DLA guaranteed until 2014?!

tcr_3

I work full time but am in constant pain. I'm applying for DLA because I've been persuaded to do so. Anything I need for the pain, heatpads, painkillers, walking aids I've already bought and can afford from my wages. On days when the pain is bad, I can't walk more than 50 yards. A blue badge would help me on those days. But I can't get one because I don't get DLA. So I've got to apply for DLA even though I don't need the money ... and don't want it either.

Like I was saying to the OH, DLA money won't make the pain go away. It's not going to make me better. I'm not going to be going horse riding or paragliding simply because the government gives me £60 pw or whatever it is nowadays. For many people unable to work, their DLA money does make a real difference. And they use it as intended.

But for people like me, it just seems such a waste of taxpayers money.

Sparticus59

The new review into the Benefits system will not improve anything for anyone, there will be no savings to the government or the taxpayer, this is all just about manipulating the figures and as usual it will only be the less fortunate and most vulnerable of society who have to pay the price.

In today's climate when we are going to see a huge rise in unemployment where are all these so called malingerer's going to work? Where are all these jobs going to come from? All that this government will do is to put people onto work schemes and training for jobs that don't exist, the reality is that as a nation we have stopped producing anything, we no longer manufacture anything, we have lost the coal industry, we have lost ship building, we have lost the steel industry, all we do as a nation is import cheap product's from abroad.

I know loads of people who have loads of qualification's who cannot get job's, If people with qualification's cannot get work what hope is there for unskilled or disabled people to get into work?

Whenever a country start's to suffer a financial meltdown it is always the weaker ellement's of society who have to suffer the punishment's for other's greed and incompetance.

The new medical test's that are being brought in by this government are unfair as they will not be carried out by specialist's in a particular field, infact some of the people doing these test's are no more than nurses who have been on a coarse run by ATOS HEALTHCARE, how can someone test an individual's ability to do something If they don't know about a certain condition that is affecting this individual? They can't is the answer and many thousands of disabled and sick people will have their lives ruined by this attempt at making people on benefit's the scapegoat for all the ill's of past and present government's.

actionman_3

I find it difficult to understand why people get huge amounts of DLA when they can hold down a ft job.surely you have to be pretty fit to work full time. I can understand if someone has an office job in a wheelchair. Maybe they need extra money for things. If you are working ft in heavy work,like removals then thats more difficult to understand.

gambler00

Those people at the bottom of the pile are going to get crushed in the next few years.

Indie_Kid

actionman wrote: »

I find it difficult to understand why people get huge amounts of DLA when they can hold down a ft job.surely you have to be pretty fit to work full time. I can understand if someone has an office job in a wheelchair. Maybe they need extra money for things. If you are working ft in heavy work,like removals then thats more difficult to understand.

This is what I don't get. I am seriously considering setting up my own business. I will not being doing anything within my potential business that I've said I can't. Yes, I will need adjustments to make sure I can run my business to my full ability; but it won't be anything that I say I can't do.

I fully understand depression and mental health.

You don't understand other peoples' though.

actionman_3

Ive had severe depression where Ive needed ECT and its absolutely frightening and paralysing. I mean I couldnt even make a meal.

Then I know someone who is playing the system.He has diabetes and has used this for years so he doesnt have to work. Now hes trying to make out he is depressed.He says he can use this.He hasnt wanted to in the past as it might be stigmatising. His GP is helping him and says he will write letters regarding diabetes. Hes told me if eventually the gov force him to work -he will. Hes very intelligent but basically wont train for anything and is lazy

andyandflo

tcr wrote: »

I work full time but am in constant pain. I'm applying for DLA because I've been persuaded to do so. Anything I need for the pain, heatpads, painkillers, walking aids I've already bought and can afford from my wages. On days when the pain is bad, I can't walk more than 50 yards. A blue badge would help me on those days. But I can't get one because I don't get DLA. So I've got to apply for DLA even though I don't need the money ... and don't want it either.

Like I was saying to the OH, DLA money won't make the pain go away. It's not going to make me better. I'm not going to be going horse riding or paragliding simply because the government gives me £60 pw or whatever it is nowadays. For many people unable to work, their DLA money does make a real difference. And they use it as intended.

But for people like me, it just seems such a waste of taxpayers money.

This posting has moved since my earlier reply. But to be honest there is some truth in most of the replies.
I agree, being paid extra money for a disability will not make it go away. The only likely effect will be if that money is spent of adaptions to the home, special equipment, paid carers, respite care and even drugs etc. But seriously I wonder how many people do that. It is 'lumped' with the rest of the income and treated as a bit more to spend, to provide for a slightly better lifestyle.
In a way, it could be argued that DLA & AA should be scrapped altogether and the money saved, put into Community projects, such as improved welfare, district nurses etc. At least that way, it would be going to improve the disability and its effects.

Nobody has yet mentioned, unless I have missed it, improving health. Somebody did touch on it, but it never took off. I wonder how many, in time gone by when 'for life' awards were given, have actually had an improvement in their disability and informed the DWP to ask for a reduction in DLA payment ie from High to Mid or even Low?
I did, I suffered from depression for 7 years and couldn't wait to get off the benefit. I accepted all and every bit of help, and bit by bit succeeded. It was hard and I still suffer now but have learnt how to deal with it. I started on HC & HM and gradually reduced it to nil. They were for life awards!!!

Indie_Kid

andyandflo wrote: »

In a way, it could be argued that DLA & AA should be scrapped altogether and the money saved, put into Community projects, such as improved welfare, district nurses etc. At least that way, it would be going to improve the disability and its effects.

Will it? So, where would someone get the money from for extra water, special dietary requirements, etc?

Breast_Cancer_Survivor

gambler00 wrote: »

Not all antidepressants work for every patient. Some people would argue that none of them work, or at least not in the way psychiatrists claim.


Or possibly it was because you had been suffering for 30 years.

This is very true, I have been on nearly every anti depressant under the sun in the last 12 years & apart from all the horrible side effects they gave me like migraines/weight gain they don't really help my depression.

Medication works differently for different people & I have been told that because my depression is a symptom of my asperger's not just a chemical imbalance that there is nothing they can do for me.

This is despite me being referred to them in September last year as high risk of suicide/self harm.

I waited 3 months for my assessment (December), another 2 months to see the pyschiatrist (February) when I was told that they were discharging me as there is no cure for my asperger's.

actionman_3

Nobody has yet mentioned, unless I have missed it, improving health. Somebody did touch on it, but it never took off. I wonder how many, in time gone by when 'for life' awards were given, have actually had an improvement in their disability and informed the DWP to ask for a reduction in DLA payment ie from High to Mid or even Low?
I did, I suffered from depression for 7 years and couldn't wait to get off the benefit. I accepted all and every bit of help, and bit by bit succeeded. It was hard and I still suffer now but have learnt how to deal with it. I started on HC & HM and gradually reduced it to nil. They were for life awards!!!

All well and good if you find a job otherwise it is hard to survive long term on jobseekers. That in itself and getting into debt have led fragile people into breakdowns. That little bit of dla has given them stability and not having to worry if they are going to pay the next bill.

There is the discrimination element. Employers from my experience spend longer talking about your depression in job interviews than the actual job requirements.Soul destroying