List of acronyms ASHE – Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings BEIS – Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy BSL – British Sign Language CEDAW – Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women CFR – Charter of Fundamental Rights CIPD – Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development CPAG – Child Poverty Action Group CRC – Convention on the Rights of the Child CRPD – Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities DH – Department of Health and Social Care DLA – Disability Living Allowance DWP – Department for Work and Pensions EA – Equality Act ECHR – European Convention on Human Rights ECNI – Equality Commission for Northern Ireland
EHRC – Equality and Human Rights Commission ESA – Employment and Support Allowance EU – European Union GB – Great Britain HRA – Human Rights Act 1998 ICESCR – International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights IFS – Institute for Fiscal Studies LASPO – Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 MoJ – Ministry of Justice NHRI – National Human Rights Institution NIHRC – Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission OHCHR – Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights ONS – Office for National Statistics PIP – Personal Independence Payment PSED – Public Sector Equality Duty SDGs – Sustainable Development Goals SHRC – Scottish Human Rights Commission TUC – Trades Union Congress UK – United Kingdom UKIM – United Kingdom Independent Mechanism (made up of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, the Scottish Human Rights Commission, the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission and the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland) UN – United Nations UN CESCR – United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights UPR – Universal Periodic Review WCA – Work Capability Assessment
Monitor the effect the four year freeze on social security entitlements has on the rights to an adequate standard of living and social security against the requirements set out by the UN CESCR, especially for individuals and groups sharing protected characteristics, and make sure this is in line with children’s best interests. Reintroduce income poverty-related targets for the eradication of child poverty, and establish clear accountability mechanisms, including binding targets, with a set timeframe and measurable indicators, as part of a comprehensive child poverty strategy, ensuring that the best interests of the child are taken as a primary consideration. Examine the factors behind the higher levels of poverty amongst individuals and groups at risk, such as children, disabled people and refugees and asylum seekers, and develop a strategy to address these factors. In line with the recommendations in our submission to the CRPD Committee in 2017, we call upon the UK Government to: Act upon the recommendation of the Work and Pensions Select Committee to set out a clear plan for identifying where new ESA Work-related Activity Group claimants have additional, unavoidable living costs relating to their condition, and ensure a financial support package is in place. Take prompt action to reform the WCA to offer a more flexible, personalised approach to providing support to unemployed disabled people, including those with greatest needs and fluctuating conditions. The focus should be on identifying work potential and the types of adjustments and support that could remove barriers to individuals accessing and staying in work. This should be separate from any financial assessment. Financial support for people unable to work, or where there are inadequate adjustments or personalised support in place, should not be conditional on actions linked to job-seeking or subject to benefit sanctions.