No benefits if unemployed for more than a year and other ways Sunak wants ti tackle the Benefits system

[cakeorwine]

This are the headlines - I can see some massive issues here for people - it's easy to say there are job vacancies - but what if they aren't in the area people are and there is no transport to get there. How does that work? I can see a lot of exploitation here.

There's also the other rules here around PIP payments, part time workers etc.

I wonder how much personal experience Sunak has of such things?

This is an outline from the Daily Mail

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13330045/Benefits-axed-year-stop-lifestyle-choice-Prime-Minister.html

12-month rule for unemployed

Tory manifesto plans will see people on the dole have their benefit claims closed after a year unless they can convince Jobcentre staff they are actively looking for work and willing to accept any reasonable job offer.

Personal Independence Payments

Hundreds of thousands of people with anxiety and depression could lose access to payments worth up to £700 a month and instead be offered therapy to help them back to work.

PART-TIME WORKERS

New rules will require part-time workers on Universal Credit to look for more work. Anyone working for less than the equivalent of 18 hours a week on minimum wage will have to show they are actively seeking more hours.

Disability rules

The work capability assessment rules, which govern who is eligible for sickness benefits, will be tightened to require 424,000 with milder mental health conditions to start looking for work.

Sick notes

GPs could be stripped of their role in signing off people as sick and replaced by 'specialist work and health professionals' who will focus on what work people could do with support, such as flexibility to work from home.

Benefit Fraud

Investigators will be handed new powers to tackle benefit fraud, which hit £6.4 billion last year. In future they will have similar powers to those investigating tax fraud, including the ability to make seizures and arrests

Working isn’t helping themselves for many and many already will be helping themselves by not working. When they are able to it would need to be gradual, attuned to them and not a one size fits all after a year you’re working Job Centre approach.

Again, we literally do not have the resources for a tailored approach for millions of individuals. People need to take the initiative and look after themselves a bit.

I wish I had a pound for every time a government (Tory and Labour) that had said this since the start of the 1990’s.🙄

As I said previously those who can work should work. That implies there will be some who can't.
I completely support this policy 100%.

There was a thread the other day where lots of posters admitted they wouldn't employ the OP if she looked like she was anorexic, not that they knew she was, just if she looked like she was.

But sure disabled people and people with mental health issues can just stroll into a job with no discrimination at all...

So basically if you're unemployed for more than a year you are supposed to starve to death? Will that be the method?

@GoodnightAdeline People don't want to be responsible for themselves.
It's time for a change.

But who is deciding who can’t and how?

😂That’s hysterical and clearly shows your ignorance as regard mental illness. You wouldn’t say that with other disabilities.

Write to Rishi.

Who's determining if someone can work? A specialist? Or someone like the PIP assessors Capita employs? i.e. a non-specialist who may know next to nothing about any given condition and how it affects people. One who tells you, when you say you can't do XYZ and evidence this as best you can, "I have decided you can do XYZ", with no justification.

Sanctions based "incentives" aren't incentives. They're punishments for the crime of being too sick or disabled to work.

Those who think that the assessment systems are fair and that if you're assessed as Fit to Work, then you can just walk into a job, have not been keeping up with disabled news. Surely we've all read about the cases where people have starved to death or killed themselves after being declared Fit to Work?

I think you have an axe to grind and you haven't actually experienced the hell of being too sick to work, or even leave the house. Come back when you have.

Yes my son worked whilst mentally ill and waiting for the treatment he was promised as a high priority case. It made him ten times worse. Taking any old crappy job by force is the last thing these people need. It’s nuts.

Also isn’t mental illness a protected disability. How are they going to be able to do this legally?

The benefit bill when generation rent “retire” is going to be enormous and some landlords are going to end up incredibly wealthy

Just claim benefits you will be ok if you need them. Why are people worried if they aren't trying to fleece the system?

I'm not allowed to troll hunt, but come on.... Have you actually read the thread? And all the people telling you it's not that fucking simple?

I’m not ignorant, like basically every other person I’ve struggled and am medicated, but we have to solider on now because it’s basically an epidemic to which there is no answer

Seriously are you not reading the news articles. He is saying after a year you don’t get them and PIP will be focused on physical disability. That will surely be discrimination.

But hey look on the bright side. He has single handedly just killed the chance of the Tories getting any votes from anybody on benefits .

Great medication works for you. It doesn’t with everybody and is often just a sticking plaster. So saying everybody has to be like you is pretty ignorant of the reality re mental illness.

@CrocusSnowdrop What exactly is the problem with I've said. I support encouraging people to work and those who can work should work.

That's a good policy.

Given the choice I'd fucking LOVE to work. I became suddenly disabled 18months ago. Neurological as well as physical. I had a job I adored and I was bloody good at too. My employer neas great, we tried part time, working from home, reduced duties etc etc but the simple matter is that I'm now too sick to work. I would absolutely love to be able to work, even at a reduced capacity but it's not possible.

The decisions the Tories are making with regard to sick and disabled people TERRIFY me. Applying for PIP was arduous, exhausting and humiliating to say the least. Now I'm scared that when it comes for a review (which is bloody awful in any case) that I'll be absolutely raked over the coals and may lose what little I'm actually entitled to.

What’s the alternative? A 5* and instantaneous mental health support system for millions of people and children, staffed by people who currently don’t exist or aren’t in the U.K. using money we don’t have? It’s not even possible

I am also on medication for two different chronic illnesses. Without I would probably miss work for a week or more.
Some of us have no choice, we have to work.

All that would end up happening is some people without family support would starve to death, others would turn to crime. It would be a disaster.
But it will not happen as Sunak will not get elected.

I am sure none of that would happen. Just as it was mentioned that fee paying students wouldn't leave in droves for state schools. It will be fine. All these policies are for a better UK. We need change.

Some people are waiting for appointments for over a year for medication

You are demanding that they work when you admit yourself you couldn't work without your medication

I'm confused why you can't just work without it then. I mean you are giving some people no choice and demanding they work without medication so why should you get to miss work if you had to go without yours