MSE News: Half a million could lose disability benefits

ineed

princessdon wrote: »

Sorry but I don't see why not if being honest. It's often mind over matter, I truly beleive if the govt said to people, no more or work many and I mean many would find work.

It's all too easy to remain on benefits and expect the tax payer to pay (somehow they don't expect an employer to pay) when with support and that is the key word here "support" it is possible.

Many don't have that luxury (like the previous poster) of ever being able to work - not at all possible. If they could - even if hard, they'd do it in a heartbeat.

There is no reason why I can work (and look after a family alone) and others with the same condition can't other than personal attitude!

As would I love to work and have my old life back, it isn't much fun laying in bed all day having medical checks to make sure my medication isn't damaging my vital organs and having to be brought food and drinks.

I just can't believe that some people could work but choose to sit at home on benefits instead, who in there right mind would want to spend there life sat on their backside?! It doesn't make sense. Maybe your a stronger person than others with your condition, sorry i don't know what condition you have, I respect that you can work, but I can't imagine someone choosing to not work.

clemmatis

princessdon wrote: »

Sorry but I don't see why not if being honest. It's often mind over matter, I truly beleive if the govt said to people, no more or work many and I mean many would find work.

Sorry, but, what? The information I posted for Polo_Bint was about PIP, which is not an out of work benefit. This thread is about DLA and PIP, which are not out-of-work benefits. And what I posted about face-to-face assessment was simple factual information, from the DWP.

I quote from the DWP paper I linked to, from Section 21, Mythbusters:

Personal Independence Payment can be paid to people who are in work or out of work.

Personal Independence Payment will be available to disabled people whether they are in work or not.

Being in work or returning to work will not be a
relevant change of circumstances unless
someone’s needs have increased or decreased
as a result of employment

Ellejmorgan

You should see the looks I get sometimes when I get the kids from school or when I go to the chemist and I can't write to fill in a script..
I have spinal problems, had the lower back operated on, have sciatica, foot drop, have lost reflexes in ankle & foot and have arthritis, and spine is wearing..also have C5-6 gone in my neck which means I can no longer grip, can't write, hardly drive, hold my baby, or make a cuppa..can't cook anymore..
Both arms are painful but it's my dominant arm that's the worst affected..
I am on 70mcg burenorphine and oramorph..

I'm saving the government a fortune, DLA ran out last year and I can't fill in the claim form...Does anyone know of any services to help fill it in, was supposed to have decompression,fusion and replacement in my neck last year but had to put it off as lone parent..

ineed

Ellejmorgan wrote: »

You should see the looks I get sometimes when I get the kids from school or when I go to the chemist and I can't write to fill in a script..
I have spinal problems, had the lower back operated on, have sciatica, foot drop, have lost reflexes in ankle & foot and have arthritis, and spine is wearing..also have C5-6 gone in my neck which means I can no longer grip, can't write, hardly drive, hold my baby, or make a cuppa..can't cook anymore..
Both arms are painful but it's my dominant arm that's the worst affected..
I am on 70mcg burenorphine and oramorph..

I'm saving the government a fortune, DLA ran out last year and I can't fill in the claim form...Does anyone know of any services to help fill it in, was supposed to have decompression,fusion and replacement in my neck last year but had to put it off as lone parent..

You could try asking CAB, they help people with DLA forms but I'm not sure about filling them in for you.

Anubis_2

Ellejmorgan wrote: »

You should see the looks I get sometimes when I get the kids from school or when I go to the chemist and I can't write to fill in a script..
I have spinal problems, had the lower back operated on, have sciatica, foot drop, have lost reflexes in ankle & foot and have arthritis, and spine is wearing..also have C5-6 gone in my neck which means I can no longer grip, can't write, hardly drive, hold my baby, or make a cuppa..can't cook anymore..
Both arms are painful but it's my dominant arm that's the worst affected..
I am on 70mcg burenorphine and oramorph..

I'm saving the government a fortune, DLA ran out last year and I can't fill in the claim form...Does anyone know of any services to help fill it in, was supposed to have decompression,fusion and replacement in my neck last year but had to put it off as lone parent..

it can be filled in online if you are only referring to the writing aspect. Otherwise CAB may assist you.

Anubis_2

MissMoneypenny wrote: »

Quite a few come on asking about living in London on housing benefits. There is one on the first page now.

On the great scheme of things, I would say it averages once per month? Twice at best.

