AIBU to hope that able bodied people will support disabled people against the tory attack on PIP?

I think it's that every other prejudice they have used as a scapegoat has become a protected characteristic and had protests about it,
so now they're picking on the vulnerable ones who probably won't make as much fuss.
Ableism needs to be seen as much about equality and diversity as any other issue.

Yes it’s bye bye to PIP

DLA was never means tested ?

I think it's a bit of a non starter. They won't target severely mentally ill people, it seems to be aimed at 'mild' mental illness ( whatever that is defined as ) and people don't get PIP for mh generally unless they are on strong meds, under a psychiatrist, CPN or crisis team/ have had suicide attempts etc. So I'm not really sure who the changes are aimed at.
Having said that I do think reform of the system is needed.
The consultation that is going out for it is asking people involved ( benefits advisors etc) about a lot of things - things like whether any of the PIP descriptors should be changed etc and which ones so I think we can expect changes on the actual descriptors.
I think it's likely that with changes to the descriptors, then obviously the criteria will change excluding some groups more than others from claiming. I expect they may change the descriptor around unfamiliar journeys/ going out alone.
It's the same with the work capability assessment. they are looking to remove certain descriptors which a lot of people qualify ( significant risk and mobility descriptors ) on so that not as many people will qualify for LCWRA.
I am a benefits advisor and see some shocking decisions where people should definitely be awarded and others decision where you think what on earth did they say to get awarded that rate. I've seen one person openly exaggerate their difficulty in mobilizing in front of a tribunal and no medical evidence to support what she was saying. Fortunately the tribunal saw through the lies.
I believe it should be based mainly on medical evidence, although understand that can be hard to access as NHS is overwhelmed and many don't get referred to consultants in a timely manner. I had one client whose GP decided he could adequately diagnose fibro and deemed him not to need to be referred to a consultant which PIP like to see. there are so many barriers it's hard to know where reform could start.

PIP is for the chopping block regardless of who wins later this year.

A return to means tested DLA linked with jobseeker benefit is likely.

It was good old Labour who brought in outside contractors to assess disability claimants and I can't see the assessment system changing all that much.

They tendered the assessment process out last year and these big firms have five year contracts which would be very expensive for the Department to break.

If you live in a rural area and find the cost of your commute unaffordable, you can move.

People with disabling health conditions can't simply choose not to be ill or disabled.

Oh yes, because there hasn't been a recent drive towards presenteeism as hollowing out areas full of offices empty of people during Covid didn't cause areas to die as there were no commuters to buy coffee and sarnies, go shopping in their lunch hours and to nearby pubs for after work drinking. Be interesting to see how it's affected public transport too.

The law of unintended consequences eh?

It is hard to get. I do one or two PIP applications most weeks, and have done for the last 6 years or so. Approx 40% of them are declined. Some of those decisions are overturned at the mandatory reconsideration stage, the rest go to appeal.

I have yet to lose a PIP appeal. The tribunals, which are made up of a judge, a doctor of some kind and a disability expert, have overturned every single PIP decision that I've put before them. The same is true for my colleagues, too, even the two that don't have a background in welfare rights work.

That's an awful lot of incorrect refusals on the part of the DWP. If PIP was "easy" to get, people who are entitled to it wouldn't keep getting turned down.

I have no problem with genuinely disabled people receiving help - to me that is what I’m happy to pay tax for.
I’m not happy to pay tax to fund ridiculous gender ideology projects in the NHS. I’m not happy to fund people staying at home to look after more children than they should have had. I’m not happy that too many people see benefits as a lifestyle.
Im also not happy that the very rich are getting richer by dodging tax. I’m not happy with the massive civil service pensions or people who milk the sick note system (I have one of these in my office - they recently went back ‘on the sick’ due to anxiety caused when they did turn up for work unannounced one morning to find someone hot desking on their computer - no joke)
I don’t know anyone who begrudges genuinely incapacitated people.

No, but they could get a work from home job.

