A Dundee woman with sight loss will today take part in one of the biggest ever protests at Westminster by people with disabilities.
Lisa Reid (37) is one of thousands who fear severe cuts to their income if government plans to slash welfare spending go ahead.
Lisa, who lives in Kirkton with husband Billy and daughter Amy (12), was forced to give up a career in the hotel industry when she lost her sight in her 20s after a complication of diabetes.
Despite gaining an honours degree at Dundee University she has struggled to find work though not for the want of trying.
“I just never seem to get given the chance to prove that I can work,” said Lisa. “That’s why it really annoys me when parties and MPs say people should get back into work. People like myself have been trying, but where is the work?”
So determined is she to re-enter the job market that she travels to Edinburgh every day a trip she agrees is “challenging” for a one-year admin/reception placement at the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB).
Lisa, who only has peripheral vision in her left eye, hopes her tenacity will prove that she can hold down a job.
“Hopefully it will give me that wee bit of an edge and people can see that I am dependable and do the job.”
She receives disability living allowance but fears this might be reduced under government plans to cut £18 billion from the welfare bill.
“I’ve always had strong opinions about people with sight loss getting help to lead as independent a life as possible. That’s why I thought I should take part in today’s march at Westminster, rather than just sitting at home complaining about it.
“I plan to lobby my MP Jim McGovern and explain why I feel so angry about the changes being proposed.”
Lisa was annoyed when disabled people were all “tarred with the scroungers brush”, as her own experience showed just how difficult it is to find work.
“I thought, I have an opinion but I never take any action so when the chance came up to go down and take part I thought I would let my voice be heard.”
Over 5000 people from across the UK are expected to take part in today’s march on the Houses of Parliament to lobby their MPs. The protest organised by the UK Disabled People’s Council and the Disability Benefits Consortium will bring together over 40 groups, including the RNIB, which says the Welfare Reform Bill could deprive thousands of vital homecare and transport costs, while others could be forced to undergo flawed medical assessments that do not recognise the barriers sightless people experience.
RNIB Scotland director John Legg said, “The changes being proposed, far from tackling worklessness and reducing dependency, risk intensifying these problems.”