“Fewer people standing on their own two feet.” Those were Helen Whately’s chosen words while attacking millions of people receiving benefits. As a wheelchair user, I may not always be able to stand on my own two feet, but I am a content creator, disability-rights activist, volunteer and unpaid carer. Social security is not evidence of cultural decline. It enables disabled people to live independently, supports people in work and protects families when circumstances change. And when Whately was confronted with figures showing social-security spending is forecast to remain stable as a proportion of GDP, her answer was: “It’s been too high for too long.” So this isn’t really about spending “spiralling”. It is an ideological decision to provide less support, and disabled people are expected to pay the price. #HelenWhately #DisabilityRights #SocialSecurity #PIP #UniversalCredit