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Fears over proposals made by Mel Stride and Rishi Sunak

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6 months 3 days ago #291340 by MiloGizmo
Hi

My entire disability history followed on from a long sequence of always working, including multiple small jobs to make up money on occasion, but I had always worked. I then had a massive breakdown with a form of mental health issue, that I had 8 years of psychiatric help for but to no avail, which is best described as a psychosis mixed with depression, OCD and various forms of anxiety. There is a significant element of PTSD type issues. None of these were able to be addressed either with medication or psychiatric treatment. The only potential I had was to work with the local mental health services to adapt my lifestyle so that my wife had to give up work to care for me; or I'd have ended up in either prison, mental hospital or dead. None of these were expected to improve my prognosis which is expected to be life-long. The nature of my mental health issue is something I cannot divulge on here other than to say I know I'm something like a 1 in 10,000 'patients' .

My issues do not lend themselves to anything as yet untried as there is nothing used as treatment in the UK that they didn't try with me that they thought might have a chance of improving things. There are no aids or adaptations other than my wife's constant attendance of me as my carer. Even that is not fully able to mitigate things.

I achieved zero points in my first ESA claim but had that adjusted to be put in the Support Group under regulations 29 and 35 'Substantial Risk' legislation. I have also won both rates of PIP at enhanced due to my needs. I had always worked, never wanted to do anything but move upwards in work but this wasn't to be. I'm just saying I was not a shirker or skiver and come from a family that always had a good work and study ethic. But my mind is beyond that generational aspect and has beaten me.

Now for the question, everything being said is pointing to vouchers, aids, or going this or that route in comparison to France or Denmark's or some other nation's form of disability assessment and benefit. Given chance DWP would have always given me nothing and it is only the severe and dangerous nature of my condition if not controlled that has allowed me to achieve the awards based on precedents in case law. What happens to me when the 'Substantial Risk' legislation in ESA or the 'Reliability Criteria' which work in a safety or safely manner for myself, disappear under proposals. I am definitely worthy of being given a chance to live without being dangerous. I am far cheaper to keep by the state as things are. I had worked for nearly thirty years but my psychiatrists believed that my mental health was only forced to remain bearable enough for work solely due to my grit. But I haven't got that anymore.

What can I expect do you think if these monstrous proposals go through. there will be other safety net reliant claimants like myself. really frightened over this.
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6 months 2 days ago #291375 by Gordon
MG

I really do appreciate your concerns but these changes are all theoretical at the moment, we are simply not in a position to offer advice until they are presented for consideration as a change to the relevant legislation, if this ever happens.

Gordon

Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
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