The government was defeated three times in a row in the Lords last night on its proposals to save money by limiting the benefits paid to sick and disabled people.

Pat Onions of Pat's Petition said

The three main parties have until now maintained a solid wall of silence acting together on welfare reform to cut and limit benefits to disabled people. Now – at long last it is sensational to see the first crack in this wall of silence.

This was the beginning of a series of votes in the House of Lords over the Welfare Reform Bill. Next week, there will be a vote on Disability Living Allowance, the subject of a recent report,Responsible Reform, which tells the clear story of how the government has ignored the findings of its own consultation.

But changes to benefits are just one part of a perfect storm facing disabled people and their carers. These profound changes to their personal finances come at the same time as huge changes to the services they rely on. The NHS is facing the biggest shake up in its history. Local authorities, who provide social care, have had their budgets slashed and are making very difficult decisions about who they can support. Everyone faces higher travel costs, food costs, heating costs – but each of these has a bigger impact for disabled people and their carers.

Pat's Petition is calling on a pause for all reforms. Many other organisations have echoed this need, especially around the current Welfare Reform Bill.

Pat emphasised

All the cuts and changes coming together have made a perfect storm. Disability Living Allowance is just one part of this and organisations are quite right to ask for a pause, to think it out properly, before visiting it on vulnerable people. This is exactly what is asked for in Pat’s Petition

It is very reassuring to see organisations like the TUC get behind this and call for a pause in the Welfare Reform Bill.”

Pat's Petition, a grassroots people's petition, reached its first 10,000 signatures on New Years Eve. Pat Onions created the petition at http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/20968 after noticing that many disabled people and carers were unable to attend last year's protests against the cuts.

She explained

David and I were determined to attend the Hardest Hit rally in Edinburgh.

Determined, in spite of disability, to stand with the others who had made the long and difficult journey. Determined to show we were united as one voice against the vicious cuts we are all enduring. We knew there were many thousands who couldn’t make it. Disability, ill health, providing care, or cost would prevent them coming. We made it.

To the many there and those who came in spirit……….this petition is for us all

Image Visual aid by Adrian van Leen