Pension penalties make it even harder for the disabled to work: letter to the editor

The lead letter to the editor in today's Sydney Morning Herald addresses further concerns about the Disability Support Pension, to those raised by Adele Horin on Saturday. David Rafferty wrote:

The inequities associated with the disability support pension outlined by Adele Horin ("Disability pensioners find the going toughest of all", September 13-14) are compounded by a further injustice when a person with a disability gets a job.

People with permanent disability, particularly those with intellectual disability, are subject to draconian rules that deprive them of some or all of their pension when they earn wages. The perceived loss of long-term security caused by the loss of the pension (along with pharmaceutical and other associated benefits) is a significant barrier to employment.

Read the full text of the letter here.