to the resources highlighted here.

• Reach out/check in with Disabled/Deaf/Neurodivergent/chronically ill friends and colleagues to show solidarity and support. Don’t ask them what you can do. Use this list as a resource to decide what you can/want to do. Let them know what actions you are taking and that they aren’t fighting this alone.