Disability Benefits

[LIVVI1234]

Can someone advise - I keep seeing everywhere, Labour supporters saying Conservatives plan on dropping disability benefits - is this true?

I have never actually seen this anywhere? I understand they didn't have many changes planned to the current benefits we already have, which isn't great but I hadn't heard they were dropping them.

@x2boys so sorry to hear you've had a hard time but pleased it's finally been sorted. you should not have to go to a tribunal.

If you haven't seen any evidence of this well you are in a good position because I have personal experience of disability benefits "just stopping" because I am waiting on tribunal dates..

@HanginWithMyGnomies I do worry. I know we have been lucky so far but my mum has always been fortunate. A quick glance at the points scoring and my mum is scoring around a 76 (just to give you an idea of her severity), she also has a very good medical team who are great for evidence etc. Never have any issues like that.

Like you say though, I know the whole thing is very unfair. When she was on DLA she didn't have half as much paperwork etc (also on a lifetime award). Like you say, how can someone on a lifetime award not be award PIP. No sense at all. I know many people really really suffer with it and its very unfair.

@x2boys was looking out for a post with the outcome, so pleased it went in your favour

how on earth can that happen? Surely if she was on a lifetime award previously, she must be very much in need.

My DH had an indefinite award of DLA when that still genuinely meant 'lifetime'. He had to apply for PIP when DLA was withdrawn and has been awarded less than half the amount he formerly received, despite medical evidence that his condition has worsened and has even more of an adverse impact on him now. We are now on the six month+ waiting list for a tribunal hearing.

I believe there is a huge amount of ignorance about how the disability benefits system operates these days, and a sweetly naive belief among many who haven't had to navigate it that anyone genuinely, seriously disabled will still be alright, it's the borderline cases and the chancers that get weeded out. Unfortunately that simply isn't true. It's a target-driven lottery of a process that is utterly, utterly unfit for purpose.

My DH is one of the 'lucky' ones - he has me to advocate for him. Imagine how much worse it is for those who don't have anyone to fight their corner.

I scored zero points at PIP assessment, which was upheld on mandatory reconsideration and had to go through Tribunal, which I had expected from the benefits & work forum as its so common for them to just refuse, as know people just accept & give up so cut costs. Its not a fair process at all, assessors lie and can ask questions in such a way that lose points. Even the forms have to be filled out in right way to be able to score the necessary points its not easy.

My welfare advisor who came to tribunal with me was amazing, actually didn't even query all the points, and I still had enough to bon care & mobility for 4yrs. Even though I knew was 70% cases being awarded in claiments favour, I felt suicidal in weeks before & wanted to quit as I didn't feel upto process but If I did that knew I'd dead anyway as had nothing left.

I didn't get assessed for ESA until after tribunal, i was lucky my assessor was nice. I was terrified of being put in work group because i wouldn't be able to attend & I'd get sanctioned.
I was living for the near 2yrs it took for PIP claim to tribunal on £63 a week which caused so much hardship & debt, luckily my family & ex helped out with care. Even for unemployed which is same rate it doesn't leave any spare to do anything but survive, you can't afford to replace so shouldn't be for long term.

Its really sad & people have died due to this cruel process & sanctions, those which are vulnerable are most at risk of having benefits cut or not awarded.

The courts found DWP had discriminated against MH claiments by making a question on claim form about planning & making journeys only for physical difficulty, so any psychological distress wasn't allowed. If the government thinks disability discrimination is acceptable what hope is there

A quick glance at the points scoring and my mum is scoring around a 76 (just to give you an idea of her severity), she also has a very good medical team who are great for evidence etc.

My DH would, if the criteria were applied fairly, realistically score 54, poss 58. He has copies of medical evidence from his teams (multi-disciplinary), which we provided, running to the thickness of a decent paperback.

He scored 11. One point below the enhanced care rate. The cynic in me tends towards thinking that is not a complete coincidence. There were actual, outright lies on both the initial assessment report and the report from his Mandatory Reconsideration, to the point that I questioned whether they had got his report mixed up with someone else's.

It's not possible to have any faith in the criteria being applied fairly or honestly. The system is set up to work for the DWP, not the disabled.

@OnlyTheTitOfTheIceberg that sounds horrendous.
Your husband is lucky he has you. I often think that - If I wasn't there for my mum keeping an eye on these things, filling in forms etc I know she would have had a harder time. I feel so sorry for the people who have no one to help them (or no one capable to really help). Even just the forms are complex, and require really careful wording to complete.
I think my eyes have been opened - I guess I have been naive - like you say, assuming most people with 'severe' disabilities are relatively safe but obviously not in your husbands case.

