Trussell responds to Kemi Badenoch's speech

Helen Barnard, director of policy, research and impact at Trussell, said: “Politicians must learn from the chaos and fear caused in recent weeks in constituencies across the UK. It is clear that voters across party lines do not want cuts that drive even more disabled people to the doors of food banks. 

“3 in 4 people coming to food banks in the UK are disabled or live with someone who is. We know social security for disabled people is a vital lifeline. It helps people put food on the table and pay for specialist care and equipment. 

“When spending on working age social security as a share of GDP has been stable for the past decade, and is forecast to remain so in the years ahead, we must take time to get updates to our vital social security system right. Slashing financial support will simply make people poorer, damage health and push people further from work.Pushing people into severe hardship also comes at a huge cost to our public services, the public purse and our economy. 

"A compassionate and fair social security system can only be achieved by working with disabled people and following the evidence. We need all parties to set out a better plan for our social security system and ensure that it protects people from hunger and hardship.”