Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To Think the Tories Are STILL At War With The Disabled?

554 replies

JoffreyBaratheon · 03/05/2017 10:56

As parent of a disabled child, this is what I'm preoccupied with, during a General Election...

Under Cameron and Osborne, and iDS - it was clear the tories were engaging in an all out war on the disabled. Cuts to benefits, and services and of course, the loathed and disgusting PIP replacing DLA...

But what has strong and stable (well, weak an unstable) Theresa May done to reverse the damage? Nothing, so far as I can see.

My son had DLA for life and by some miracle, managed to get PIP but will now have to re-apply in five years. If the tories have the cure for autism and it is going to be made available in 5 years - fair enough. But something tells me - they haven't. We were put through months of hell for that.

Other disabled people and their carers have far worse stories.

Now I might be stupid but I can't see what May has done to address the callous culture of PIP. She is still attacking the disabled. Or am I missing something and AIBU?

I think this should be enough to lose them the election. The fact they have attacked disabled people to the extent they have. Am I the only one not to be hoodwinked by this 'I'm only a vicar's daughter' BS? What she has done to the disabled is the least 'christian' thing I can think of and I want her held to account for it. Anyone else?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
HelenaDove · 18/05/2017 18:31

I hope they dont piss us about Becca. We have not forgotten about what happened in 1995. (its upthread) these medicals and assessments have been happening for many years. Its press rhetoric and lies that they havent been.

Talking of disability hate crime.........
twitter.com/CIssyvoo/status/863917853803544576

HelenaDove · 18/05/2017 18:33

When i was a kid "always read the small print" was one of the things that my dad drummed into me.

Becca19962014 · 18/05/2017 18:41

Yeah when I turned eighteen I was told voting was something to take very seriously and to always read manifestos 'between the lines' to see the real intention - every disabled person has an individual work coach for example, means every disabled person is capable of work which means removal of ESA.

At the time I didn't appreciate it, but now I know so many people who can't even be bothered to vote never mind make an informed decision about doing so or look at important things not only for them but society in general as well.

NoHaudinMaWheest · 18/05/2017 18:55

Does anyone know if this taking the home into account when assessing for home care contributions applies to younger disabled people too? Because if it does the implications are enormous.

HelenaDove · 18/05/2017 19:00

YY Becca

Bloody good point Haudin.

HelenaDove · 18/05/2017 19:04

Becca My parents dont actually vote. My mum cant and my dad doesnt bother. Sad

Becca19962014 · 18/05/2017 19:13

Ironically neither of mine bother. Their exact words when I asked a couple of weeks ago "there's no point".

I've no idea haudin but honestly it wouldn't surprise me.

NoHaudinMaWheest · 18/05/2017 22:02

The really scary thing is that it is quite likely that no one in government has even considered the implications for disabled people below retirement age. We are the truly invisible group except when we are seen to be using up resources.

Becca19962014 · 18/05/2017 22:39

Of course not - we are expected to be in work supporting ourselves and not just parked on benefit watching tv all day!

The new ESA renewal letter is very clear people only have a very limited amount of time where they cannot genuinely work and the job of medical services is to ensure people make the most of their ability to do any work.

What's scary is the sheer number of people who believe 'the genuine' are protected (like who exactly??) and then will not continue reading that paragraph about everyone having a work coach with regular appointments and how everyone can do some work.

I expect them to means test PIP as well which is mysteriously not mentioned at all.

Becca19962014 · 18/05/2017 22:39

The first bit was sarcastic just in case anyone misunderstood!!

Becca19962014 · 18/05/2017 23:53

Workfare finished long ago.

However, it's being replaced by something called the "health and work programme" - that's what requires people to go to the job centre before being assessed for an ESA group, and it's mandetory. No one is exempt as it happens when to first apply before being assessed by a 'medical professional' from ATOS etc. They're determined to stop the current exemption that people in support group don't need to do mandetory looking for work activities or go on the health and work programme (workfare by another name) - the Tory manifesto published today also confirms this is their intention.

