Is it possible to have a sensible discussion about disability benefits?

[Pjnow]

According to Google 10% of working age people are in receipt of PIP and 6% of 0-15yos receive DLA.

I'm a proper lefty who believes absolutely in the welfare state, a safety net and that we should care properly for those with disabilities. A society should be judged on how it cares for its most vulnerable.

However 10% in receipt of disability benefits can't be sustainable. I know many people receiving PIP also work, it's not about that.

I'm just wondering what (if anything) can be done to make sure those who need support get it, without paying it to 10% of the population. I know not all disabilities are visble etc, but 10%?!

There aren't enough jobs for the healthy, never mind the sick and disabled. Really sick of these threads actually.. we should be taxing the rich. Many people are waking up to this fact and will be voting green.

If they brought in means testing for PIP then if I lived with my boyfriend then I would lose my entire income and be totally reliant on him. He does not even earn that much but has savings. Why should he use his savings that he had before we even met to pay for the costs associated with my disabilities?

And yet we wouldn't need to be discussing this at all if the super rich actually gave some of their money up /were forced to actually contribute to society instead of hoarding all the resources.
No idea how that would be achieved in actual life though and it would probably need to be world wide to work which has obvious issues.

No, but why does the potato picker also have to be able to serve customers, raise invoices, maintain the vehicles, and answer email queries? Why can't there be jobs for people who can pick potatoes, but can't do people; jobs for people who can deal with people but can't bend down to pick up potatoes; jobs for people who can do invoicing and answer emails but can't maintain vehicles...

These days employers want everyone to do everything. Look at the case of the Waitrose volunteer. He was amazing at stocking shelves, but when his family wanted him to be paid he was refused because he couldn't also talk to customers.

What @SmellsLikeTeenArmpit said! I agree that before UC people could muddle along - especially those with fluctuation conditions (like myself) - people could get by, but UC is a cruel system. 35 hour a week work search for example!? If someone's mental health is already poor things like this push them over the edge. Once on LCRWA they're no longer subject to these requirements and sanctions are no longer hanging over their head.

Yes this is a huge problem particularly with CAMHS. Children with MH issues are suffering and unable to get help of course they are then going to be affected for the rest of their lives

Employers need to be incentivesed into providing flexible working and wfh and penalised for not doing so, so that anyone who is functionally able to can work as much as their disability or age allows.
Then once this is sorted, the DLA for those in the higher function categories can be cut.

Previous governments just wanted to save money so made cuts to nhs services. Surely they could have seen long term it would cost more with a sick nation ? They need to sort the nhs out in order to bring down the disability benefit bill.

Yep. This is the obvious outcome of the move to a punitive and highly conditional benefits system - people who genuinely cannot manage the level of conditionality are pushed into the only way to escape it, which is being found to have LCW/RA.

Er, you're aware that a) DLA is for children under 16 and b) you can claim PIP regardless of whether you work or not?

Sorry typing quickly and not proof reading.
If workplaces/ practices can be made more accessible then the government can stop paying PIP (or significantly reduce it) for those able to work. If reductions need to be made that's a good place to start, and it would help more than just disabled people, which is important if we are expected to work to 70.

I've been thinking about the Waitrose situation a lot.

I stack shelves at night, but the recruitment process to get to interview is the same as working days. The situation tests things. This will rule out many who'd be perfectly suited for the actual job.
And a lot of supermarkets have similar recruitment screening. I know the young man was originally places via his College, but I'm thinking of those who have left education etc

You think peoples disability costs will lower because they're in work? They may not even be able get to work if they don't have pip

I think that there isn't an endless pit of money, and cuts have to be made, and the most ethically place to start is cuts in welfare for people who are able to work given appropriate adjustments.

That makes no sense. If PIP enables someone the independence to work then cutting it off would mean they lose their job.

But how will those adjustments mean they won't need a big mortgage or pay so much rent on their adapted house, or their motability vehicle or expensive equipment to do basic things like communicate?

It's clear you have no idea what pip is really intended for

I suggested incentivesing/ penalising employers over flexible working/ wfh, so work is more accessible for more people.

Where would you suggest cuts are made?
Ideally we should tax billionaire cooperations more but since that is not happening any time soon, where do you expect the money to keep coming from?

If they are facilitated to work more through more employers offering flexible working/wfh then they will have more money to pay their own expenses.

Many of the people you refer to are in work. Supported to be so by their PIP.

The additional costs of being disabled (an average of £1k) don’t fit into most people’s budgets, even if they do have other income like a salary or UC. I’d imagine in reality they wouldn’t fit for many of those commenting here.

On your last point, I think supporting disabled people is one of the things taxpayers shouldn’t moan about. So for me, carry taking it from there.

DLA is a non means tested benefit people can be employed and still be in receipt of DLA /PIP

The most ethical place ????!!!!!!! Is that a joke 😂😂😂😂

I genuinely can't tell whether they're winding us up or are really that clueless

Not some of the most vulnerable people in society. It's that simple.

There are other options, it's just easier to pick on disabled people.

The least worst place then, whatever, if cuts are going to be made, then where would you make those cuts?

This. That says a lot about the people in power, that they would try to take from some of the weakest members of Society. Shame on them.