So they want to replace PIP/DLA money with vouchers?

[moneyinthebinthatsmrtim]

I don't understand it. It is really worrying me.

This payment helps pay for so many things. I doubt these vouchers would cover that, or give the freedom to shop or buy from where you want or need to.

I included DLA because it's really just the child's version of PIP. Eventually, my profoundly disabled child will be an adult and will have to be on PIP

Is there really any truth in this? I can't see any articles directly quoting Labour or Conservative. I might just be in such a worry that I have missed that bit

Apologies if there is another thread on this too. I am happy to get this one taken off if that's the case

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/pip-disability-benefits-plan-rishi-government-critics-b2537209.html

It's not the condition that reaches the threshold, but its impact on the claimant.

Severe dystonia would qualify. Mild dystonia wouldn't.

You have been told this multiple times now and you keep repeating the lie that conditions are what decides whether you qualify.

This absolutely highlights why a regular review of everyone is so important.

It also highlights why everyone should be able to get quality support when filling in the paperwork.

Your cousin not spending the money, how you would deem fitting, will have no bearing whatsoever, on others having to wait for support, due to lack of funding.

Except that no one is getting PIP for being obese.

I have no idea where that poster is getting her stats from but I can’t see how it is a reputable source. Why? PIP is NEVER given because you have a condition. It is given depending on the impact of that condition on your life.

Which makes sense because one condition such as ADHD will affect people differently. Some cope very well and others don’t.
Someone with MS or lupus might be able to carry on living and working with few restriction. Someone else will be housebond.

If the stats are about a % of people who are obese and got PIP, let’s remember that many medications affect weight. That some illnesses are affecting body metabolism that will mean people are more likely to be obese etc….
So basically being obese is a sign they are ill. Not the other way around.

So why does my cousin qualify for payments when she admits her arthritis doesn’t limit her doing anything.
She claims because her friends claim apparently. Most of them claim for backache but again many don’t actually have it, no twisted spines or anything.

How does this idea that it’s so difficult and must impact your life stack up when we know people who do in fact easily play the system.

Thats why regular and thorough assessments are needed I’m afraid. The ones in real need have to put up with this because of the few that try in on.

I don't know who is managing to claim for PIP if not entitled to it

I don't get it and I have severe neutropenia, hashimotos, hidradenitis supprativa, chronic urticaria and stage 4 endometriosis
Being able to drop to working 32hrs would help massively but I can't afford it so I keep working 40hrs and managing the best I can

She has told me she doesn’t use the money for anything to support her arthritis she uses it for clubs for the kids

1. Whilst they are at the clubs, she gets respite from being "mum", which might be the break she needs to be able to cope with her arthritis unaided the rest of the time.
2. Kids of disabled parents often miss out on things (e.g. Alton Towers, because mum can't walk around all day) or are parentified, meaning that they have to carry out caring for the parent or their siblings whilst still children themselves. The clubs give the kids a chance to be kids and make up for missing out on stuff.

Obesity is not always as simple as needing to diet or exercise. Not to mention that both ability to follow a healthy diet and to exercise can be impeded by disability (especially if there's poverty as well).

Chronic stress can cause obesity. And poverty is a major cause of chronic stress. So cutting benefits will make people's mental and physical health worse, so they'll be less likely to work and will need even more health and social care. So not only morally bad but also a false economy.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/understanding-the-stress-response

As I keep saying, the way to address increasing need for disability benefits, and other consequences of increasing numbers in poor health, like more need for NHS care, is to end the false economy approach.

Well-funded good public services, supportive benefits system, improved child support system, more social housing, and job education and training opportunities. And this needs to be across the country, not varied quality of provision and varied access depending on area.

she admits her arthritis doesn’t limit her doing anything

Truth or her putting on a brave face? If it is truth, it's an example of why your GP, who is involved in your long-term care, should provide the evidence for PIP claims, not a one-off assessor as currently happens.

Thats why regular and thorough assessments are needed I’m afraid. The ones in real need have to put up with this because of the few that try in on.

Actually I’d be in favour of that.
An assessment done by a HCP rather than someone who knows nothing about the condition the person claiming for.
One that would be unbiased and not trained to be cynical about any and every claim (I have worked closely with some assessors and have seen the impact on the ‘training’ on the way they look at people).

Something much closer to what they have in Scotland really.

It would avoid a situation where so many people have to go to tribunal where 70% of people who had been told they were getting nothing suddenly are getting award, some times st high rate fir both DL and mobility.

I actually think many people who currently get nothing would finally be able to be recognised and supported.

