Too Many Cuts...come join the #Frothers and have your say

lower rate doesn't necessarily mean you are any less disabled - it can mean you need lots of help in the day but don't need help often at night for example. or that whilst you are sometimes a danger to yourself this is not 24hrs a day.

it's more about levels of help needed and hours that help is needed in rather than levels of disabledness. crazy world that we're now talking about 'levels' of disability. disabled means disabled no? oh no not anymore.

This conditionality is absed on me working 20 hours right? IF I can find that work I am OK with that; it's just if.

They will not allow him off sick from workfare then? Even if signed off? And I will lose the access to HB for him being mentally ill? fabbo. How's that fair then (rhetorical question don't worry!)

bad link sorry

Peachy - if HE is the one that is SE - HE will be the one who faces the sanctions for not earning 35hrs@NMW. And by that standard, it will be HIM that faces Workfare. And if he doesn't complete the Workfare (even due to MH probs), they will Sanction the UC for 3 months.

The CAB person you spoke to was wrong, I'm pretty sure - I have read a document PRODUCED by the CAB working Committee that raises this as an issue that will push families with multiple issues into poverty...

First year of UC, as far as I can see, Peachy, rather than first year of being SE. Don't quote me on that one, though...

If you are registered as a carer, Peachy, then your DH won't be able to. ONE of you HAS to be designated as the main earner. Only ONE carer allowed per household...

And Peachy - YOU will ALSO face Conditionality (thus Workfare) if the youngest dc you are caring for is over 5yo and you're not as a couple earning MORE THAN £17,389pa...

[[http://economicsurvivor.net/2011/12/12/westminster-workfare/ scary stuff] about workfare

Frankly there will BE no jobs for anyone soon enough; poor people will be given pittance for doing workfare, full stop.

The committee for eg "With regard to the housing benefit cap, the disproportionate impact of current proposals on larger households is said by the Government to be justified because it promotes fairness with similar-sized households which are just outside entitlement to benefit ? undoubtedly a legitimate aim. However, the committee is concerned about the possible disproportionate impact on some disabled people. It therefore recommends allowing additional discretion to exempt disabled people facing exceptional hardship from the benefit cap and from the provisions concerning under-occupation of social housing."

Also this: "The committee is therefore not satisfied that the Government has demonstrated reasonable justification for the negative impact of the introduction of Personal Independence Payments on the right of disabled people to independent living. The Bill should be amended to ensure that the assessment process for PIPs takes account of the various barriers experienced by disabled claimants. The committee recommends a trial period for the new assessment process and a report to Parliament on the implementation of the new testing system. However, it welcomes the Government's decision to table an amendment to the Bill to remove the provision which allows for withdrawal of the mobility component of PIP from residential care home residents."

It's also - like us largely bemoaning the lack of detail.

So is LRC what used to be MRC then?

That report Peachy linked to upthread about human rights and welfare changes is very interesting - and just in time for house of loards debate. HoL v v keen on human rights so could be a good sign to get this turned around (or at least substantially amended)

OH puleeeaaase tell me no one really believes Samantha Cameron wanted Ikea furniture.

And how I chortled at the "it's up to David to assemble the cabinet" comment, totally unscripted from a Downing Street clone.

Glossary:

Conditionality - Where you have to work for a set amount of hours, apply for any job you are told to, take any job you are offered, or do Workfare, or you will face Sanctions.

NO Conditionality - You are not expected to seek work, or face sanctions for not working enough hours or earning enough money.

Household Income - The combined earnings of both people in a couple, or the total earnings of a single person or a Lone Parent.

Earnings Disregard - an amount of earnings that you are allowed to keep before they start taking away 65%. It is totally dependent on your personal circumstances.

Support Group of ESA - A group that is for the 6% of disabled people that are classed as the most severely disabled. One of the ONLY groups of people to face NO Conditionality.

WRAG of ESA - Work Related Activity Group - A group for the quite disabled - approximately 73.5% of people that have disabilities are in this group. They get ONE YEAR to prepare to rejoin the workforce, and then they are subject to 'limited' conditionality - and can face Sanctions if they do not work for 20hrs/wk.

ESA - Employment and Support Allowance - A benefit paid to people with disabilities who are unable to work, either permanantly or for the near future.

HRC on DLA - High Rate Care - Paid to the most severely disabled recipients of DLA, also puts you in the No Conditionality group.

LRC on DLA - Low Rate Care - Paid to people that are 'quite' disabled, and can put you in the lower (20hrs/wk) conditionality group.

DLA - Disability Living Allowance - A benefit paid to people with disabilities. It is both an in-work AND out-of work benefit, paid in recognition of the extra costs that having a disability incurs.

Sanctions - Stopping payment of UC for not following certain directives. For the first Sanction, UC will be stopped for 3 months. For the second Sanction, UC will be stopped for 6 months. For the third Sanction, UC will be stopped for 3 YEARS.

HTH.

Drafts does take out any formatting yes.

grrrr - the time I spent convincing people they could be disabled and a carer (for another adult) - it came up a few times when I was an adviser - it meant they got an extra £13 carer's premium on IS back in the day. Sigh.

Have read, it slug. It is fan-bloody-tastic. Please publish it.

I don't know if it's because it's in drafts but there are no paragraphs. Other than that it looks perfect.

(PS is anyone from a major charity or similar is reading this and wants to offer me a job around 20 hours or so (more after June) I am in Wales, a graduate and experienced in that sector. Cheers ;) )

Interesting Hunty as I have a letter from Maria miller stating that we'd get reduced CD element for ds3 (the one on MR) but would not lose it, hmm.

I'm in it now slug. Will take a look.

But will it be him that faces the sanctions, not me?

He won;t do workfare- well he will then have a breakdown on day 3, such is his MH issue level but I cannot change that.

Is it first year of being SE or first year of UC?

Another question (sorry): CAB advise that DH registers as a carer when he graduates to get reduced conditionality (I am also a carer but obviously we have multiple disabled children), I read that won't be possible as it will be one CA perfamily- who is right please?

AF, if you log into the blog (if you are a contributor that is) Go to Posting >Edit Posts and you will see it at the top of the list. Click on it and you will see it sans paragraphs and formatting.

Kal - If your household income (either one higher earner, or two lower earners combined) is OVER £17,389 pa, then no-one in your household will face Conditionality. If you are under, even by a penny - then you WILL face Conditionality.

TheHumanCatapult - I am ALSO facing the Disabled or Carer choice. Not allowed to be BOTH as a Lone parent. However - if you are part of a couple, one person is 'allowed' to be classed as disabled, and the OTHER is allowed to be designated as a Carer - even if it is DC they are caring for. How to penalise DISABLED LONE PARENTS.

Oh - and only ONE of your dc is allowed to be disabled, too apparently - you will only be able to claim the child disability element of UC for ONE dc. That fucks me and Peachy over.

Peachy - If you then do not meet the Conditionality due to being SE, after the first year, then you will face the Sanction levels.

It seems to me that there is going to be a problem finding workfare placements. How many places would they need FGS?

Rudolph - SE is classed as making the equivalent of NMW for either 20hrs or 35 hrs, depending on what your situation is (LP/main carer in a couple/main earner). If you are NOT making that much, or are even making a loss - your income will STILL be classed as if that person is making the income to meet NMW for that amount of hours, 20 or 35 depending. OR you as a SE person can decide whether to accept Conditionality on TOP of running your SE business. But it's only a choice for the first YEAR. After that, if you are NOT making NMW for 20/35hrs - you WILL be put under the Conditionality for your situation.