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Original poster

Pip and the government decisions

119 replies

Differentstarts · 07/04/2025 17:46

I don't understand why the government are going for an all or nothing approach with getting disabled people back into work. I think there is a significant amount of disabled people who could work part time but if they lose pip and lcwra then this won't be an option as nobody can live on a part time wage. I think expecting people to suddenly be able to work 50/60 hour weeks just isn't realistic. I work part time and claim pip and lcwra and it works when I worked full time in the past i actually worked less as I was always ill and in hospital. I should be still able to claim pip and lcwra with the changes but I don't have a lot of trust in the system that this will definitely be the case and if I lost that money then what as I wouldn't be able to pay my bills, get to hospital appointments pay for aids etc. I would lose my home, my job everything. I just don't understand why there isn't a middle ground and part time work isn't being encouraged as surely the aim is to get more people working. I just don't get it.

OP posts:
Miley23 · 07/04/2025 17:50

Agree. I don't understand why they have linked getting LCWRA to getting PIP which is being made harder. I guess there will be many who could lose PIP but still have earnings or savings or a partner to fall back on and won't qualify for UC and therefore LCWRA but as you say some are set to lose everything which seems unfair. I do think the system needs massive tightening up of the qualifying criteria but for some people to potentially lose everything with no jobs around and potentially a recession looming will just be devastating.

bestcatlife · 07/04/2025 17:53

I just don't see how these changes can go ahead... there are legal cases underway to try and stop them.

bestcatlife · 07/04/2025 17:55

I agree about the pip criteria needing to be tightened (kind of) but at least keep LCWRA separate so people don't lose everything!

Original poster
Differentstarts · 07/04/2025 18:10

I agree if lcwra was kept out of it, it would be a lot less scary and more manageable but what there proposing just makes it seem impossible

OP posts:
caringcarer · 07/04/2025 18:18

My 18 almost 19 year old former foster child has learning disabilities and has always attended a special school. He has 29 points on PIP for care and full 12 points for mobility. He has a 9 year award as it's obviously He won't improve as he's had his problems from birth. He uses the mobility money to get a car which he is driven around in. He goes to college. He claims UC as a single person under 25 gets a very low amount to live on. He has been getting LCWRA but now he'll lose it. He still won't be able to work. He'll just be even poorer now too. He doesn't have a lot to manag on anyway. He can't manage his own money and he won't understand why his carer is suddenly saying no to things.

Original poster
Differentstarts · 07/04/2025 18:20

caringcarer · 07/04/2025 18:18

My 18 almost 19 year old former foster child has learning disabilities and has always attended a special school. He has 29 points on PIP for care and full 12 points for mobility. He has a 9 year award as it's obviously He won't improve as he's had his problems from birth. He uses the mobility money to get a car which he is driven around in. He goes to college. He claims UC as a single person under 25 gets a very low amount to live on. He has been getting LCWRA but now he'll lose it. He still won't be able to work. He'll just be even poorer now too. He doesn't have a lot to manag on anyway. He can't manage his own money and he won't understand why his carer is suddenly saying no to things.

It's so wrong and just inhumane. You can't just leave people with no options.

OP posts:
Miley23 · 07/04/2025 18:23

caringcarer · 07/04/2025 18:18

My 18 almost 19 year old former foster child has learning disabilities and has always attended a special school. He has 29 points on PIP for care and full 12 points for mobility. He has a 9 year award as it's obviously He won't improve as he's had his problems from birth. He uses the mobility money to get a car which he is driven around in. He goes to college. He claims UC as a single person under 25 gets a very low amount to live on. He has been getting LCWRA but now he'll lose it. He still won't be able to work. He'll just be even poorer now too. He doesn't have a lot to manag on anyway. He can't manage his own money and he won't understand why his carer is suddenly saying no to things.

I don't think he'll lose the LCWRA if he already has it ? It will just be for new claimants if I'm understanding correctly? It doesn't sound like he will lose his PIP if he has that many points.

WeaselsRising · 07/04/2025 18:30

bestcatlife · 07/04/2025 17:55

I agree about the pip criteria needing to be tightened (kind of) but at least keep LCWRA separate so people don't lose everything!

Why does it? It's the one benefit with an almost zero fraud rate and people have to jump through hoops to get it.

The worst thing about this whole situation is every man and his dog is suddenly an expert on who shouldn't be able to get it.

Pick on able bodied layabouts first.

bestcatlife · 07/04/2025 18:35

I don't agree with any changes really.. I just mean if the government had to do anything, then maybe some amendments to pip criteria could be made but they should leave LCWRA out of the equation so people don't fall off a cliff edge financially.

Strangerrussia · 07/04/2025 18:36

PIP should be means tested.

TheAutumnCrow · 07/04/2025 18:40

Strangerrussia · 07/04/2025 18:36

PIP should be means tested.

Why?

Strangerrussia · 07/04/2025 18:42

TheAutumnCrow · 07/04/2025 18:40

Why?

