UK officially in recession...

[Startingagainandagain]

Latest stats released show the UK is now officially in recession (Office for national statistic data).

Gaslighting has started in the media by ministers to try to minimise that fact.

Isn't it time to face the facts instead and call a general election?

I know the picture is bleak and any new party in power will need years to try to sort out this mess but something needs to be done...

The UK's decline in the past few decade or so has really been dramatic.

I don’t think we can afford to give out non-means-tested benefits either. I accept everything I say is wildly unpopular but there simply isn’t the money. There are many other areas where cutbacks should also be made.

@Naptrappedmummy You don't actually know any of the things you've said though, so why not just make up some old toot about all the plebs taking clozapine for kicks?

Because that’s not what I said. It’s childish to take what I say and stretch it to something silly and say I’m thinking it about everyone, when I’ve made it clear I’m talking about a minority. Why don’t you tell me how the country will raise the money to revolutionise public services?

Same as you don’t actually know that what she’s suggesting isn’t true? Works both ways.

Not really. I've provided articles referencing sociological studies and long term data from welfare NGOs that indicate the problem with the benefits system is that it's too difficult to access, not too easy, plus pointed out that the Coroner office has issued a prevention of future deaths notice to the DWP as further indication that these difficulties are increasing. All I've had back from the napping mummy is that she reckons it must be easy to claim benefits because that's what she reckons.

There’s an awful lot of fairly transparent indications that some people can and do game the system. I see a lot of posts where people are clearly ‘testing out’ what they plan on telling the job centre, seeing if it washes. There’s also a lot of Facebook pages where people openly swap tips and ideas on how to qualify for certain benefits. For example people wanting to claim carers allowance while having someone else claim it for them 🤯 do they think we were born yesterday. I don’t know anybody who begrudges people who are severely disabled benefits, but there’s a huge grey area of conditions which rely on self reporting.

What you said doesn't need to be stretched, it was ridiculously silly when you said it. You are imagining that sick people are deliberately not taking their meds, and then believing it to be true on no grounds whatsoever.🤯

I didn’t say they were sick.

So you think every single claimant is 100% unable to work? You can’t even imagine that there might be people that can work but choose not to?

it’s ok to have a different opinion to others & the poster you’re referring to has actually been quite polite with you. While you seem to be getting far more worked up because she’s not agreeing.

Your link is incredibly sad & avoidable but to suggest that’s the only thing that’s coming from tge welfare system is imo unrealistic.

If they weren't sick, they wouldn't be getting prescriptions @Naptrappedmummy.🤦‍♀️

Quite. But the Tory voters on this thread are busy with their whattaboutery and concern that if the current government gets kicked out, things might become a bit more equal.

Some people are more gullible than I thought.

Do you believe that if I went to my GP tomorrow and said I was struggling with my moods and crying all the time that I wouldn't come out with a prescription for an antidepressant.

When our kids were small we thought the youngest was showing many traits of ADHD. The amount of parents that were saying to us to get him checked out as they were recieving benefits for theirs were quite an eye opener.

At the end of the day we can stick our fingers in our ears and go la,la,la but only time will tell how much poorer we will all become.

When my eldest child was diagnosed with ASD I received no extra benefits. He did get the extra help he needed in school.

Do you think those parents are forcing their children to pretend they are autistic for money @LiquoriceAllsort2? Or maybe they responded to your concerns at the time?

I was taken aback to be honest that the benefit side was what some people were bothered about.

He went through part of the assessment and had a report from primary school saying they didn't feel there was much of a problem so we didn't pursue anymore.

He is now a late teen and there are certain social things that we notice but not enough to really bother him.

Absolute bullshit.

I know from lived experience this absolutely isn’t the case.

A) it’s impossible to get a diagnosis for ADHD or ASC( waiting list of 5 years where we are)
B) diagnosis relies on a lot of info from other professionals schools and robust assessment
C) you get literally no support or anything after a diagnosis of either however bad your child is struggling.

Name the benefits. It won’t be PIP as has previously been explained so what are these benefits that you get for ADHD and are apparantly so easy to obtain?

Name the benefits. It won’t be PIP as has previously been explained so what are these benefits that you get for ADHD and are apparantly so easy to obtain?

My nephew gets DLA but I don’t think this was a thing yrs ago.

It was a relatively straightforward process but he does have ADHD!

Wow, the Tories are really stooping low.😱

Do you realise PIP is a disability payment designed to give disabled people more of a level playing field and to help with the substantial additional costs of being disabled.

And some people actually think this is the type of government we need for a healthy, strong society going forward.😳

There’s an awful lot of fairly transparent indications that some people can and do game the system.

Of course there are but it’s really not the issue damaging the economy.

I don’t think we can afford to give out non-means-tested benefits either

So means test the state pension? Attendance Allowance?

That involves a very lengthy form and assessment requiring a lot of evidence of need and substantial care. You don’t just get it because you have ADHD.

@DillyD0007854 I helped do the form! He only has ADHD but it does impact his life.

The amounts spent on unemployment benefit wouldn't run the NHS for a week or so.

Where as reducing the gap between taxes on earned vs unearned income would make a significant difference.

As would increasing wages so people weren't claiming so many in-work benefits.
Many companies are making super hi profits, yet paying peanuts to many staff.

You haven't looked very hard.

Our Nap is a Labour voter, apparently. And a big fan of the 🤯 emoticon.

The amounts spent on unemployment benefit wouldn't run the NHS for a week or so.

exactly

Where as reducing the gap between taxes on earned vs unearned income would make a significant difference.

This is a massive problem.

There are three rates:

• Lower rate: for children who need help with personal care for a signification proportion of the day (which generally means one hour – although this does not necessarily have to be all at once)
• Middle rate: for children who have daytime or night-time needs (special rules apply for children undergoing dialysis at least twice a week)
• Higher rate: for children who have both daytime and night-time needs. They will automatically get the higher rate if they are terminally ill.

So you will now how much is dependant on care , how lengthy the form is and how much supporting evidence is needed. That an adhd diagnosis by itself isn’t enough.