Many people with disabilities are now living on sickness benefits and are now witnessing an increasingly difficult economy. This is because sickness compensation is not calculated in line with wages, but with low inflation. The organization DHR "participation, action, freedom of movement" is now raising alarm about widespread poverty among its members.
- We know that you sometimes have to borrow from your relatives to make it go around. It is strenuous. This poverty we see among people with disabilities, it has not been treated seriously, says Rasmus Isaksson, DHR's co-chair.
A: We want to change that, but we have to negotiate budgetSocial Security Minister Ardalan Shekarabi (S) agrees that the sickness benefit has slipped and says he wants to change it.
- It remains to be seen how things are going in the budget negotiations, now there are now four parties negotiating the budget. And before each budget negotiation, a number of priorities are made. But of course it is reasonable to include that aspect. If we want to have an equal society, we must also ensure that we have a development where groups do not end up, ”he says.
But now at the turn of the year, this group is slipping further, when they are not allowed to take advantage of the increased housing allowance that pensioners receive.
- It is good that old-age pensioners receive a higher housing allowance. What is not good is that the other groups do not keep up and it is reasonable that we aim to have the same levels. But it remains to be seen what we will get through in budget negotiations, says Shekarabi.