'Disabled people feel under attack'

There’s a large pastoral issue arising that we all need to be aware of.

It’s a hidden pastoral issue that may be flying under the radar in many churches. The people these issues will affect will also often be under the radar too, and often unseen. The issue is this: the anxiety and potential acute depression that disabled people face in light of government plans.

I’ve not been following many political issues, but at the moment I am keeping up with two major ones, due to the fact that they have an impact on those I minister alongside. 

1. Overhauling the benefits system

The first is how the government is dealing with the overhaul of the benefits system, particularly targeting those who are disabled or have additional needs.

The government regularly put out filibustering statements about getting the benefits system under control, stating they will make a further statement about it sooner than they had planned.

The next statement is always similar - sometimes a hint at tackling the mental health or autism side of work capability benefits, or hinting about ‘the fraudsters’. (Disability benefit fraud is actually 0%.) Lately, it’s mainly about getting disabled people back into work, when the reality is, there are lots of people who are just too sick to work and many companies won’t employ disabled people.

This is all picked up by the media who build on what was said in a way that blames disabled people for the financial mess the country is in. This in turn raises disability hate crime even higher.

The plan that is being talked about will put over 100,000 disabled people into poverty. I’m not talking about basic poverty or even what is known as deep poverty. This would be absolute poverty where ‘do I eat or heat’ ceases to be the question. Absolute poverty means you can’t afford either and you are at risk of also becoming homeless.

The government may not announce anything until March or April. They may not do everything that is on the table, we just don’t know. But I have heard reports of disabled people taking their own lives because they cannot face being in an even worse financial position than they are already in.

Some influential disabled writers have been putting out the contact details of the Samaritans and other similar organisations, whist also trying reiterate that we don’t know anything yet so don’t do anything hasty.

2. The progressing assisted suicide bill

Put all this alongside the commentary from the assisted dying bill committee, where safeguard after safeguard is being removed. A disabled person saying they want to die because life is now unbearable will be allowed to do so.

If you look wider, it feels like there is currently a worldwide attack on disabled people.

In America, the system of rights disabled people have are being dismantled bit by bit - the right to education, the right to work for a proper wage, the right to basic medical care and much more.

Cases in Canada are well documented where those just needing an access tool are offered the cheaper option of assisted dying.

To many disabled people, it seems the world just wants us to go away, and if that means having more lax rules on assisted dying then so be it. The sooner we’re gone the better.

A real need for support

This is why pastoral care for disabled people and those with additional needs is a must right now, including those who only connect with church online due to access issues - as they are easily missed.

If your church has any contact with disabled people, whether part of your church or a more fleeting connection, including parents or carers of those with additional needs, please talk to them. Ask them how they are coping with everything the government is doing and saying. Check in on their mental health and stay in touch. Give space to offload - without minimising the worry.

Disabled people are used to saying nothing, because if we do then we’re either not listened to or we’re told there isn’t a problem.

This is a time where anyone with a connection to disability is really vulnerable. We feel under attack for something we cannot help. We need the church to step up, speak up, and check in.