Conference slammed the unfair and punitive universal credit system which has seen so many of our most vulnerable citizens and children pushed into poverty.
It pledged to up the campaign to stop its implementation and to demand fundamental changes to end the insecurity and injustice it represents for claimants.
Speaking on behalf of the National Disabled Members’ Committee, Kathleen Kennedy moved an amendment which highlighted the particular injustices faced by disabled members dependent on Universal Credit.
She said that disabled members find themselves sanctioned and losing benefits because of missed appointments due to disability.
“We need to campaign against this,” urged Kathleen.
She also called for the bedroom tax to be scrapped, highlighting that two thirds of those affected are disabled.
Kathleen also condemned capability assessments and demanded that these are more person centred. However, we also need to look at the labour market and barriers to employment for disabled workers.
She welcomed the Scottish government approach which has ended privatised assessments and called for UNISON to lobby to expand these to the rest of the UK.
Kathleen ended, “Disabled people need to live independent lives and access to social security is a key part of this.”