News

@MelzT None of it is fair! Don't shoot the messenger!! Disabled claimants have always been and will always be at the mercy of the powers that be, as is the case for EVERYONE in the country. If the government of the day has enough political support in parliament, they could enact ANY laws they can come up with... the media fuels the fire with its biased suggestions designed to stir up their readers; their reporting is often based on deliberately misleading "facts" or just plain misinformation.  "We have no plans to do X" actually means "we have no plan AT THE MOMENT". but doesn't mean that they won't come up with a plan tomorrow, or the next day. There is NO certainty about anything, as new governments can change or cancel anything that the previous government did, or indeed what they did themselves last year. Most people agree that, in the best of all possible worlds, no-one would go hungry or be homeless or discriminated against, but we live in THIS world. All we can do is keep pleading our case and making sure that lies and disinformation are called out. Or you can spend your life with your head in the sand dreaming of fairness and justice  for all. Being positive isn't enough.  

@james neat Because their incapable of fixing the real problems. Far easier to pick on us.

@james neat

@Shona Cash is just a voucher, of course. We don't need another... Best,

@Nenny Oh that's tickled me. I love the thought of throwing a grand piano. Maybe it could become part of one of those tv shows, imagine.

@Angel Who knows? We all have to wait and see

@Jan it would cost millions to change the system and as we know, their not hot on IT.

@Matt The costs in admin of vouchers would probably cost more than they are saving.

@MrFibro Bingo. And ask yourself why certain prominent "anon" twitter accounts have been nonstop posting misinformation about PIP since Boxing Day.

@Jan Stigmatizing disabled people, by way of introducing a voucher PIP scheme. Is a way in, which the goverment feels that they would save money.  Hence cutting down on the welfare bill.  Their hope is that claimants would feel to embarrassed, ashamed to buy goods with vouchers in their hands @ a checkout.

@Jan But I'll play Devil's Advocate: if vouchers were to be introduced for PIP, and the Government considered it a success, ie saving money, then why it would not introduce this to other benefits, notably UC?  DWP already have powers to look into your bank accounts etc. Rather like Scotland in the 1980's where the Poll Tax was first introduced, the disabled may be 'the testing ground' for a voucher, or receipt based benefits system.  It would be very unpopular and the take up may decline markedly, so in the Government's eyes, a win-win.

@Matt That or a new Chancellor! Either way I cannot share the heavily optimistic views of many commenters; we will see welfare cuts the late Frank Field could only dream of.

@Rik I wonder if we will get a full-blown budget in March after all?  I don't think Reeves can raise personal taxation or VAT any higher, or extend VAT to non-VAT items. The number of permanent vacancies has declined (so all that is likely to be available is fixed term contracts, or worse, zero hours) so unemployment/UC costs may very well rise.  That Green Paper may be under review now......

@robbie Taking of Reeves tonight Bloomberg have been told she is open to even more cuts, if the economy keeps going down. “Reeves Eyes Spending Cuts If UK Bond Slump Eats Up Headroom”.

@Darinfan Sadly that simply isn’t true. It is workable and a form of it has been in use for a long time - it’s how asylum seekers receive their money.

@Matt It won't come to the UK because it isn't workable here.  NZ can manage that kind of scheme because they only have 5million people living there.  We have getting on for 70 million.  Can you imagine the DWP having to go through all those requests for vouchers or receipts?  It's not remotely workable in a country with our population.

@Darinfan I would add. The only possible way I could see Labour copying the Tories plan to not reassess claimants is after they reform the WCA to make it even harder to qualify for the LCWRA. For reference that's the plan to give zero points for incontinence and mobility on the WCA.

@Darinfan I don't think it is likely at all. More regular assessments for PIP have already been muted; and with Labour's economic plans so far tanking the economy, to the point Reeves is talking about even more cuts, I can't see ESA/UC escaping the same treatment. 

@Rik Labour have not given any details on their plans, so I have no idea how you know what they will and won't do.  It's likely they will stop reassessments of the higher groups because they are a waste of money.- all that time and money spent when a very small percentage actually have their benefits downgraded.  It's not financially viable at a time when they are looking to save money.

@reg b I have not made up anything. Just one example, the Conservatives plans for UC, were to reform the WCA but leave current UC claimants alone - no more reassessments. Labour won't be doing that. Labour have an ideological view towards disability benefits and it's harsher than the Conservatives - have you even listened any of Kendal's interviews?! They are going to change PIP for the worse. And the Blair 'think the unthinkable' years weren't the cakewalk you are implying. And the fact Blair's mate Alan Milburn is back, should have you worried.

@Rik oh rik, thanks for the laugh. also wise to remember that people can make up and post literally anything online.