Anna Dixon MP speaks in debate on Welfare Reform

Anna Dixon MP for Shipley, has today spoken in a House of Commons debate on the Labour governments proposed reforms to welfare.

The Shipley MP took the chance to speak up for her constituents by asking Liz Kendall, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, about support to help people with disabilities and health problems to find suitable work.

"Ms Dixon said: "I thank my right hon. Friend for reassuring my constituents with profound disabilities that they will be protected under these reforms.

"My niece, who herself has autism and has faced significant barriers to work, is a health coach in a local job centre, where she is helping other people with disabilities, neurodiversity issues and mental illnesses to find work.

"However, she is frustrated by her lack of access to fit notes.

"Will the Secretary of State ensure that job centre staff have the time, information and resources that they need to help people with disabilities and health problems to find suitable and rewarding jobs?"

Liz Kendall MP responded: "As always, my hon. Friend has hit the nail on the head. We want to free up our work coaches’ time from tick-box benefit administration so that they can spend more time with sick and disabled people who need support and can refer them to, for instance, mental health or debt advice services.

"When we do that, more people get into work, and both their finances and their mental health improve.

"We have already announced that we will free up 1,000 work coaches’ time to help more than 60,000 sick and disabled people, and that is just the start: we want it to be rolled out throughout the land."