To Think the Tories Are Actually At War With Disabled People?

[JoffreyBaratheon]

I've been mired in the grim process of my son's DLA being changed to the new benefit, PIP. During this time, I have heard the stories of other disabled people and their loved ones. This may make me biased. Or human.

On every forum I have been on for help, can see that thousand of other disabled people, their carers, appointees and loved ones are being pretty well tortured by the vicious cuts and the new, brutal system being forced into place.

Benefits advisers and people at charities in the front line trying to support people like us also seem to report they feel like the disabled are under attack.

Now I will never understand why the most disadvantaged people in society are being forced to pay for the mistakes of bankers and rich people. Losing DLA will be a blow to our family - most of all my son but all of us - we won't recover from. To multi millionaires like Campbell, no doubt it's back pocket change so they are incapable of understanding what they are doing to ordinary people.

The past few months going through this hell, I've often felt like we might as well cut to the chase, sew the lack triangle on our clothes, and wait for the work camp to open. And I don't say that lightly, as someone whose grandad was present during the liberation of Belsen. (Wasn't it another tory - Gove - who said historians got it wrong and the British were donkeys led by lions, or words to that effect - so we know the contempt in which we are held by these chinless wonders already).

AIBU to think that people like Cameron and IDS are targeting disabled people and their carers, specifically?

Not necessarily Fairy-you won't always get scored for using a dosette box-depends why you're using it.

I use it because I can't open pill bottles or push them through the foil. If they weren't in there I couldn't take them.

Yes, hearing impaired people can claim DLA/PIP (in my case, I have no useful hearing). Numerous effects, e.g. hard to cook safely, make independent journeys, costs of various equipment. Also typically has other physical effects beyond deafness.

PIP now seems to say that if can read, then that is sufficient. I don't know where to begin with the absurdity of that.

If my son had had a face to face I was thinking of advising him to just lose the plot. Which he probably would have done anyway - not sure he could even have been got into a room with someone.

Presumably then they'd stop the DLA and refuse to proceed with the PIP. Deeply, deeply ignorant.

joffrey you keep making assumptions. How about waiting until your son is assessed then criticise it

Caught because even if it goes well, it will not be for life and we have lost our peace of mind forever, with the constant threat of him being reassessed hanging over him. Also, know what? He was awarded DLA for the rest of his life. At the highest rates. I feel betrayed.

If he got enhanced it would be a fluke. When experienced benefits advisers are constantly seeing ridiculous decisions like a person with zero daily living needs being given enhanced for that when they left that part of the form blank, and denied anything for mobility - when they have severe mobility problems - you know the system is a fiasco.

My son getting a 'good' result won't change a thing for others. We are not all selfish. I care about other people with disabilities, their carers, their families and friends. So many people are being devastated by this. I was brought up by kind, decent people - I am not part of your "I'm alright, Jack!" world.

Independence Payment (PIP) myth buster - Gov.uk according to this there are indefinite awards but they do get Reviewed hope this puts your mind at ease

Sorry that link didn't work, I'll find another

try this link

caught quit she you're behind ahead

*while, sorry.

Luis no, I won't, because if you read the link provided they do award indefinite payments. I don't go in for hysteria.

again stating length of awards there are three categories it would appear. Short, Mid term (up to 10 years) and indefinite

The fact they feel they have to do a 'Myth Buster' shows you how bad this whole idea was. ;o)

And a 13 page PDF? Jesus.

Looking at it there are some outright lies on there. "In the past DLA focused too much on physical disability". Er... no it didn't. In fact people are reporting that many folk with mental health issues are being turned down flat for PIP - had no problem getting DLA. And people like my son on the autistic spectrum, people with dyspraxia etc - are also losing out.

Their 'myths' are made up. And nothing to do with people's actual, very real and justified fears.

According to that even 'indefinite' awards are 'subject to review'. I repeat. If Sam Cam has the cure for [insert lifelong condition here] in her handbag - can she share it now.

I would assume the pdf was drawn up as a faq before they rolled the benefit out. It is probably a document that needs revision. However the point I was making and hope it reassures you is that they do make indefinite awards.

Caught have you applied for any of these things? Are you disabled? Do you have a child with disabilities?

Call me weird but I'd only compile a FAQ after I'd had a few months of being asked FAQs.

Again you're getting ahead of yourself. If you think about it objectively would you hand out several thousand pounds a year to someone and not want to check in to see how things are once in a while? A review works both ways too, don't forget. Someone may be high rate care low rate mobility then at a review after a few years gets bumped up to high mobility.

Yes. I have applied for and receive pip.

OP I think you are absolutely right

I have watched my mother go through absolute torment, living in fear since all talk of pip started
she works but often is a wheelchair user and needs her motability car. without it she will be housebound and fears her life will be over.

This fear may not be well founded but it is based in reality and she is vulnerable. The removal of security and independence from people already dealing with more than most of us will imagine is beyond cruel

Further i cannot understand the move of removing more money from a clearly disadvantaged group of people.
stating that many disabled people could be helped into work is true. if there was a will for the companies to employ them, the help needed to make it so and the often very varied jobs required to meet the varying needs of a disabled person.
Those jobs just aren't there. That is simply a fact.

Taking money of this group of people will not incentivise them into work. It will make them live quietly, indoors, in poverty

Penalising disabled people over the lack of jobs for disabled people is in fact penalising them for having disability

That is grotesque

Laying my cards on the table, because I was trying not to get personal, I have fluctuating health conditions and was awarded high rate daily living and only scored 4 points on mobility. I was also only awarded it for 2 years despite having incurable conditions.

I'd be happy to give them several thousands of pounds a year and not spend even more administering pestering them, if I knew their condition was not going away in a hurry, and if it deteriorated, they'd be on at me to up their award, anyway.

Unless you have cured autism, Downs Syndrome, a soldier who's lost her/his limbs, etc etc and you just feel shy about sharing your medical breakthroughs with us?

Your experience seems to be in stark contrast to many others on this thread then Caught

Oh and I found the application process relatively painless but found the assessment centre to be ridiculous and unsuitable given my health conditions. I will be asking for a home assessment next time round

Possibly Luis but I never claimed dla. This is the first and only benefit I've applied for so to me it was always going to be a strange process