Show quote history

Because it's being cut due to cut backs and some people who get it can afford not to.

Morph22010 · 07/04/2025 18:47

Strangerrussia · 07/04/2025 18:42

Because it's being cut due to cut backs and some people who get it can afford not to.

Show quote history

But they are want to encourage people to work where they are able and means testing pip and will do the opposite. Pip is supposed to try and level the playing field for disabled people.

Strangerrussia · 07/04/2025 18:50

Morph22010 · 07/04/2025 18:47

But they are want to encourage people to work where they are able and means testing pip and will do the opposite. Pip is supposed to try and level the playing field for disabled people.

Show quote history

They don't care what happens to disabled people. They just want to cut disability benefits. If they don't have the budget, then it should be means tested.

LadyKenya · 07/04/2025 18:55

Regardless if people think that PIP should be means tested, it would seem that at this point in time, they are not looking to implement that.

ExtraOnions · 07/04/2025 18:57

The mobility bit isn’t being touched

Original poster
Differentstarts · 07/04/2025 19:02

ExtraOnions · 07/04/2025 18:57

The mobility bit isn’t being touched

No its the daily living that they have connected to lcwra

OP posts:
FedUpandEatingChocolate · 07/04/2025 19:05

The issue is that the government is trying to solve a huge problem, caused by a decade of under investment in health and education, and removal of support networks, by punishing those most in need financially.

I know people who are disabled who really want to work but can't commit to a regular job in the same way someone not-disabled can.

I would have far less problem with the policy if it was combined with meaningful investment in access to work, quick access to UC when a decline in health means a job loss, and a significantly increased level of support for mental health.

I do fear for those like my DD who will be disabled throughout her adult life, never able to work a full job, and reliant on support to survive.

Whostosayblame · 07/04/2025 19:07

The govt shouldn't have stopped lcw payments. They need to bring back payment of LCW so that those that can't work full time would still be able to work part time and get some payment on lcw.

They also need to make LCWRA only for those who can't work at all. This should reduce the number of lwcra claimants while still giving people a safety net to work as they can on lcw.

IntermittentFarting · 07/04/2025 19:09

I didn’t realise that LCWRA was related to PIP: it’s been sorted out by Universal Credit for my DD. She has just, this very day, been told that she is now considered LCWRA, and “may” get some extra money. However, she’s been in hospital for a few weeks so her PIP has just stopped.
Does this mean she now won’t get the LCWRA payments?

On a side note, the contempt for disabled people now includes making them wait for over an hour in a phone queue if you phone the PIP enquiry line 😡

WeylandYutani · 07/04/2025 19:11

It is silly to link LCWRA to PIP. PIP is about how someone is affected by their disability. It is not about being able to work or not.

When I worked and was off sick for a long period, I went back on a phased return and built up my hours over a period of a few weeks. Yet if these changes come through someone will be expected to be able to work full time from day one.

I am in the LCRWA group and dont work. With the right environment and adjustments I could maybe try a part time job but this all or nothing wont make that possible. Plus where are the jobs anyway? So much competition for even the low paid stuff with people with years of experience being better placed to get those jobs over someone who has not worked for years and has a disability too.

I hope that these changes will be seen as what they really are, and that is saving money. They are not about helping disabled people into work at all.

WeylandYutani · 07/04/2025 19:13

IntermittentFarting · 07/04/2025 19:09

I didn’t realise that LCWRA was related to PIP: it’s been sorted out by Universal Credit for my DD. She has just, this very day, been told that she is now considered LCWRA, and “may” get some extra money. However, she’s been in hospital for a few weeks so her PIP has just stopped.
Does this mean she now won’t get the LCWRA payments?

On a side note, the contempt for disabled people now includes making them wait for over an hour in a phone queue if you phone the PIP enquiry line 😡

It isn't. For now it is just a proposal.

IntermittentFarting · 07/04/2025 19:16

@WeylandYutani Thanks.

It makes no sense. PIP is to help with the challenges of living as a disabled person, it’s not an unemployment benefit. You can get PIP if you work. Bizarre to link it with LCWRA.

User46576 · 07/04/2025 19:17

WeaselsRising · 07/04/2025 18:30

Why does it? It's the one benefit with an almost zero fraud rate and people have to jump through hoops to get it.

The worst thing about this whole situation is every man and his dog is suddenly an expert on who shouldn't be able to get it.

Pick on able bodied layabouts first.

Show quote history

The number of claimants and costs have increased so much. It’s just not affordable

Original poster
Differentstarts · 07/04/2025 19:18

Whostosayblame · 07/04/2025 19:07

The govt shouldn't have stopped lcw payments. They need to bring back payment of LCW so that those that can't work full time would still be able to work part time and get some payment on lcw.

They also need to make LCWRA only for those who can't work at all. This should reduce the number of lwcra claimants while still giving people a safety net to work as they can on lcw.

You can work on lcwra I do

OP posts: