Thread 19 Starmer - A Coalition of the Willing

[DuncinToffee]

.https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5276594-thread-18-starmer-all-sides-of-the-house-agree-apart-from-the-trump-bootlickers?page=40&reply=142583752

previous thread

Love that Farage is the "expert" opinion on this

All this is true, even though I had hoped in practice Labour would shift slightly to the left,. But still. The way this has been handled is appalling. No thought for the fear and anxiety it is causing amongst some of the most disabled in society..

I think it’s more the fault of the media than the government @PandoraSox. And some backbenchers stirring the pot. I hope when we actually know what’s proposed it will set your mind at rest. 💐

Most of the people that did vote for them last year support a move towards net zero. This policy change is … bold.

Take care. It's a horrible feeling to be anxious and frightened about an announcement a Labour Party minister is making and totally making me feel discombobulated.

I agree that those with long term disabilities should have a lifetime award, that's a good approach but to put it into a package that will seriously harm others is cruel and hurtful.

Badenoch is still going on about leaving the ECHR as well.

Liz Kendall and husband- joint annual income £760,000.

Badenoch isn't even there for the announcement

Whately is there saying the cuts don't go far enough

Well it is all pretty shit.

Contribution based ESA and JSA to be combined into a time limited allowance. Massive change as cont based ESA is currently paid indefinitely for those too sick or disabled to work.

Daily care component of PIP more difficult to qualify for. Which in turn will make it more difficult for people on UC to qualify for extra benefits as the proposal is to use the PIP assessment rather than have two different assessme as is the case now.

This is an utter disaster for disabled people.

The PIP reform will need a vote in parliament order to change the assessment criteria.

Unless they can do it under secondary legislation via a Statutory Instrument? The merging of ESA and JSA will need primary legislation though I think.

Could I very nicely ask if anyone with a Labour MP could write to them and tell them if they vote in favour of these changes they will lose your vote (even if you will still vote for them in reality).

Liz Kendall acting like Lady Bountiful because she isn't introducing PIP vouchers was particularly stomach churning.

Have hidden all the disability benefit threads.

I had to laugh at her "too little, too late" and suggestion that it was labour's fault it hadn't been done by them.

My only concern about the UC changes is what that would mean for the many carers of young disabled adults who live on the poverty line.

It'll probably be voted through because the Tories will vote for it. Plus three line whips.

I agree with @PandoraSox, it most certainly is shit. Feel sorry for Karen Shore prospective Labour Party candidate Runcorn and Helsby - though it'll be ila very interesting and important by-election now.

Sure Labour MPs will stop some of this. If they can? It’s so un-Labour to do this. It’s like when the Tories paid furlough to get companies to
retain people’s jobs during covid. Most uncharacteristic.

Jessica Elgot (Guardian)

Most MPs I've spoken to so far are pleased to see the big mitigations (recent ones?) on UC sickness top-up. Only cut for new claimants and premium for the most disabled, plus a big UC rise. For new claims, they will get substantially less but it's not cutting current incomes.

BUT...

The big controversy is PIP changes - could mean significant numbers of people with quite severe challenges no longer qualify. eg needing help with some forms of washing and dressing

In some Labour constituencies, 1 in 5 people are on PIP. There will be more analysis of impact over the coming days

The merging cont based esa with cont based jsa is a big one too. That is a massive cut. Though it will apply to new claims only. But it is essentially an end to long term non -means tested out of work sickness benefits.

Clive Lewis MP on Twitter https://x.com/labourlewis/status/1902010710135078928?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

Strong stuff. Less strong on other platforms but can't link via the app.

From what I’ve read in media (no idea if it’s the actual reform) PIP will now only be paid for people who score at least 4 on one area of need? So you could get 2 4’s and get a payment but 4 2’s and nothing?

what worries me is I think peoples claims will get turned down now at reassessment even if they’ve had a award for years and more and do score the 4 in some areas.

I agree with there needing to be some work done on supporting people to work if they can but PIP is totally separate. I believe it was and still is meant to be to cover the extra costs of having a disability. That doesn’t go away because you work 20hours in a minimum wage job.

I am fortunate and cushioned enough to be a Bear of Little Brain about benefits but am reading avidly to try to understand and to try to find any positives in any of it.

I'm feeling rather despondent.

Very disappointed in Labour making these changes. ‘Contrary to the values of the Party’ indeed.
I will be writing to my MP about it. She is very new and very keen so her willingness to vote against is untested, but we’ll see.

I'm wondering what my notMP (ie the Lab guy a mile down the road , not the Tory I Pretend Didn't Happen) will do because he can be pretty vocal about social issues.

what worries me is I think peoples claims will get turned down now at reassessment even if they’ve had a award for years and more and do score the 4 in some areas.

The practice of "reassessing" people who are suffering horrible, degenerative life limiting diseases is beyond cruel. Quite aside from the taunting nature of assessors breezing in with fuck all medical knowledge acting surprised when someone isn't "better".

Also the optics of quietly (but quite clearly) moving PIP to a means tested benefit is really just paving the way for everything - pensions especially - to be means tested.

I'm still trying to understand the changes. Have I got this right?

• If you are on PiP or a disability benefit now, nothing changes
• If you claim it in the future, you need to show more extensive sickness or disability, and it's closer in cash to what a standard jobseeker gets.
• There will be lifetime awards for the most disabled
• You can try work without losing benefits (I do agree with this as it was an active barrier, especially if your confidence is low to begin with)

If the Government is determined to get more people into work, it needs to urgently fund CAHMS and mental health services. Is there any sign of this happening?