Issues for people with disabilities in Universal Credit

50Twuncle

How do you think that the government will get around the statement "FOR an UNLIMITED time" - which I have in writing - when I applied for DLA, 5 years ago ?
How are they going to reduce the amount that I receive, when they convert to PIP ?

System

21Twinkle wrote: »

How do you think that the government will get around the statement "FOR an UNLIMITED time" -

They use the broadband suppliers definition of UNLIMITED.

Richie-from-the-Boro

dinkytoy wrote: »

My mum is 60 on June 12th Richie.

- all women born before the 6th April 1950 have a retirement age of 60
- for women born between 6th June 1952 to 5th July 1952 the state pension age will be 6th Sept 2014
- in other words between age 62y 2m & 62y 3m
- UC will start [ pathfinder for new claimants trial ] in October 2013
- new claims between October 2013 and April 2014 will receive universal credit in place of JSA ESA Etc
- all existing claimants will migrate over from existing benefits over the following four years

So assuming your mum is already in receipt of IB, DLA HB etc and was born 16th June 1952 she will reach retirement age in Sept 2014 it will depend on when she has her Welfare Benefit Review date and that will depend on Departmental Manpower which has been cut by 7000, as of now they don't have feasible estimates of the headcount levels to bring UC on stream. So even though your mum may escape UC she is liable to be caught in the PIP 'reviews' long before UC rolls out.

The above paragraph assumes a perfectly functioning DWP and believe you me it is anything but moderately functional let alone perfect and that's without the rolling introduction of PIP. PIP will replace DLA, new claims start from next spring for recipients in Merseyside, north-west England, Cumbria, Cheshire and the North East and the subsequent turmoil and appeals process which will begin between now and the beginning of UC.

Richie-from-the-Boro

21Twinkle wrote: »

How do you think that the government will get around the statement "FOR an UNLIMITED time" - which I have in writing - when I applied for DLA, 5 years ago ?
How are they going to reduce the amount that I receive, when they convert to PIP ?

- read the word again Twinkle - does it say unlimited or indefinite ?

The DM .. .. at the point you claimed set either a fixed or an indefinite period, depending on whether your disability or illness is permanent or your needs may change.

A fixed period, called a renewal claim is where you may be asked to attend a medical examination again.

An indefinite period, simply means not determined, can be changed / reviewed. Normally you will not usually have to make a renewal claim but the Welfare Reform Act now means that anyone of eligible working age will be reviewed.

hannahO_2

Can someone tell me what is going to happen when DWP gives you American style vouchers instead of cash? For example, Tesco might accept UC vouchers but how about paying one's credit cards? I can't make a payment direct to my credit card. Money has to come from my current account. So will my bank accept vouchers so that it can be paid into my account to be changed into cash? This doesn't make sense to me. Obviously, not all shops will accept the vouchers so our lives gonna be awfully even more restricted.

moose1982

hannahO wrote: »

Can someone tell me what is going to happen when DWP gives you American style vouchers instead of cash? For example, Tesco might accept UC vouchers but how about paying one's credit cards? I can't make a payment direct to my credit card. Money has to come from my current account. So will my bank accept vouchers so that it can be paid into my account to be changed into cash? This doesn't make sense to me. Obviously, not all shops will accept the vouchers so our lives gonna be awfully even more restricted.

I don't think they are going to be using vouchers though happy to be corrected if you can point me in the direction it's been said?

rogerblack

hannahO wrote: »

Can someone tell me what is going to happen when DWP gives you American style vouchers instead of cash? For example, Tesco might accept UC vouchers

I would like to say this is not the case, unfortunately, it's hard to say, as they have not actually specified what's happening, just granted powers.

The implications of this are unclear.

It could vary from nobody at all getting any money from universal credit, only vouchers payable directly to your landlord, and Tesco, or whichever supermarket bid highest, to the powers not being used at all.

Neither are particularly likely.

"6 (1) This paragraph applies in relation to an award of universal credit where the
calculation of the amount of the award includes, by virtue of any provision
of this Part, an amount in respect of particular costs which a claimant may
incur.
(2) Regulations may provide for liability to pay all or part of the award to be
discharged by means of provision of a voucher.
...
(5) A voucher may for these purposes—
(a) be limited as regards the person or persons who will accept it;
(b) be valid only for a limited time."

hannahO_2

Thank you rogerblack.

I wonder what came of this pilot scheme.
http://www.computerweekly.com/news/1280095980/DWP-prepares-alternative-to-identity-cards-for-Universal-Credit

Soapn

so, if for instance they said your food needs for a week are £60, then you would get £60 worth of vouchers/credit for the likes of Tesco or someone?

rogerblack

Soapn wrote: »

so, if for instance they said your food needs for a week are £60, then you would get £60 worth of vouchers/credit for the likes of Tesco or someone?

"by virtue of any provision of this Part, an amount in respect of particular costs which a claimant may incur."

On reflection.

The words can't be read in isolation.

The whole sentence has to be read together.

What this seems to mean to me is that they can't break out food - for example - as a 'particular cost' - simply as there is no allowance for food as 'a provision of this part', it's all living costs.

However, they can choose to pay part or all of the living costs as a voucher, which may be restricted to (say) Tesco.

I can see that you could read the legislation as allowing multiple vouchers - for different allowances - for example housing and living costs.

But not multiple vouchers for the same element of the benefit - if living costs limp together heat, light, food - they can't give you seperate vouchers for these.

The possible powers are so wide that it could vary from a scheme almost everyone would approve - for example giving vouchers only to people who for various reasons (gambling or other addictions) have a history of mismanaging their money to the point of eviction or other major problems - to schemes that would require most claimants to only be able to shop at certain outlets.


Keep an eye out for future consultations on this!