Laura Trott ‘thoughtless’ for saying disabled should do ‘duty’ and work from home

A Treasury minister has been labelled “thoughtless and irresponsible” for suggesting disabled people who are not in employment should do “their duty” and work from home.

Campaigners said comments made by Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Laura Trott, indicated a lack of understanding of the realities of living with a disability.

Ms Trott dismissed concerns over Government plans to push people with mental health or mobility problems into work, saying that those who can “should work” – arguing there was a “duty on citizens” to do so.

The Government is hoping a rise in flexible and home working will allow people with health conditions to move off benefit. But in repsonse charities have cautioned that this may worsen someone’s illness.

They urged ministers to set out support for people with illnesses and improved mental health services rather than “harmful rhetoric”.

Megan Pennell, campaigns manager at mental health charity Mind, said it was “simply wrong” to say those unable to work should do so at home.

“People who are not well enough to work need to be given the time and space to recover, not be coerced back into workplaces that they’re not yet ready to re-enter,” she told i.

“We know that pushing people back to work too early worsens their mental health and leaves them facing an even longer recovery time than if they were to recover at their own pace.

“Instead of redesigning the benefits system to drop support for hundreds of thousands of people, the UK government should be investing in improving our mental health services.

“We need to see more support available to people, as well as better support for people who are ready to return to the workforce.

“We hope tomorrow’s offering in the Autumn Statement reflects the realities of how you support people who are too unwell to work, rather than the harmful rhetoric we’ve witnessed over the last week.”

James Taylor, Director of Strategy at disability equality charity Scope Ms Trott’s comments were “thoughtless and irresponsible from a senior government minister”.

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“It will be deeply damaging to force disabled people to look for work when they aren’t well enough.

“It is absurd to even suggest that people who are unwell have a duty to work through it. The minister shows little understanding of what it’s like to be disabled.

Speaking on Times Radio Ms Trott said people need “support” to work and said the policies were “not just about forcing people out” but argued it was an “obligation” on citizens to try to work.

“Ultimately, you have to engage with that, and that is an obligation on you as a citizen to do this. And if you don’t do this, we will look at sanctions,” she said.

She told Sky News: “I think that if you can work as a principle, you should work, and that is what the Government believes. That’s been the thrust of all of our policies.

“Of course, there should be support for people to help them into work or to help them with issues that they’re facing, but ultimately, there is a duty on citizens that if they are able to go out to work, that’s what they should do.”

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has announced a “Back to Work Plan” designed to get more than one million people to look for and stay in work, with tough new benefit sanctions for those who can work but choose not to.

The policy will apply to those with long term health conditions and disabilities as well as others who are unemployed.