Upset by way govmt is managing disability benefits change

The top one per cent pay 30 per cent of all income tax revenues: a higher share than at any time in past twenty years. In other words, three in every ten pounds that the government receives in income tax is paid by just over 300,000 individuals.

Costs ARE ballooning and it IS unsustainable. Would you prefer they just pretended that wasn’t the case and did nothing about it?

There are limited options as to what can be done - the pie isn’t growing so we can’t just fiddle around slicing it up differently and expect it to pay for ever more benefits.

I do wonder how many people who are on full disability benefits are saving money that would have previously have been spent by the state in looking after people. So many people are now carers for loved ones and are in poverty because of that. If this was really about getting disabled people into work they would have set up the infrastructure first and then made the cuts. It’s all v sad in my view

So sorry to everyone faced with this stress and uncertainty. DH tells me that our DC once adult would not qualify for most support under the new rules. I haven’t looked closely at the specifics myself because I’m burying my head in the sand, but we’re talking about a genetic condition where adults are nonverbal, cannot be left home alone, need help with every aspect of personal care, and are functionally like toddlers at best.

If my DH is right about this the mind boggles.

Also anxiety and depression are over diagnosed.

People that have SERIOUS issues are being told they have these (I'm one of them) when there are a lot of other complex things going on but GPs dont have time or the inclination to properly diagnose. Its an easy 'get out'.
Then the people who need other tretament and support arent getting it because they arent being diagnosed properly so it seems like everyone is staying home with 'mild anxiety '

You dont get PIP for mild anxiety

The cuts are bad enough but messaging is even worse. They’re effectively endorsing the most horrible ableism.

The documents for the consultation aren’t even available in accessible formats.

I feel this too. I know people will flame me for saying this but I help a lot to claim and do a lot of renewal forms am amazed by how some keep getting awarded it. Fortunately the ones with severe disability usually get awarded it correctly though.

The problem isn't with over diagnosis it's Dr's not diagnosing correctly I'm fifty I'm menopausal but they keep trying to tell me I'm anxious and depressed and offering me cbt and sertraline I don't NEED that bad back get on a waiting list bad hip waiting list bad knee waiting list if they sorted all the people on waiting lists who used to work and can't because they are waiting for surgery they would clear a lot of people off pip and benefits

But let's just go for the easy targets every time

Also they talk about extra claims they deny most claims first time anyway they are overturned on appeal which costs the taxpayers more money why are they overturned? Why do they deny claims from people with severe difficulties going from full rate to none like there legs grew back or they suddenly don't have down syndrome? There is no consistency

When is this happening? It’s another couple of years isn’t it?

Trouble is none of this is addressed by the proposed reforms though.

I feel so sorry for disabled people who are caught up in this uncertainty. Sadly, I feel that all the fraudulent claims and pee taking has forced the government into a corner. Some people have absolutely taken advantage and now the consequences of this are hurting some of society’s most vulnerable people.

What annoys me, is if the DWP were doing their jobs properly, a LOT of people would never have been able to claim in the first place. Back in 2013, I was put through the wringer by them in order to claim, and would definitely have killed myself due to the stress they put me under, had it not been for the support of my wonderful DH. I ended up having to get my local MP involved, and to give him his due, he visited me at home, the day before my tribunal, came upstairs to see me while I was in bed, and the minute he walked through the door, he said that it was obvious that a mistake had been made, and I should definitely be getting my benefits. He went back to his office, dictated, and had a letter typed up to the Judges of the tribunal, which he then hand delivered to me on his way up to the House of Commons for a meeting, so that I could take it to Court the next morning. Until that point, I had hit barriers to claiming, in every direction. Even my own doctor was so sick of the DWP and their demands for evidence, that she refused to write any more letters on my behalf, as in her words, she had better things to do, having already written to them previously! I had an assessment by a healthcare 'professional', who told the DWP, that I would be able to go back to work within 2 months, when my own Consultant, had stated in my paperwork, that it was extremely unlikely that I would ever be able to work again! If everyone who claimed was put through these sort of rigorous checks and tests, there wouldn't be nearly such a huge bill for the disabled, as is the case currently.

Unfortunately though, many genuine claimants have stupidly shared the answers they gave when claiming their PIP, on social media, and so people who don't want to work, have just picked up on this information and deliberately lied in order to claim.

As a genuine claimant myself, my stress levels are through the roof right now, as I really don't know what I will do if my money is cut. This only makes my condition worse, so if they think that all these cuts are going to get people like me back to work, then I think they are sadly mistaken.

I wont even have enough for my bills.

They can't do this to people :(

The richest 1% already pay 30% of the tax take - it would be ridiculous to tax them any more. And the Laffer Curve makes clear that it wouldn't work, either.

I honestly cannot see how they will be able to take away such a lot of people's income, especially as it will affect so many. many will not be able to pay rent, heat their homes etc.

I feel the same way.

I'm waiting for DLA to be next too.

Well I can't do it so fuck knows what will happen to me.

Maybe I wont be around to find out.

Instead of cuts, tax to invest, everyone except the poorest. It’s too easy to say just tax the rich but in countries with good health and welfare systems everyone pays more tax.

High-tax countries like Finland, Denmark and Sweden are far from perfect, but if you spend a decent amount of time there and get to know residents it’s impossible to deny they are vastly superior in terms of services.

You will be made to look for work too.
It is fucking bleak. People not affected by this have no idea.

I will be affected.
I get standard rate for both and LWRCA. 11 points for faily living currently but all 2s and 3s. No 4 points.

Our household will lose :

£290 daily living pip (should be able to keep motability, as 10 points on that and blue badge)
£416 LWRCA
£200 from my DS being a carer
£90 non dependant deduction from housing benefit as DS living with me to care for me

Thats 996.

Thats basically all my money.

I don't know how we will survive :(

I think they also need to consider what all these current benefits being given out are being spent on. Cleaners, gardeners, taxis , motorbility cars, cafes. Take huge amounts of money away from people and they are going to crash the economy even more than they already are doing.
I help a lot of older people to claim Attendance Allowance and I've no doubt that this (and children's DLA ) will be next for a tightening up of criteria after the winter fuel payment fiasco has died down. Most of these older people are wanting it for a cleaner or gardener, chiropodist, mobile hairdressers etc and it's going to hit certain sectors of the economy hard when it's taken away or restricted.

The problem with over taxing wealthy people is that they will simply move abroad as today they can work from anywhere and the country will be left with only the poorest to pay tax. Then what will happen?
There are 33,000 new awards for PIP each month, which will cost the taxpayer £28 billion a year by 2028. This is unsustainable.

Yes someone losing PIP will mean their partner (or whoever) will lose their carers allowance and be forced to look for work. The person needing care will have to look for work too if they don't have 4 points on one aspect of daily living for PIP.
It makes no sense.