MSE News: Half a million could lose disability benefits

Dunroamin

zzzLazyDaisy wrote: »

Personally, I think there is something terribly wrong with the benefits system when a person with a terminal diagnosis and prognosis of 6 months or less is fast-tracked through DLA under the special rules in recognition of the fact that their expected life span is extremely limited....

..... but that same person is considered to be fit to work under the ESA rules.

Yes, I agree.

Dunroamin

Boots888 wrote: »

Dunroamin wrote: »

Not only is it not a fact, your statement doesn't even make sense! What on earth do you mean by "The diagosis of cancer in the UK is amongst the worst in Europe"?

What I mean is it's a fact that :-

"The diagosis of cancer in the UK is amongst the worst in Europe"?

If you don't know that, then I don't think you are at all qualified to comment on the issue. I'm informing you, not argueing the point.

OK. I knew you didn't understand what you were talking about - although your use of colour is quite interesting.;)

princessdon

The whole thing needs a radical shake up

At the moment people can do "hobby" businesses earn say £200 a month, place their children in childcare and claim tax credits, childcare and other benefits to the tune of those earning £30K a year (tax aside, comparing take home pay).

People with disabilities (true disabilities) are being hounded and are fearful putting more strain on lives that are vulnerable.

Then there are others claiming disability who know how to "work the system". Eg the mum from school whose back is so bad she can't move work etc, whose partner gets carers allowance and cycles to school, was first in the parents egg and spoon race and I saw today running past my house with her child on her back.

It needs a radical change, it needs to go back to being a safety net, not a luxury and for some at the moment it is a luxury, without the genuine losing out. I appreciate there is no black and white, and grey areas will always exist but the current system is encouraging families to separate and take part time work and top it up with endless credits.

How much does to cost to "maintain" a couple who split up and then go on benefits. What is the true cost (including all benefits) for a single parent of say 3 and then a single parent of 1?

Also I know the arguments against maintenance being counted (and to some extent agree as they fluctuate) BUT when a single parent can have say £1K a month in maintenance and then still claim benefits for the full amount I can't help but think something is wrong.

That's before I get started on the SE who take "cash payments" and those who have overseas accounts and tax avoidance.

Add the "tax credit" overpayments - I don't wish to pay it back how can I avoid it but happily took the money debate too.

There really isn't a level playing field and only the honest (whether working, benefits or otherwise) are the losers! Those that play the system are winning hands down!

clemmatis

Dunroamin wrote: »

Boots888 wrote: »

OK. I knew you didn't understand what you were talking about - although your use of colour is quite interesting.;)

http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/news/archive/cancernews/2010-12-22-UK-survival-for-major-cancers-improves-but-still-lags-behind-other-countries-

clemmatis

bigadaj wrote: »

I think it's pretty unlikely you'd find joey Barton working, utter scum.

One thing that came out of my experience was this blanket term of cancer is utterly meaningless; the prognosis can be anything from minor treatment and a normal life expectancy to a debilitating range of treatments and still a shortened life expectancy.

The fact that you have an illness shouldn't immediately be an excuse for making a claim, the uk obsession with entitlement is depressing and the welfare state should be there'd as a limited safety net, not an excuse to screw an extra few grand out of the system.

My point wasn't about "working", but about the likelihood of dropping down dead next week.

Cancer's being an umbrella term for different conditions, of varying severity, is only relevant if we think all people diagnosed with cancer get benefits because of the diagnosis. They don't, and nobody here is suggesting they should.

But carry on dealing in straw men... .

Dunroamin

clemmatis wrote: »

Dunroamin wrote: »

http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/news/archive/cancernews/2010-12-22-UK-survival-for-major-cancers-improves-but-still-lags-behind-other-countries-

Very interesting.

However, it has nothing to do with Boots888's statement that "The diagosis of cancer in the UK is amongst the worst in Europe". Diagnosis and survival rates are separate issues, although I'm sure that there is room for improvement in both.

princessdon

I have had cancer x 2. Total days off work zero! I am lucky that I work PT and flexi of course (a full timer would have more difficulty) so I can move to my working days to days other than Chemo/Radio so agree it isn't a reason NOT to work.

That said if I wasn't employed at time this occured, I'd have found few if any who would have taken me on so catch 22.

That said was I disabled - NO, was there a chance I could have been disabled - YES. It shouldn't be an automatic right and dilutes those that have it at advanced stages and so have a much bigger and harder fight on their hands than those identified in early stages.

