Across the political divides of Britain, a quiet consensus has emerged: the public does not wish to see disabled people bear the cost of austerity. A major longitudinal survey finds that only one in fourteen Britons supports reducing disability benefit spending, while nearly half want it increased — a finding that holds even among voters of parties whose leaders have spoken openly of dramatic cuts. In the long arc of welfare politics, this moment poses a familiar but unresolved question: when governments and publics diverge on who deserves protection, which force ultimately shapes policy?
Disability benefit cuts lack public support even among Tory voters, survey shows
Proposed disability benefit cuts could push hundreds of thousands of disabled people into poverty if implemented despite public opposition.