Easy Read Step 2 – Deaths by Welfare Project

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What is this website about?

A colourful diagram of a timeline. It starts in 1971, and ends in 1995. But an arrow indicates that it continues beyond the dates shown. — This website is a timeline. A timeline is a list of things that have happened.

Another drawing of the woman with Down’s Syndrome in the first picture. She has a thought bubble. In the bubble are protestors. — We want the timeline to help make change and stop harm.

A drawing of a Middle Eastern man wearing glasses and carrying a huge pile of books. He has a thought bubble with an exclamation mark. — We could not make the whole timeline Easy Read. The timeline is too long.

A drawing of a white woman with Down’s Syndrome, wearing blue dungarees, and holding a book that says “Easy Read”. — We have made this Easy Read page about what the timeline says.

A drawing of a South Asian man, sitting cross-legged with his head in his hands. He has 2 thought bubbles. One has a sad face, one has an angry face. — But reading this page might make you feel sad and angry.

A drawing of a Mediterranean man with Down’s Syndrome, holding up his hands to say “No”. He has a speech bubble with a red X in it. — You do not have to read the page if you do not want to.

A drawing of the woman with Down’s Syndrome sitting at a table with her tablet. A man who looks like her is standing next to her helping her read. — Please only read it with someone you trust and who can support you.

What does the timeline show?

A drawing of a sad woman in a wheelchair wearing hijab. She has a thought bubble with a picture of a Universal Credit letter, and a picture of money with a red X through it. — The timeline shows how the welfare system harms people.

The welfare system means benefits that the government should give disabled people.

Benefits are money that the government gives to disabled people. Like PIP, ESA, or Universal Credit.

A drawing of a group of disabled people. There is also a security shield and some money. There is a green arrow pointing from the shield and money to the people. — The government should make sure disabled people are safe and have enough money to live on.

But the timeline shows that the government has treated disabled people badly.

How has the government treated disabled people badly?

1. The government says dangerous things

3 speech bubbles. One says “fakes!”. One says “cheats!”. One says “Lazy!” — The government has said dangerous things about people who need benefits.

A drawing of an angry government minister. He is an older white man. There is a speech bubble with a picture of a laughing man with handfuls of money. — For example, the government has said that people who need benefits are just lazy.

A drawing of a sad East Asian woman curled up on the floor. Lots of different hands point at her angrily. — This makes other people treat disabled people badly.

2. The government does not give people enough money to live on

A drawing of a sad woman in a wheelchair wearing hijab. She has a thought bubble with a picture of a Universal Credit letter, and a picture of money with a red X through it. — The benefits the government gives disabled people are not enough to live on.

A drawing of some money with a big red X next to it. Arrows point from it to 3 other symbols: a basket of food, a gas boiler, and an electric socket. Each of them also has a red X next to it. — Lots of disabled people do not have enough money to eat or heat their homes

3. The government makes it too hard to get benefits

Over time, the government has made different rules about who can get benefits.

A drawing of a mixed race man with Down’s Syndrome looking worried. He has a thought bubble with a huge pile of DWP letters in it. — The new rules have made it harder for disabled people to get benefits.

The government stopped some people’s benefits unfairly.

A drawing of a document that says “Fit to work”. — The government said they were well enough to work.

A drawing of a sad East Asian woman curled up on the floor, crying. She has a thought bubble with a big scary tangle of thoughts in it. — But they were not well enough to work.

A drawing of a mixed race man with Down’s Syndrome looking worried. He has a thought bubble some money with a big red X over it. — When their benefits stopped, people did not have enough money to live on.

A drawing of a gravestone. It says “RIP John Smith, 1979-2017”. Someone has left a rose and a candle. — Many people died when their benefits were stopped.

A drawing of a young black man. His eyes are closed and his hands are over his heart. He has a thought bubble containing pictures of people who have died. — We want to remember all the people who died.

Drawing of a protester with a sign that says “Never again”. The sign also has a broken heart symbol. — We want the government to make sure it will never happen again.

What else does the timeline show?

A drawing of 3 disabled protesters with a sign that says “Change Now”. — The timeline also shows how disabled people and families fight for justice.

A drawing of a group of disabled people. One is a black woman with an invisible disability. One is a white woman with fetal alcohol syndrome. And one is a black man using a wheelchair. — The timeline was made with disabled people. It is a way to fight for change.