Letter to the Chancellor from Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland Chief Executive 11 June 2025 The following letter was sent to the Chancellor from Jane-Claire Judson, Chief Executive of Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland ahead of the Spending Review regarding language used during the announcement of Disability Payment cuts. Dear Chancellor, Ahead of the upcoming Spending Review I write on behalf of the 1 in 5 people living with chest, heart, stroke and Long Covid conditions in Scotland, to ask you and your government to keep dignity, respect and wellbeing at the heart of all messaging related to disability benefits. As the largest Scottish health charity supporting people living with our conditions, Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland understand the significant financial pressures your government is facing. We were, however, disappointed by the language used during the announcement of Disability Payment cuts in March this year, which many perceived as discriminatory The tone of these communications implied that all disabled people rely on the state and need to ‘get back to work’ – a change to this tone costs nothing but makes a vital difference to the wellbeing and mental health of those impacted. For context, many of the people we support continue to work and contribute to the economy, others, due to the nature of their conditions, cannot work and rely on social security through no fault of their own. This is not a choice, but a circumstance. If you brought our expertise, along with the wider third sector, to the table and properly sought to understand the issue, much of the outcry caused by your communications could have been avoided. We offer both lived and professional insight that can help shape policy with compassion and realism. We recognise the need to make difficult financial decisions. However, those decisions must not come at the expense of disabled people who cannot work or have no other source of income. Social security is exactly that – security for those in need. I hope that you give this issue the serious consideration it deserves and that future decisions and communications from your government reflect the dignity and support that disabled people deserve. Best wishes, Jane-Claire Judson Chief Executive Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland