News

Now government will be in firing line again over 30 reports got sat on by Tories they were never published or shown to anyone labour refuse to show them DWP reports so I wonder if that's the reason no further information on disability cuts  .

Why don't they increase the elite wealthy's tax instead of going after the vulnerable and squeezing them dry? No [billionaire] one knows that much surplus money

Seriously, Stephen Timms, I’m not sure. Just by installing someone to be the so called “new friendly face of the dwp”, does not mean that the organisation that he represents has miraculously changed its ways. He recently said to John Pring when I think John was highlighting the flaws in uc, that he “was onto something”. For someone who has been around the social security sphere for many years, could he have not spoken up sooner? Is it not his job or his department’s to “get onto something?” and ensure something actually works before it’s rolled out. The pages of posts on this site highlight the misery this changeover has caused, ultimately resulting in many people, the already poor, becoming significantly worse off, both financially and emotionally. Job done and mission accomplished as far as the dwp are concerned. 

Same s***, different day. Sorry again for the negativity. Have a great evening folks.

"Whilst engaging with responses, I can confirm that responses to the set of proposals on the reform of Personal Independence Payments was mixed and for some proposals consistently negative. We will be setting out our own plans for social security in due course and will fulfil our continued commitment to work with disabled people so that their views and voices are at the heart of all that we do."

It's no secret what the proposals were that received consistently negative feedback. We know it was the alternative payment suggestions or the idea that treatment is needed in place of money. 

While I don't completely trust Labour as a whole at all, I do feel Stephen Timms has our best interests at heart and him allowing the consultation to go ahead is actually something of a smart move. He now has first-hand testimonies from individuals that these changes will affect very deeply and can hopefully use it as ammo to defend us. 

Even if a Tory government had been re-elected, they would've still had a really hard time getting any legislation like this off the ground without years and years of revision. Mainly because any proposals concerning changing the PIP payment system will have to no doubt go through the House of Lords and they've always been very pro-disability benefits.

As for the concerns that Labour are out to push disabled people into work, iirc they recently did a survey that found that quite of people who receive disability benefits do want to work but are unable to do so due a lack of treatment from the NHS or because of other factors (presumably lack of rights in the workplace). We know being on benefits is not luxurious or easy, especially if you once experienced financial security through a decent paying job before illness or whatever reared its ugly head so I completely believe there are a large number of benefit claimants who want to get back into work and these are the people Labour intend to work with.

Thus, most of what I've seen on this topic are Labour saying they want to try and sort out the NHS (a view they've consistently held since Sunak started whining about welfare costs) and are hoping to see if that makes a difference. Maybe I'm being too optimistic for the sake of my own mental health but it's also worth noting that there's a lot of news outlets out there that are very anti disability welfare and will just want to terrify us by scaremongering and this rhetoric can also lead to us hearing certain quotes and automatically assuming the worst. Which is completely understandable. I just hope "no news is good news" will apply to what we've experienced so far and the upcoming Budget.

£ 6,000 would go nowhere in this day and age..that is just the equivalent of 2 months rent to some people! 

Also the amount a person on benefits is allowed to earn before deductions..is it still £5.00 per week ? 

That might just buy you a large bar of chocolate. 

No one seems to be looking at these ridiculous amounts and raising them in line with inflation therefore many people today find it far more difficult to stay under the threshold savings and earning amount set for benefits. 

It has now become impossible to save for the two months deposit on moving to another rental property, or a new wheelchair, saving for an operation that the nhs wont cover, saving for household repairs etc etc without going over the £6,000 limit. 

A Labour Baroness is on record from a few months ago stating: 

"... we have no intention to replace PiP with vouchers. Disabled claimants deserve a degree of self respect"   

(Paraphrased from memory).

Secondly, an article in The Guardian points it would be virtually impossible and costly to afminister such a scheme ...  I think they have a point.

It was only ever put out to consultation anyways.

Bottom line: it's doubtful.

A better approach would be a two-tier system...  short and long term... with lower rates for short-term claimants... imho !

They'd still save a fortune.

Even on appeal directly to the Dwp case manager, your answers seem to be twisted, weakened and or ignored. None of this seems to be noted and I fail to understand why, having experienced this type of conduct repeatedly. 

