MSE News: Disability and carer's allowance claimaints to suffer as inflation falls

fed_up_and_stressed

FBaby wrote: »

Very little in life is easy, but you still have to help yourself if you need it. I am saying that the money should go towards it. Are you saying that because it won't be easy to get better, it is not worth pursuing? Surely if there is a long waiting list for a cpn even better reason to use DLA towards private counselling in the meantime? Surely benefits should be to try to get better so not to need it any longer rather than seeing it as compensation for not ever trying to get better?

I have a huge number of prescriptions directly related to my disability my PIP will help me pay for these. I'm sure I'm not the only one who does use their "benefits money" to help them overcome the effects of their disability ... Why is there an assumption that it is always used for other things like "luxuries" ?

bloolagoon

fed_up_and_stressed wrote: »

But the point is disabled people may have barriers higher than non disabled e.g there is a theory (more like a model) referred to as spoon theory

And they may not it's very individual


the difference in being sick and being healthy is having to make choices or to consciously think about things when the rest of the world doesn’t have to. The healthy have the luxury of a life without choices, a gift most people take for granted.

Sometimes time restricts this which some disabled have I do not believe healthy people have a life without choices. Plus I don't believe every person is healthy. For example with mental health there are estimated to be very large figures who are not healthy but don't acknowledge this. The story line of Steve in corrie highlights this well.


Most people start the day with unlimited amount of possibilities, and energy to do whatever they desire, especially young people. For the most part, they do not need to worry about the effects of their actions. Disabled people who are suffering overwhelming fatigue may max out their energy level (their spoons) doing things that others take for granted e.g having a shower, getting out of bed leaving no energy left for "enjoyable activities" or day to day activities.

Some people start their day with dread and fear and desolation and would just love to stay in bed so their energies are recharged. Not every disabled faces this and not every healthy person doesn't suffer exhaustion. It's again individual.


For example there is no way I can go to the supermarket and get a family shop. My energy "spoons" are used up by completing activities of daily living e.g getting up and dressed. As such my PiP will pay for me to have my shopping delivered. Personally I would love to be able to amble around a shop ..but its not going to happen so the money that the green eyed monster is eyeing up seeing as free money (I pay my taxes by the way) is actually being used to put me as an equal to a non disabled. I.e enabling me to get groceries.

Fair point and I dislike those that show the green eyes from both sides. Life isn't green grass being disabled I know. However, when I was full time (before I got ill), I hadn't the energy to shop and paid for deliveries. Now I have time to do so even if I'm exhausted as I have 24 hours a week I never had before. It's again individual.

These conversations are generally only started by non disabled people bangging on about "free shiny cars" when they have no concept of the bad bits e.g the pain, fatigue, loss of independence that "enables" a person to get this.

This is why it is said that by people such as me that i'd happily give back my motability car if they took my disability with it.

I think motability is different and I too fail to see why anyone who gets green eyes does so. It's a well thought out scheme that is funded in the main by the claimant (even if benefits it's still their payment).

But I do see how some can see its potential to be "abused" not sure if that's the right word but can't think of another when it's a family car.


There's also the issue that for many private lease can be more cost effective and if HRM was used for private lease no one cares but just because it's motability they do. I never see those with private cars being stigmatised or scuitinised as they do when it's mobility.


I do see both sides and that's the point really, unless you are living someone else's life you shouldn't assume theirs are better.

My post initially however was in response to "I need a holiday to recharge due to MH" whereas that's applicable to all. There are many not yet at treatment stages who fully need and deserve that holiday too. Yet the statement was made that "they deserved it" and others don't. TBH it's statements like that which create the growing problem disabled face. Saying you deserve something others don't goes part way to the divide. I deserve to go to the cinema etc you are heathy you don't isn't going to make anyone understand disability any time soon.

I've not seen a post on here for a long time along the lines of

"I wish you could afford to have a break, holiday, night out, it's wrong that you work hard and can't afford luxuries and I have sympathy for that. But it's not my fault so don't compare me" it's just get a second job, work harder, lower your costs.

Is this rambling making any sense :rotfl:

fed_up_and_stressed

Indie_Kid wrote: »

I was told that they'd only pay bus fare (mine is free and I have no idea if they'd pay mums) because of how expensive parking is.

I get no help with travel costs as I am a working disabled person with a reasonable income from my wage ... More than £2 an hour lol

Viberduo

FBaby wrote: »

What I don't understand is why you are always coming up with reasons why suggestions are not attainable? Anyone is much more likely to be able to find a counsellor than not. Anyone suffering from anxiety and panic attacks is much more likely to benefit from counselling than not, yet you always seem to focus on the least likely outcomes to justify not doing something. Maybe that might have contributed to why counselling didn't help you (I really don't mean that in a sarcastic way).

It doesnt work for many as its too simplistic and different workers have different interpretations of how to help plus the waiting lists for NHS ones are so severe and you are lucky if you get 6 appointments.