I have had a new ESA form sent apparently i maybe entitled to more (or less) i am scared to fill the bloody form in just incase it is less.

I love Labour (before Corbyn) but this is a scare story, try not to let it frighten you xxx

Thank you LIVV I hope your mum never has to face the indignity of an assessment, but if she does I sincerely hope she's one of the lucky ones who receives the correct award on first application (it does happen, just nowhere near as often as it should).

@Mrsjayy if it helps my mum had this renewal in September. Looong form to fill in (my mum was in hospital a the time too so very stressful). Went really well though- no changes were made. Hope it all goes well for you too.

Many people I know did get DLA and now don't get PIP. These people should get it. I think. It was made harder to get. Deliberately.

@OnlyTheTitOfTheIceberg thank you. I hope so too.
I guess I've just presumed that because my mum can't stand or walk (she is in a powered wheelchair full time), she also has carers to dress her, wash her, help with the toilet etc that her needs are pretty unquestionable (obviously she has mountains of proof from SS, carers too etc) but I know this obviously isn't the case now so it certainly something I will need to be more aware off.

I wonder if this scrapping benefits is refering to the stopping funding for Autism services within 4 years, which has got muddled in translation? (I cant remember where i saw it, but pretty sure it was on their costings where it was gradually lowered over 3 years and in the forth year they didnt have any funding alocated?

The funding one for autism is the extra 75 mill pledged, the 'zero' is the standard amount that will be there (which is never going to be enough !)

@LittleDragonGirl you might be right. I did see something about that too somewhere. That's not acceptable either. Lets hope it isn't true and perhaps just not yet allocated.

@notapizzaeater Unfortunately with how badly autism services have been stripped bare over the past 9 years, I dont think 75mil will bring them back up to 2010 standards, never mind improve them past that :/ mental health and disorder/disability services have been at breaking point for years with many people with Autism, ADHD or severe mental health unable to access the support they need. The NHS is underfunded and over worked as a whole, but Mental health and Autism services have taken a large brunt of that impact.

Many people I know did get DLA and now don't get PIP. These people should get it. I think. It was made harder to get. Deliberately.

Yes a lot of the DLA criteria has changed dramatically

They won't do it all at once, they aren't totally stupid, they just make it harder and harder to claim and trot out the party line "the genuine claimants are protected" which a frightening number of people believe. A friend was awarded nothing from dla to PIP transfer despite having over 30 conditions including cancer because there's no longer any help with forms or appeals or tribunals here, she can't face going to the court which is the same one she went to after being assaulted so is struggling without.

My last ESA form had on the back a link to an "independent study" that work was best treatment for illness and disability and ESA is NOT a long term benefit. It's purpose is to support you back into work once you have adapted to your disability.

Our jobcentre, only one in the county despite almost half a million people living here, is no longer jobcentreplus so if disabled you must go elsewhere. They can't check a persons identity for UC so you must go elsewhere and despite there being an "assessment centre" there appointments are made elsewhere in Wales, because people must travel for medical appointments so they can travel for benefit assessments too.

With regard to switching from ESA to UC the protection is limited. If someone was in incapacity benefit highest rate with premiums and gets protection for that then that will be gone - that can be as much as £20 a week. Very few people know about that. I only know from a forum for disabled people I post on.

I've watched my healthboard systematically destroy services in my county because everyone must be able to travel. Then suddenly someone in authority gets ill and whines they can't travel. No free transport here anymore - the official line is benefits for the disabled and out of work have gone up so they must now contribute; reality - the healthboard cannot afford to pay hospital transport bill anymore. Started with the waiting list locally being months or even years, so they offer appointments elsewhere which some people took and then the clinics got reduced as people were capable of going elsewhere. GP surgeries are closing all the time because they are expected to provide care for people like me who simply cannot travel and GPs aren't equipped to do that.

Thank,s yes the outcome was positive for us although stressful ,I think sometimes the forms are so stressful ,and different decision makers seem to interpret answers in different ways?

I have 3 disabled DCs, including one with autism, and I am so scared about what a Tory government will mean for them. Benefits, mental health support, education, work and training services have all been cut. It’s terrifying and sickening in equal measure. My thoughts are with so many other people who are similarly vulnerable.

They scrapped the disability premiums on universal credit so when I get transferred over I'll lose around £150 a week. I already can't afford my bills so I'm likely going to lose my home.

Just this morning I saw a post on a DLA group from a mum whose young daughter has cancer, is catheterised and tube fed, and has been refused DLA.

I really hope she's appealing. Catheterisation and tube feeding are a shoo-in for middle rate care, as is being on oxygen.

Yes, she is. Thank goodness for online groups, although some of the DLA ones are pretty dire and full of misinformation and judgement sadly.