'I'm made to feel ashamed because I'm unable to work!

PEOPLE ON DISABILITY BENEFITS IN MERSEYSIDE FEEL ANXIOUS ABOUT CUTS TO THEIR LIFELINE

- By LIAM THORP, EDWARD BARNES & JACK LYONS

HOLLIE Thistle wants to feel useful, but at the moment she says she is being made to feel ashamed.

The 26-year-old is currently unemployed, having been let go from her last job for taking too many sick days. She struggles with autism and ADHD and for a long time has battled difficult episodes of mental ill health. All this has made finding and retaining a job very difficult. Now she worries it is going to get even harder.

Hollie is currently surviving on disability benefits and Universal Credit to keep her Everton home running. Like many people in her position, she is desperately worried about the government's recently announced plans to save £5 billion from the welfare budget - including major changes for how disability benefits are handled.

In the House of Commons last Wednesday, Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall announced the huge and highly controversial package of measures which will affect millions across the country.

Ms Kendall said the Personal Independence Payment (PIP), the main disability benefit, will see its eligibility criteria tightened up from November 2026, which could result in reduced payments for large numbers of people.

It will become more difficult for people to qualify for the daily living component of the benefit which begins at £72.65 per week. As well as this, Incapacity benefits, which form part of the Universal Credit payment will be frozen for existing claimants from April next year, meaning they will not rise along with inflation.

The move has resulted in an enormous backlash from disability charities and from some of Labour's own MPs. Liverpool Riverside Kim Johnson labelled her party's move as 'sadistic.'