Nil Points

Colin Hampton

Claimants with disabilities will be staging a demonstration outside Chesterfield Jobcentre on Monday January 24th at 2pm. They will be joining in on a National Day of Protest Against Benefit Cuts. The demonstration, organised by the Derbyshire Unemployed Workers’ Centres, will see 30 claimants and supporters holding cards awarding nil points to the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) for the cuts they have received in benefits since the introduction of the new Employment and Support Allowance. Many of the protestors had received nil points from Atos Healthcare, the company that carries out disability analysis for the DWP. Only if they reach 15 points are people able to claim the new benefit. If not they lose at least £25 per week and have to join the growing queue looking for work. ‘Many people continue to receive benefit cuts’ said Tim Wilkinson adviser at the Derbyshire Unemployed Workers’ Centres. ‘These are people who have heath conditions which mean that employers are highly unlikely to give them a job. With more and more people looking for work with the Governments cut back’s those with physical and mental health problems will fall further to the back of the queue for jobs. Losing benefits and having to live on £65 per week does not help anyone’s health or chances of moving back into work.’
Derbyshire Unemployed Workers’ Centres are waiting to represent 700 people across Derbyshire at Appeals Tribunals many of which are challenging decisions to award nil points to people seeking ESA. Nationally 2½ million incapacity benefit claimants will be migrated on to the new benefit.

‘Derbyshire Unemployed Workers’ Centres will continue to give a voice to those under attack from benefit cuts’ said Colin Hampton co-ordinator of Derbyshire Unemployed Workers’ Centres, ‘If the County Council thinks it can stamp out dissenting voices by stopping grant aid to our organisation – it couldn’t be more wrong. Our job is not just to give advice and representation but to raise the social policy issues that arise from our work’.
Further information from Colin Hampton: colin.hampton@duwc.org.uk