Becca19962014 · 18/05/2017 23:57

Health and work also includes ensuring people are getting treatment for conditions to get better as well. Which is things like CBT (was trialled in my area as part of workfare several years ago)/mental health treatment/pain clinics.

It didn't work well in my area as those services no longer exist on the NHS in my county.

Original poster
JoffreyBaratheon · 25/05/2017 23:34

Husband had his F2F this week.

Total waste of time. Nothing was said or done there that wasn't covered already in his forms and the medical info the assessor hadn't yet bothered to look at. Posted on t'other thread but bottom line was - it was a humiliating, painful, stupid waste of time.

I think we need to kick these arsehole tories into touch ASAP and replace them with politicians who will undertake to end PIP and return to a more humane, caring system.

Gonna keep this thread bumped throughout the election to shame the prats.

OP posts:
HelenaDove · 26/05/2017 00:48

Joffrey im sorry to hear it was humiliating and painful Thanks

The people who have been left with life changing injuries as a result of the Manchester bombing will no doubt have the same fight on their hands for DLA/PIP.

HelenaDove · 29/05/2017 20:36

Cardiac patient who was told he was fit to work has third heart attack three hours into his new job as a DELIVERY DRIVER!

www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/cardiac-patient-declared-fit-work-10522261#ICID=sharebar_twitter

HelenaDove · 29/05/2017 21:06

If he had had an accident how would the system have dealt with it. Would they have prosecuted him? How?
Because the system cannot say that he hid/didnt declare an illness when same system has told him that he is fit for work and that that illness doesnt exist.

Food for thought!

LurkingHusband · 30/05/2017 10:08

Because the system cannot say that he hid/didnt declare an illness when same system has told him that he is fit for work and that that illness doesnt exist.

The system can do whatever it wants.

There are many areas of law where "reality" means different things, depending on which law you are reading. The best places to find these are in definitions used by HMRC, where you can simultaneously be self-employed, and an employee at the same time.

Famously Einstein had grave reservations about quantum theory. I'm sure if he had worked for HMRC he would have had no problem holding contradictory positions.

AwaywiththePixies27 · 30/05/2017 10:18

Of course not - we are expected to be in work supporting ourselves and not just parked on benefit watching tv all day!

The first bit was sarcastic just in case anyone misunderstood!!

A very goof point though Becca because that's exactly what the Tories and the constant stream of benefit programmes have managed to convince the public. Even though yours was said in jest, many people will vote with that sort of opinion in their head.

I'm sure I speak for many disabled people when I say I wish that's all we did all day! Grin

Becca19962014 · 31/05/2017 21:57

away sadly yes that's exactly how we're viewed.

I was told yesterday my council now consider all disability related income as available to pay rent including DLA/PIP. Interestingly I'm also expected to hand over DLA/pip to pay for services/care as well.

with regard to the nan who had a heart attack after being declared fit for work, some food for indigestion thought...

Until after the Glasgow bin lorry crash it was possible to hold a drivers licence, including hgv with the driver had even if he disclosed it.

I had a dvla medical with a very similar condition and was declared fit to drive as 'it is impossible to blackout sitting down'- quote from the report. I lose consiousness several times a week, sometimes a day. I never got a licence BUT the dwp when I was on JSA were the ones who sent me to dvla to prove I wasn't allowed a licence and expected me to learn if the dvla didn't state I was unfit (I found work before then and my employer, NHS, agreed it was unsafe). That was over ten years ago.

Now it's different. The dvla even said at his trial he would have been declared fit to drive hgv if assessed (later referenced by dwp as a reason to declare those losing consiousness no longer suitable for support group ESA or even work group)

Becca19962014 · 31/05/2017 21:58

With regard to the man not nan!

HelenaDove · 31/05/2017 22:52

Bloody hell.

Becca19962014 · 31/05/2017 23:21

Quite Sad