A Conservative minister has drawn criticism for advising those with mental health issues and limited mobility to fulfill “their duty” by working from home.
The government is anticipated to announce plans to require people with mental health or mobility issues to find work they can do from home or risk losing their welfare payments. Laura Trott, the chief secretary to the Treasury, made these remarks.
Trott played down worries about the welfare reform, stating that those who are able to work “should work” and that it is the “duty of citizens” to do so.
Leading the criticism of the “absurd” remarks was the disability equality charity Scope, which charged the minister of “dehumanizing” people with disabilities.
In Jeremy Hunt’s autumn statement on Wednesday, Rishi Sunak is expected to make changes to the “unsustainable” welfare system, with money saved from a benefits crackdown likely to help pay for tax cuts.
In a post on X, Scope said: “Disabled people do not have a duty to work unsuitable jobs. Let’s get that clear. The government *does* have a duty to not dehumanise the million disabled people who want to work but are denied the chance. It’s a duty the government is failing on
“Laura Trott’s comments today are absurd. It’s completely irresponsible to suggest that people who are unwell have a duty to work through it. Comments like this fuel a dangerous narrative. One that demonises disabled people, and paints them as burdens on the taxpayer.
“The suggestion that disabled people can simply work from home is totally impractical too. You only need to take a look at the DWP job site shows how few vacancies offer fully remote working as an option.”
It went on: “These comments come on the eve of the autumn statement, where the chancellor is expected to announce a ‘benefits crackdown’. But we’ve had decades of tightening sanctions, and it has never worked. The government’s own research shows that sanctions are counterproductive.”
Pressed about the changes, Trott had told Sky News: “I think that if you can work as a principle, you should work, and that is what the government believes. That’s been the thrust of all of our policies.
“Of course, there should be support for people to help them into work or to help them with issues that they’re facing, but ultimately, there is a duty on citizens that if they are able to go out to work, that’s what they should do.”