I never see my GP as they don’t have anything to do for me related to my condition.
It doesn’t mean that I’m not disabled by it.

According to this 78.1% of PIP claims for obesity are successful. Of course, it is worth noting that there are levels of payment. A very few people will qualify for the full amount; the weekly payment ranges from £28.70 to a maximum of £184.30 a week. Personally, I now feel reassured that my DD will likely get something (ASD, ADHD, personality disorder, anxiety etc).

https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/personal-independence-payment-pip/success-rates

Fair, but your GP still has all your medical records, which will contain your diagnosis and any treatment history.

I know someone who gets it just for HS alone.

Quite, but your GP should have a record of your medical conditions, I take it, whether they are actively treating you, or not. It all counts as medical evidence.

I dont understand why they are targeting PIP, which is for those who have a disability. Kicking low there, why not give vouchers for general UC, which is supposed to sustain a basic living, so food vouchers, heating vouchers etc. Genuine people on PIP will have UC so those vouchers will be used, the PIP can be used for any means to help with a disability and that includes like nappies, paying for a cleaner, so many individual things that won't be viable for a generic voucher to a catalogue!

Thankyou @FastLeader your post really explains things very clearly. It’s starting to make sense and it’s clear it’s not a very good system.

Some conditions like mine (I have ME but it’s true for long covid too) have no treatment.
And very little support available.

Youre just left in your own.

And sometimes records are so poor that there isn’t even a record of your diagnosis in your notes (it has happened to a few people with ME I know).

And that’s wo going into the whole ‘GPs don’t keep up with guidelines and information’ so they are acting on irrelevant guidelines
eg advising CBT and graded exercise (if they are not telling you it’s psychological) when the NICE guidelines specify it’s a neurological disorder and should never be treated like that. And that there is no treatment.

When I had my assessment for the ESA, it was done by someone who knew about the illness. It was a 100x better because she could make out whether I was downplaying things or making claims bigger than it was. THAT is what is needed.

It does really.
The money is not to pay for her kids clubs.
If she has vouchers, which obviously she won’t be able to hand in to the local dram club, that’s a saving because she’s not using the money for anything else to support herself.

@Miley1967 I'm quite lucky with my HS in that I've only had a couple of operations for it and I manage my groin ones myself. But being immunocompromised makes it worse if I do get one

I’m also going to add that many people who are disabled suffer from medical trauma after so many times bring belittle, unbelieved, gaslighted etc….

So they void going to see a GP.

That is, if they can PHYSICALLY go and see one. It’s not going to happen if you are house bound or bedbound - which the case for 25% of people with ME.

It has no bearing at this present time. There is no voucher scheme, as yet, and hopefully the new Government will not entertain such notions.

Neither of my two top disabling conditions are even on there. So who knows what they recorded for me.

Some people on this thread need to read the PIP questions and compare answers to the threshold needed.

It’s really difficult to meet the threshold, even with genuine and significant disabilities.

My DP collapsed at work 2 years ago. He’s being treated by neurology, ENT, and different physio depts. He has been told explicitly he must not use screens and cannot ever work with screens again. He worked in IT. So that’s his career utterly fucked. He’s supposed to refrain from any significant driving. He can’t move from sitting to standing, turn his head, look up/down, or bend over - all of those movements trigger his condition and lead to collapse. He can’t go out unattended because of all the aforementioned. He has a diagnosed neurological condition that isn’t going to get better.

Name a job that doesn’t involve screens, driving, looking up/down, bending, turning his head, moving from sitting to standing. We can’t think of one. And that’s without factoring in the migraines/headaches he has which occur 2-3 times a week minimum necessitating heavy drugs and bed rest - these migraines are caused by just living. Even sitting on the sofa and talking involves turning your head or getting up - so general life triggers the head/migraine problems. Neurology and physio have told him to forget about work and just to focus on establishing some semblance of life quality. He has a real and disabling condition which means his quality of life is just miserable right now.

He’s always worked. I work, and always have. It’s been a huge, huge shock and we’ve discovered how bloody awful the UC system is.

We’ve looked at the PIP questions and he doesn’t qualify. He can walk, he can make a cup of tea, he can go to the toilet without help so he won’t get enough points.

His disability has wiped out life as we know it. And yet, the PIP questions don’t begin to cover the wide-ranging issues that he has.

People need to stop believing the absolute shite written in the gutter press about scroungers on disability benefits. If you’ve got a friend/neighbour/cousin who gets PIP and you think they’re fine - there’s something they’re not telling you. The threshold you have to meet for PIP is really high. Go look for yourself.