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Home > About us > Media centre > Latest news >Publication Date: 01 February 2012
CLIC Sargent has expressed dismay at the Government’s decision today to overturn a key amendment to the welfare reform bill introduced in the House of Lords.
The Government voted down measures that would have ensured young people with cancer could continue to claim the full amount of Employment Support Allowance (ESA), a vital benefit that supports people who can’t work because of a disability or serious illness.
Lorraine Clifton, chief executive of CLIC Sargent, said: “ESA is vital to many young people whose cancer treatment means they are unable to work and face the extra costs that cancer brings. I am dismayed that the Government have not listened to the Lords and public opinion and have stuck to their original plans.”
Overturning the amendments means that over 12,000 young people currently claiming ESA for a serious illness or disability including cancer will lose out; 10,500 losing £25 a week or £1300 a year, while 1500 young people with a serious illness or disability would be £100 week worse off, that’s over £5000 a year.
Another important change made by the Lords has also been reversed. The one year time on how long cancer patients can claim ESA has also been reintroduced, which means that some young people with cancer who have extended treatment over a year and are still too ill to work at that time, will have ESA support stopped.
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