AS Prime Minister Cameron’s government in Westminster prepares the path for significant welfare reform across the UK, South Down MLA Karen McKevitt said her constituency office is gearing up for a surge of welfare rights work in the New Year.
She said: “Concerns about the Tory cuts have been mounting for months and people are now homing in on specific problems such as Universal Credit,xa0 Personal Independence Payments, the benefits cap and in particular housing benefit restrictions.
“People are worried and frightened. I have decided to put extra resources into the advice work we are doing through my constituency office in Warrenpoint. Specifically, we will have dedicated welfare advice sessions on Friday each week. I have been fortunate to secure the assistance of Gerry Doran, who has probably got more experience of welfare advice than any other individual in this area.
“We don’t know where all this will take us. As an MLA I will look carefully at the consequences of opposing each piece of legislation or regulation implementing these cuts, but we will not follow Sinn Fein and the DUP blindly. They cannot count on our support for measures which will impose further burdens on the vulnerable.”
