The cutbacks towards disabled people is my tripping point with the conservatives.
I know not many on here will agree but I am in favour of the bedroom tax. Here, we have many pensioners living in three bedroom family homes and often sleeping downstairs, which means in effect there's three unused rooms. I am also in favour of cuts to tax credits (I would be in favour of scrapping them altogether in favour of a more straightforward and workable system actually.)
I think one of the problems is that disabled is so broad a term and so many things fall under it. Ideally, I suppose, everybody's benefits would be worked out on a case by case basis. Again, I know this won't be popular on here, but there are some disabilities that beyond some adjustments at work don't really require any further financial input (imo) - diabetes and so on. Some milder forms of some disabilities on a sliding scale, too - I've known people with cerebral palsy who have it very mildly and live a completely normal life. But then at the other end of the scale, I've known people who can't move at all with it and are in effect locked into their bodies.
So someone might say 'someone with cerebral palsy is disabled' but it doesn't take into account the severity of the spectrum.
Years ago, when at university and after I left, I worked as a support worker for disabled people. Many were severely disabled and would never have been able to work, usually because their mobility was so restricted. Obviously, being in a wheelchair isn't in itself indicative someone can't work at all but if you can't support your head or move your arms, I think most people would agree work wouldn't be possible. There are also some learning difficulties that are so severe someone just wouldn't be able to manage. I cared for a man who's function was less than a ten month old baby and again the idea he could work would be ridiculous. I know there are other examples but I won't go on and on.
But, there were a minority of people who had disabilities but not on the same scale as the above. And it was not, contrary to belief, anything to do with being workshy. I guess that they'd just never been told they could work or had it suggested to them, maybe? I don't know. But I do remember that with some of them it really was like Disneyland. Every day was shopping, visits to the city, the cinema, the flower show, festivals, trips to the beach (this was on the England/Wales border so involved driving or taking the train the length of Wales!) the zoo, safari park, Drayton manor, I could go on. I mean, it was awesome for me and they DID get a discount to all the above so much cheaper but still. And ever day would be rounded off with a takeaway.
The weird thing was, the money seemed more generous for those less affected: one of the women I used to care for had to get a taxi to the swimming pool for a once a week shower, as she couldn't access the one in her house. Yet a man who could walk okay, with a stick, had a wet room. It made no sense.
I suppose I'd like to see a system that's fair, that gives the most money to the ones most affected. I feel from what people have said on here the system is too fussy and complex.
I am in favour of the assessments not being done by the individuals own GPS but I do feel a doctor or nurse should be the ones carrying out the assessments.
I do also think (final point) that with some forms of anxiety and depression work can be helpful and conducive to recovery and leading a normal life, so someone having a disability shouldn't in effect mean they shouldn't work.