MORE than 1,000 of the region’s most vulnerable people have rallied against Government cuts to disability benefits and services.

The Hardest Hit coalition of charities organised the rally, which began at Newcastle’s Bigg Market on Saturday afternoon and continued through the city centre.

John Hawkins, who travelled to the rally from Darlington, said: “These cuts are being made against a group of vulnerable people who do not have the loudest voice. That is why we got together on Saturday.

“My own life is to change because of these cuts. I suffer from tunnel vision, so require a few things to enable me to work, including a large monitor, which in the past was paid for by government.

“That could all change now.

I told my current employers at interview that the Government would pay for any additional support that I need.

Now that could be taken away and my company may be unable to provide it for me.

“The Government says they want people to go out and work, but their actions say otherwise.

“I’m not entitled to any disability benefits as the criteria is quite strict, but I was also there to support the people who could really be affected by the cuts to that.”

Similar protests by disabled people, their family and friends, were held in 11 other towns and cities across the UK on Saturday.

Henri Murison, for the RNIB, said: “It is estimated that disabled people and their families will be £9bn worse off over the course of this parliament as they are the hardest hit by the Government’s cuts, losing out in multiple areas including benefit reforms and service cutbacks.

“The Hardest Hit campaign intends to send a clear message to Government.

“We want them to stop cuts to services vital to disabled people and make sure changes to disability living allowance do not make disabled people worse off.

“We also want them to make sure employment and support allowance works by improving the assessment process and to make sure that the welfare system supports people with the additional costs of living with a disability.”

For information on the campaign, go to hardesthit.org.uk