LABOUR'S "cruel" benefits cuts risk disabled people being forced to use food banks, an anti-poverty charity has warned.
On Wednesday, charity Trussell (formerly known as the Trussell Trust) published the findings of a new poll conducted by YouGov on their behalf.
The survey found that 81% of UK voters agree the UK Government has a responsibility to ensure disabled and sick people can meet their essential needs.
This includes 88% of Labour voters, 81% of Conservative voters, 91% of LibDem voters and 72% of Reform voters.
Meanwhile, 59% of those surveyed said the UK Government is "doing badly" on reducing the number of people experiencing poverty across the UK (28% of Labour voters, 69% of Conservative voters, 61% of LibDem voters and 82% of Reform voters).
It comes as Labour announced £5 billion in cuts to the welfare budget on Tuesday which will mean a huge number of people are now set to be denied the disability benefit Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
Wednesday's poll found that just 57% of people who voted for Labour in July's General Election would vote for them again.
Trussell warned that the cuts "risk driving more people to need to use food banks" as they are unable to afford essentials.
The charity said that 75% of people referred to a food bank overseen by the charity live in a household where someone is disabled, while 77% of people getting Universal Credit and health or disability payments are already having to go without essentials.
Meanwhile, 43% are already missing meals to try and keep up with other essential costs, and 19% have had to turn to a food bank in the last month.
Commenting, Helen Barnard, director of policy and research at Trussell, said: “People we support have already told us they are ‘terrified’ of how they might survive cuts.
“It is truly extraordinary for the Government to make huge cuts to the incomes of people already facing such severe hardship.
“These cuts risk damaging the lives of disabled people, and increasing the costs to our public services and economy by pushing up hunger and hardship. And these new figures clearly show they are out of touch with what the public wants.
“The public voted in this government for change. Irresponsible cuts risk the UK government’s pledges to us all.
“These cuts will cause immense harm to individuals, families and communities and risk driving more people to need to use food banks – which are already stretched to the limits.”
Barnard added that Labour's cuts were "cruel and counterproductive", urging the UK Government to "safeguard disability payments from cuts".
She continued: “The Department of Work and Pensions is making some positive changes to improve employment support, making it easier for disabled people to test work, and increasing the appallingly low level of the basic rate of Universal Credit.
But these sensible reforms are being utterly undermined by the Treasury’s insistence on driving through record cuts.
“There are more effective and compassionate ways to do this, to benefit current and future generations.
“Over the next four years, we need to see a new model of long-term employment support for disabled people and carers, so anyone able to work is genuinely supported to enter and stay in work.
“This means joining up work and skills schemes with better access to healthcare, action from employers to reduce barriers disabled people face at work, and overhauling job-seeking rules.
“The UK Government is demanding disabled people bear the brunt of the challenges our country faces at home and abroad. This is both cruel and counterproductive.
“We urge the Prime Minister and Chancellor to safeguard disability payments from cuts and put the needs and voices of the disabled community at the heart of its plans.”
“Already they’ve continued the two-child cap, keeping 300,000 children in poverty, cut the winter fuel payment, which Labour itself estimated will cause 4000 deaths, and betrayed Waspi women.
“The damage this continued austerity is doing to individuals, families and the economy will be felt by everyone in the country for decades to come.”
The poll by YouGov on behalf of Trussell surveyed 2155 UK adults between March 13 and 14.
The UK Government has been contacted for comment.
