I went to a DWP benefit cut consultation: Here's what I found

"We should make the effort," my wife said when the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) announced public consultation events on its plans for arguably the biggest shake up to disability "benefits" - I struggle with the word, because I fail to see the "benefit" of being disabled-Britain has yet seen.

- James Moore, The Independent

The firm tone told me that I had best agree. But she was also right. Democracy withers on the vine if people aren't willing to participate in it while the government's current policy, and especially its rhetoric, could have a severe impact on our family and many like us. Given the chance, we should push back against that. So we signed up, even though the DWP seemed somewhat concerned about letting the public into its events. No location was provided and when it was finally revealed, it was accompanied by a stern instruction: "Do not share these details with non-attendees, as they will not be allowed to enter the premises for this event."

Perhaps this was with an eye on the demonstration in Manchester that resulted in a standoff between protestors and the DWP staff doing the consulting. Police were ultimately called. The London event we attended — an extra date added to the DWP’s disability world tour after the first was sold out — featured no such drama. We arrived a little late, thanks in part to the difficulty we faced in finding a blue badge space near the local tube stop.