It's like any disease there are variations - but once terminal it is utterly dispicable that they have to undergo a medical, makes me feel sick to my stomach that they are questioned and forced to attend a medical at all!

Ellejmorgan

princessdon wrote: »

The whole thing needs a radical shake up

At the moment people can do "hobby" businesses earn say £200 a month, place their children in childcare and claim tax credits, childcare and other benefits to the tune of those earning £30K a year (tax aside, comparing take home pay).

People with disabilities (true disabilities) are being hounded and are fearful putting more strain on lives that are vulnerable.

Then there are others claiming disability who know how to "work the system". Eg the mum from school whose back is so bad she can't move work etc, whose partner gets carers allowance and cycles to school, was first in the parents egg and spoon race and I saw today running past my house with her child on her back.

It needs a radical change, it needs to go back to being a safety net, not a luxury and for some at the moment it is a luxury, without the genuine losing out. I appreciate there is no black and white, and grey areas will always exist but the current system is encouraging families to separate and take part time work and top it up with endless credits.

How much does to cost to "maintain" a couple who split up and then go on benefits. What is the true cost (including all benefits) for a single parent of say 3 and then a single parent of 1?

Also I know the arguments against maintenance being counted (and to some extent agree as they fluctuate) BUT when a single parent can have say £1K a month in maintenance and then still claim benefits for the full amount I can't help but think something is wrong.

That's before I get started on the SE who take "cash payments" and those who have overseas accounts and tax avoidance.

Add the "tax credit" overpayments - I don't wish to pay it back how can I avoid it but happily took the money debate too.

There really isn't a level playing field and only the honest (whether working, benefits or otherwise) are the losers! Those that play the system are winning hands down!

I get so annoyed by those that say they have a bad back when they don't..
I really do and am facing my 3rd operation on my back and i'm only 33, when it's bad I can't walk, also affects my neck badly..my life is a misery at times..

But then I have to get on with it, and knowing there are those worse puts it into perspective..

Maintainance would be lovely, I wish I could get some unfortunatly the ex is a jobhopper who thinks £10 per week for 2 kids is acceptable, I do get your point though...

I aggree with assessment but the process needs to be made simpler, I shouldn't be made to travel 50 miles round trip and forced to keep my kids off school for a day so I can be assessed and pay £100 in cab fares for the privelage..
Even though as a lone parent with a baby I'm not forced to work anyway..
It isn't logical and I think they should focus on evidence from the medical profession before assessment..

clemmatis

Dunroamin wrote: »

Very interesting.

However, it has nothing to do with Boots888's statement that "The diagosis of cancer in the UK is amongst the worst in Europe". Diagnosis and survival rates are separate issues, although I'm sure that there is room for improvement in both.

That isn't entirely true, as -- as the piece says... -- the poorer survival rates in the UK are thought to be linked to later diagnosis.

There was a fair amount about all this in the media during the New Labour years. The money they threw at the NHS, and the targets they introduced, did help a lot. I'm not optimistic about the improvement continuing, though.

This doesn't negate your point about the priority given to cancer and to certain cancers in particular, of course.

Anyway. The ESA issue, apparently, is whether patients receiving intravenous chemotherapy should be called to face-to-face WCA assessments, the DLA one, whether patients diagnosed with terminal cancer should be fast-tracked for DLA, as they are now.

Playhouse

At the moment people can do "hobby" businesses earn say £200 a month, place their children in childcare and claim tax credits, childcare and other benefits to the tune of those earning £30K a year (tax aside, comparing take home pay).

Well as somebody who runs a so called hobby business this comment upsets me greatly. I am self employed and work as much as I can given that I have three young children and the particular job I do, like a lot of things is not gurunteed income. My husband is the wage earner and with out the £200 a month I earn through self employment, we would not get through every month. I do not have child care paid for me. However Im seperating from my husband and have looked into whats available when I do because even with any maintenance he pays, its still not enough to live on, my rent alone will be £650 a month.
However, I have a brain injury caused by a stroke, I was lucky to survive and was left permanently disabled, I had a good career which I was unable to return to. My self employment has given me a sense of worth because employment wise Im every employers worst nightmare, I walk with a stick, lose my balance and fall over and I cant remember what I did five minutes ago. I receive LRC and LRM and Im more than happy to be assessed. I would have given anything not to have had a stroke and missed the first few months of my daughters life.