Second Class Citizens: The treatment of disabled people in austerity Britain

Are disabled people second class citizens in modern Britain? Despite severe criticisms from the United Nations the UK Government has continued to reject claims that its austerity policies have targeted disabled people. In this authoritative book, Stef Benstead explores these competing claims against the background of the development of the welfare state, the campaign for disability rights and the economics of austerity.Peter Beresford, Professor of Citizen Participation at the University of Essex and Co-Chair of Shaping Our Lives:“Second Class Citizens provides the definitive verdict on government welfare reform, the UK’s shame. It’s a policy against the evidence, against human rights and most of all against disabled people. Here the truth gap is filled with the real voices of disabled people.”Niall Cooper, Director of Church Action on Poverty:“This is a benchmark study of the treatment of disabled people under austerity. A hugely well researched and comprehensive overview, which provi