This.👍

The benefits bill is soaring and unfortunately it is unsustainable due to there not being enough taxpayers contributing to sustain this level of support. However this is NOT the fault of disabled people and they should not suffer. Instead of targeting those on benefits, we should think more about how our government absolutely wastes money. Ordinary people don't seem to get annoyed about BILLIONS being wasted on faulty PPE and all the money Boris et. al. funnelled to their mates during covid, literally bankrupting the country. MPs charge expenses to the taxpayers for ridiculous reasons. Big corporations pay minimal tax. I am certain that if the government didn't waste so much on utter nonsense and actually collected tax from billionaires, then there would be plenty for those who need benefits.

The devil's advocate argument about transport could be taken further.

Why should anyone get anything that they haven't worked to pay for themselves?

Obviously in the current economy it's because wages do not cover basic living costs for a vast number of people. A significant number of them have physical and mental disabilities that prevent them from working be it part time or full time. The argument that families and communities should support them is often trotted out, but those capable of "caring" also have to live and a dual household income is the gold standard now.

The government has a covenant with the people who vote it in. Part of that covenant has evolved into the provision of a safety net for people, often temporarily but sometimes permanently, paid for (allegedly) by taking taxes to support both general infrastructure (bins, policing, health services etc etc) and the safety net. Because it recognises we do not live in a free market capitalism economy and the markets fluctuate.

These days catching votes by demonising one tiny part of "spending" and vowing to give voters what the majority demand in the moment regardless whether it will help or harm the collective is the norm and technology and media has advanced in such a sophisticated manner the populous can be lead by the nose via algorithm in the desired directions. Data is one if the most valuable commodities in the world for business and politics which are now incestuously intertwined.

We are seeing rapid global destabilisation at a rate that previous provisions cannot keep up with, as far as I can see, due to many factors not least being the capitalisation on the instability which benefits a few and leaves countless as collateral damage.

Everything is out of whack and I can't see a good end to that.

Of course not every single able bodied person lives within commuting distance of their job. But many, many do. And many work from home now. But, those people could also choose to change their circumstances if they really, really had to.

Disabled people can't change their disability.

If you live in a rural area you need a car to get to work, and nobody else pays for it!

Motability is a charity. Paid for by the charity and the leasers.

It costs the government/taxpayer nothing The arrangement is that anyone getting full rate mobility component can lease the car.

They don’t own it, they can’t get back any deposit, they just use the car.

https://www.motabilityfoundation.org.uk/media/f42p5cgk/factsheet-3-how-the-motability-scheme-is-funded.pdf

What part of some disabled people have mobility problems that able bodied people don't is difficult to understand?

Non-disabled people only have those options in cities. In rural areas, they are not options.

Do you not think disabled people have it hard enough without seeing ridiculous poll options labelling them scroungers that half of posters agree with?

Wtaf

Would you put something similar up for people of colour?

I've not once mentioned claiming benefits except to say I know PIP is a bastard to get.

You are massively misunderstanding me, I'm using claim as in "to state"

Edited to add - neither did I compare claiming benefits to a TV licence.

Bearing in mind that the tax/benefit ratio has to come down, and playing devil's advocate a bit here, why should disabled people have their cars paid for to get to work, when non-disabled people don't (both often rely on their own transport)?aim PIP.

Non disabled people will very often have the option to use public transport, cycle or walk to work. People with restricted mobility that is severe enough to qualify for PIP mobility component will not have that choice.

Also, mobility cars are paid for by disabled people themselves. They use the PIP they receive to pay for the cars if they can afford to do so.

I have stated this, time and again. I don’t think it fits the narrative.

I've got your back OP. I hate the divisive crap the government are coming out with at the moment. They're trying to turn everybody against each other, using religion, colour, disability or whatever else they can find to remove the spotlight from their own abject failings and inability to govern fairly, humanely or effectively. Try to stay strong and as positive as you can because I honestly think there's no way they're getting in again and there's a silent majority out there who can see exactly what they're up to and have had enough of it.

PIP. Is. An. In. Work. Benefit.

It is not an income replacement benefit. It is to help people with the extra costs that being disabled can bring. Employment status is irrelevant.

My disability 'costs' me about £500 a month I suppose (I forgot needing cleaners in the above!). But I work to pay for those costs. And in some ways, I feel as though it's not acceptable for me to feel that way?

Bearing in mind that the tax/benefit ratio has to come down, and playing devil's advocate a bit here, why should disabled people have their cars paid for to get to work, when non-disabled people don't (both often rely on their own transport)?