It does not take into account those who are forced out of home, it also does not take into account the thousands that have been abused at home. It also does not take into account that all social housing and most private rented will not allow number of people to exceed number of bedrooms.

It's the younger in these categories I feel for. In an ideal world it's workable, but the world is far far far from ideal.

Anubis_2

laptop80 wrote: »

The facts of the DLA/PIP situation, as several people have already posted in response to the anecdotal 'everyone is at it' evidence, prove that this attack on the disabled is a politically-motivated move rather than a moral or genuine austerity measure. The disabled and the unemployed have become easy scapegoats to deflect attention from the bigger issues our economy is facing, with politicians using the media to turn everyone against each other, with every benefit claimant who isn't a wheelchair-bound paraplegic labelled a 'scrounger'. Forget the banks, forget tax-dodging corporations and billionaires, what about that woman with MS? Couldn't she be doing more to help the economy? The recent rise in verbal and physical attacks on the disabled is almost certainly attributable to this shameful policy.

Thankfully I am not disabled and have always been fit and able to work, but I have seen how these 'assessments' are carried out and the effect they have on disabled people. They are designed to be humiliating and prove that the claimant is a liar / can do more than they admit; they seize on anything (e.g. old man puts a brave face on his condition and says he can do more than he realistically can / person with crippling rheumatoid arthritis admits that on a good day they can use the oven) to force them off benefits and make the figures look better. It seems to be irrelevant that lives are being ruined and people genuinely in need are sent home distraught, confused, scared and without the money they need to live a dignified existence.

They say a society can be judged by how it treats its weakest members. If this is the case we are sinking very far indeed by actively and repeatedly picking on the section of society that can defend itself least. That such a high amount of decisions by the company running the asssessment are overturned on appeal should raise alarm bells - what about those people who are too vulnerable to appeal or have no-one to stick up for them? There are certainly disabled people who have had their benefits wrongly removed but cannot face or understand the appeal process so they suffer in silence.

This is with the current system of assessment - after the last crackdown they now want to take benefits off a further 500,000 claimants and reduce spending by 20%. How on earth can you determine care of human beings by the same kind of arbitrary targets you would use to cut the use of stationery in an office? They are essentially saying this *is* how many we will kick off DLA (many less and it would cost more than £1billion being paid to the private company that does the dirty work on their behalf). Doctors should decide who needs what care, not politicians trying to be seen as tough on benefit cheats. To say you can cut claimants by this many *before* the assessments have taken place is disgusting beyond words, particularly as their own evidence suggests fraudulent DLA claims are so low.

Sorry for the rant but it is something I wanted to get off my chest. It appalls me that my tax money is funding the coalition government and a private company to terrorise disabled and elderly people on my behalf. The prospect of falling sick or ill under this government is terrifying and where it will all end I don't know.

As Neil Kinnock said before the election of the last Tory goverment, "I warn you not to be ordinary, I warn you not to be young, I warn you not to fall ill, I warn you not to get old."

The absolute best post I have ever read on MSE :T

sunnyone

The biggest problem with DLA is not the amount that is claimed in JUST DLA but all the premiums which can at least double the amount paid out by the goverment to individual claimants.

The DP, SDP, EP and other "perks" such as none dependant earnings ignored for CTB, bus passes etc. need curbing, DLA is given to help pay for th extra costs of disability so why are do so many "extras"
paid on top of the DLA?

Also people wth very minimal disabilities can get DLA awards.

Dunroamin

Ellejmorgan wrote: »

Yes currently but will they in the future I wonder..

Information about the changes says that they'll be exempt for 2 years, which sounds about right to me.

krisskross

sunnyone wrote: »

The biggest problem with DLA is not the amount that is claimed in JUST DLA but all the premiums which can at least double the amount paid out by the goverment to individual claimants.

The DP, SDP, EP and other "perks" such as none dependant earnings ignored for CTB, bus passes etc. need curbing, DLA is given to help pay for th extra costs of disability so why are do so many "extras"
paid on top of the DLA?

Also people wth very minimal disabilities can get DLA awards.

If I was pootling along nicely with a cash income of up to £250 a week plus all my housing costs paid, perhaps a mobility car thrown in with most of my 'needs' being simply on paper, needing little or no intervention, then I would be extremely concerned about the planned reform of disability benefits. Especially if this lovely state of affairs had been chugging along for many years.

Good to see you back sunnyone. Have you been iller (don't think that is really a word!) than usual?