When I had it, it ended up a mix of being treated like I was a small child who could not fend for themselves and had a low IQ, or that helping me was just telling me that I was depressed as I sat at home and to just leave the house or I struggled to make friends, the solution was "make new friends", I was overweight so "to eat normal" I had sleeping problems "go to bed at normal times and dont sleep more than 8 hours" not anything to actually help.

Indie_Kid

bloolagoon wrote: »

My post initially however was in response to "I need a holiday to recharge due to MH" whereas that's applicable to all. There are many not yet at treatment stages who fully need and deserve that holiday too. Yet the statement was made that "they deserved it" and others don't. TBH it's statements like that which create the growing problem disabled face. Saying you deserve something others don't goes part way to the divide. I deserve to go to the cinema etc you are heathy you don't isn't going to make anyone understand disability any time soon.

I've not seen a post on here for a long time along the lines of

"I wish you could afford to have a break, holiday, night out, it's wrong that you work hard and can't afford luxuries and I have sympathy for that. But it's not my fault so don't compare me" it's just get a second job, work harder, lower your costs.

Is this rambling making any sense :rotfl:

Holidays as a disabled person are generally more expensive. I was having a look at travel insurance recently. The cheapest I could get for one year was around £250. If I wasn't disabled, it would cost me around £50, I think it was.

Counselling didn't help because, as I understand it, the therapies for most people with MH difficulties, tend not to work for those of us with Autism. At the time, my diagnosis was depression and this was about 5 years before I was diagnosed with Autism.

bloolagoon

Indie_Kid wrote: »

Holidays as a disabled person are generally more expensive. I was having a look at travel insurance recently. The cheapest I could get for one year was around £250. If I wasn't disabled, it would cost me around £50, I think it was.

Counselling didn't help because, as I understand it, the therapies for most people with MH difficulties, tend not to work for those of us with Autism. At the time, my diagnosis was depression and this was about 5 years before I was diagnosed with Autism.

They are not generally more expensive that is my point. They can and can't be. It's not I'm disabled so mine costs more but nothing I say can alter your mindset.

My brother for example has set holidays, his only 2 week break is August factory shut down. His inability to chose none peak travel means his is more expensive as is true for many people especially parents. Your increase personally is insurance whereas their personal increase is inflexible holidays.

Also there are a significant number of disabled who have no extra holiday costs, many conditions don't attract a higher premium at all. Yet a none disabled who may have had investigations for a medical condition attracts higher insurance.

But as I said I can't say anything to open your eyes to anything other than your current stance as you cannot empathise at all, nor seem willing.

Indie_Kid

bloolagoon wrote: »

They are not generally more expensive that is my point. They can and can't be. It's not I'm disabled so mine costs more but nothing I say can alter your mindset.

My brother for example has set holidays, his only 2 week break is August factory shut down. His inability to chose none peak travel means his is more expensive as is true for many people especially parents. Your increase personally is insurance whereas their personal increase is inflexible holidays.

Also there are a significant number of disabled who have no extra holiday costs, many conditions don't attract a higher premium at all. Yet a none disabled who may have had investigations for a medical condition attracts higher insurance.

But as I said I can't say anything to open your eyes to anything other than your current stance as you cannot empathise at all, nor seem willing.

Being a parent is a choice. Having a disability which means your insurance costs more, isn't.

fed_up_and_stressed

bloolagoon wrote: »

They are not generally more expensive that is my point. They can and can't be. It's not I'm disabled so mine costs more but nothing I say can alter your mindset.

My brother for example has set holidays, his only 2 week break is August factory shut down. His inability to chose none peak travel means his is more expensive as is true for many people especially parents. Your increase personally is insurance whereas their personal increase is inflexible holidays.

Also there are a significant number of disabled who have no extra holiday costs, many conditions don't attract a higher premium at all. Yet a none disabled who may have had investigations for a medical condition attracts higher insurance.

But as I said I can't say anything to open your eyes to anything other than your current stance as you cannot empathise at all, nor seem willing.

I would love to know exactly what part of the test for PIP or DLA criteria is based on holiday needs ... Oh yes ..it isn't its based on needs for activities of daily living such as bathing and dressing or going to places a claimant is familiar or unfamiliar with .. No mention of holidays...however if a person chooses to spend their DLA / PIP on this it is their choice.

bloolagoon

fed_up_and_stressed wrote: »

I would love to know exactly what part of the test for PIP or DLA criteria is based on holiday needs ... Oh yes ..it isn't its based on needs for activities of daily living such as bathing and dressing or going to places a claimant is familiar or unfamiliar with .. No mention of holidays...however if a person chooses to spend their DLA / PIP on this it is their choice.

Indie raised it, you'd need to ask her. You could being devils advocate argue that as it's not given for insurance it's not relevant but they raised it so you'd need to direct it at them.

nannytone_2

i go on holiday twice a year to somerset. just on the borders of north devon,,, a beautiful part of the country.
before anyone starts to spit blood... i go to visit my parents!
i book train tickets well in advance and it usually costs about £30 return each time.
i bet there are still some people that think i shouldnt be 'wasting taxpayers money' on those unecessary trips!