Regarding vouchers. Repeated governments have allowed all aspects of care to grow disproportionately expensive and out of control. Pip was designed to manage this: taking an illness and it's symptoms plus the responding outcome of that illness (or how it impacts you) and turned it into a question of how many times does someone need to physically give you a a pill. 

It is this action that does not take many illnesses into account. For example - Clusterheadaches, Chrons disease, Aspergers etc. All issues that impact, limit, restrict but on some occasions are self managesble. However, try going to work when you cannot get out of bed because your condition causes exhaustion, or, for six months you are having an hour long attack (the most intense pain known to medicine) whilst you wait an hour for the next attack to come on. Try to go to work with that but more importantly - try and keep that job. 

This is not considered in the assessment or the potential future changes to Pip. Furthermore, expenditure is different for many disabled people. Most claimants I would assume use their Pip to pay the bills. This may surprise many politicians but I am sorry, what disabled people get from Pip, UC and carers allowance does not give you an over indulgent lifestyle. I would challenge any politician to live on that level of income. 

There is the perception in government that employers are going to invite the disabled in with open arms. We will be treated fairly and when we have our little issues - the boss will come along, put an understanding hand on our shoulder and tell us it's all okay and not to worry. Hmm. Not my experience. I have lost many a job (a job every two years), always after a bout of illness. Never had I ever been disaplined for my illness - but repeatedly for some trumped up chsrge. After all that would be prejudicial. 

I have tried to discuss disability with a number of politicians and have been told they disagree with me (based on where the money comes from). I say to them: you disagree because you do not understand the concept or you disagree because you have never experienced it. 

And so finally. Our nations track record on expenditure is not a good one. Moreover, our nations ability to be honest, open, empathetic and understanding - questionable and to a degree non-existent. Oh how the wealthy perceive us pathetic scroungers. Good for nothing, lazy dick people - would would want one? 

But let's consider the Post Office scandal, politicians expenditure scsndal/s, HS2, repeated pot hole repairs (unchecked), health and safety equipment payments, Bulgarians able to defraud the Dwp out of £58 million, fraudulent claims, cost of Rwanda, £100 million paid to France, care homes charging £2500 per week (because we have paid it) and the billions paid by the government to Pip assessors to limit disabled from getting help - etc., etc. The list is endless... 

And now, with all the controls and successful expenditure in the past and currently (see above), the government is considering catelogues, equipment etc. And who will provide that (and make huge profits). Will it be the same as above and HOW LONG WILL IT BE BEFORE THAT GOES PEAR SHAPED AND IT IS CONSIDERED FOR CHANGE AS COSTS RUN RIOT AND MORE DISABLED TAKE THEIR LIVES as they are pushed further into poverty. 

Example 1. Carers who save the country £65 billion per year, possibly care for someone for 39hrs a week, who then work part time and can then only then earn £150(?) per week, have to live on £927 per month. How is that right. Ask your politicians - could they live on that. In this scenario Carers are not even entitled to free prescriptions! 

Example 2. Carers (husband and wife) care for 3 disabled sons. Husband is very ill but is able to care through emotional support. Wife offers physical support plus looks after husband as well. They decide to claim UC because things are tight. 

Outcome. 2x327 per month CA. UC removes CA plus a bit more. Husband unable to work - gets allowance for being unable to work.

 

Payment per month - UC £450 plus £654 CA = £1104 per month as a couple. 

Now this couple have not been to prison, have not made poor choices etc., however, they have made a decision to support their sons because the convoluted over beurocratic system has failed them and their sons. 

Then to add salt to the wound - after years of being caring law abiding citizens they find they cannot plan for their future - because they cannot have anymore than £6000 in savings before the Dwp will take money off of the £450 per month they are entitled to. Oh, and the £6000 savings for a couple is exactly the same as a single claimant. 

Answers on a post card. 

Glad I didn't vote for Keir Starmer's Labour, as it's not a Labour that belongs to many people, including myself. I voted Greens, just for the sake of not voting for a serial liar - Keir Starmer.

I don't have any hope from fake smiling Keir Starmer, Rachel Reeves, and Liz Kendall

Is that a positive or a negative? Is no news good news?