to wonder why Rishi Sunack hates the disabled?

[drinkingcherrywine]

I am just not sure I can feel any worse right now about how the U.K. is treating its most vulnerable but tomorrow may tip me over the edge. We have had what little societal, health and charitable support there was swept from under us during the pandemic, costs of living have gone up massively (especially for shielding), medical care a distant memory, rent evictions are underway, it gets worse every day.

The government has increased the standard allowance in Universal Credit and the basic element in Working Tax Credit for one year. Both have increased by £20 per week on top of planned annual uprating. This applies to all new and existing Universal Credit claimants and to existing Working Tax Credit claimants.

So no uplift for carer parents of disabled children claiming child tax credit. Or anyone on legacy benefits who will be worse off on UC (majority disabled). If you are a shielding adult you will be vaccinated soon hopefully but will still be told to continue shielding. If you are a shielding child no vaccination for you, stay in for however long we say, could be another year could be longer - no one cares, you are invisible and shall remain ignored.

Shielding means staying in so expensive due to;
no budget groceries via yellow stickers, end of day reduced etc
no going to library to use computer/ask for help
no going to friends/family/public buildings to reduce home heat/electric/food budget
no going to visit offices who won't answer the phone drs/ council/utilities/citizens advice etc
no taxis/public transport
no sharing childcare favours
no organised affordable group trips

Some of this list was all that kept people going before. Life is more restrictive and much much expensive in many more ways for shielding. The assumed 'local' help that keeps being touted as a fix all simply isn't in existence sufficient to bridge the growing chasm.

www.swlondoner.co.uk/life/25022021-disabled-legacy-benefits-claimants-struggling-with-pandemic-poverty/

If you aren't working due to disability you aren't worth it right?

And no being a ft carer and saving society a fortune in caring obligation doesn't count. Being unable to find a job that flexes to include disability or being too unwell to manage paid employment doesn't count.

If you aren't working due to disability then you aren't part of society. No thousand pound uplift so no worries about uplift continuation. As long as everyone understands the disabled's place in our billionaire budget maker's societal hierarchy, right Rishi?

www.jrf.org.uk/blog/20-weekly-uplift-must-be-extended-legacy-benefits

It cannot be right that some of the most at-risk members of our society have not been thrown the same lifeline as those on Universal Credit. It would be operationally simple to extend the £20 uplift to legacy benefits as part of the usual annual uprating decision later this month. The Government has an opportunity to right this injustice, strengthen social security and help many families stay afloat in these turbulent times. This would send a clear signal that they are committed to supporting everyone in our society.

www.z2k.org/latest/why-the-20-uplift-in-universal-credit-must-be-extended-to-those-on-legacy-benefits/

We want to see the 2.2 million ‘legacy benefit’ claimants get the extra £20 a week too. For us, it still beggars belief that the Government thought it was right to give the increase to one kind of claimant, but deny it to others, especially when you realise that three-quarters of those 2.2 legacy benefit claimants are disabled people on Employment Support Allowance.

www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/100-groups-demand-20-benefits-23025818

I wonder if it ever occured to any of the Tories to actually engage with disabled people about how benefits can help them and also how to help them with getting into work and training?

Or even if the DWP has ever consulted with unemployed/former unemployed people about what works and what doesn't in in terms of getting people into and keeping them in work?

No one can spend 35 hour a week just looking for jobs - what about if the 35hr include learning a language/coding other job-enhancing skills. For me, three job applications in a week is a LOT.

D E A F E N I N G S I L E N C E.

PS I have three degrees - two of which are higher degrees in STEM and have been long-term unemployed but not eligble for benefits.

Also no tax increase on booze or fuel because that wins votes and you know priorities...

Hey maybe we can start a UK wide theatre group for those on legacy benefits and get funding that way?

socialistworker.co.uk/art/51413/Tories+refuse+to+accept+protest+letters+from+disabled+people+ahead+of+budget
The 2.2 million claimants who receive “legacy” benefits – those that predate UC – have had no uplift at all. Three quarters are disabled.

He hates people who have worked all through the pandemic. Loves those on furlough holiday and benefits claimers who have had no change at all to their payments.

I wonder if it ever occured to any of the Tories to actually engage with disabled people about how benefits can help them and also how to help them with getting into work and training?

Why - in the name of all that is Holy - would any of them ever want to do that ? You don't think they're ever serious do you ?

You'll understand a lot more when you've grown up.

Remember the bedroom tax was never about saving money (good job to, as it hasn't). It was another way to try and get it into peoples thick skulls that being poor is a crime you need to pay for.

@JohnMcCainsDeathStare

I wonder if it ever occured to any of the Tories to actually engage with disabled people about how benefits can help them and also how to help them with getting into work and training?

Or even if the DWP has ever consulted with unemployed/former unemployed people about what works and what doesn't in in terms of getting people into and keeping them in work?

No one can spend 35 hour a week just looking for jobs - what about if the 35hr include learning a language/coding other job-enhancing skills. For me, three job applications in a week is a LOT.

D E A F E N I N G S I L E N C E.

from the article I just referred to above...

The Tories snubbed some of the most vulnerable people in society ahead of this week’s budget, as they continued to prioritise the rich.

Disabled people sent a sack of letters to the Treasury on Monday, detailing how the pandemic has hit their finances and lives. The Treasury refused to accept them.

Public "servants" refusing to accept letters from members of the public.

[quote JesusAteMyHamster]@FedNlanders anyone who claims carers allowance and doesn't work also gets a bump up in their income support / UC. It brings it up to around £100 a week.

Those who do work and claim tax credits / UC also get disability premiums. Imo it's more than enough to live on.[/quote]
But the PIP is my sons money. Not mine. I am his carer, so I dont get all the extras.

Disabled people sent a sack of letters to the Treasury on Monday, detailing how the pandemic has hit their finances and lives. The Treasury refused to accept them.

As some posters on this thread will note, if they have time to write letters, clearly they aren't that disabled.

What's the betting the letters were passed to the DWP to check on signatories benefit status ?

Public "servants" refusing to accept letters from members of the public.

Does not surprise me in the slightest. Our MP (Conservative) blocks constituents if they are known to have not voted for him, if they disagree with anything he says, or if they say anything negative about government policy. There are hundreds of constituents totally unable to speak with their MP about issues affecting them as they're banned from contacting him via social media and he doesn't read their letters or emails - more than one found themselves instantly blocked after prefacing comments on his FB page with "I didn't vote for you but...". He doesn't want to engage with people who don't support him 100%. His activists are members of the residents groups despite not actually being residents and they report back to him on what people are saying, one adult resident made a remark about the MP in the residents group and the MP wrote to the man's mother to complain about it. You couldn't make this shit up and that's who is leading us

I think the few ruin it for the many when it comes to benefits

You could say the same about the tax system, but the onus doesn't fall on taxpayers to prove they are not one of the few.

www.writetothem.com/

At least it logs communications and outcomes.

Its benefit claimants and the poor the Tories really hate, so if you claim benefits, disabled or not, expect the absolute minimum support the Tories can get away with. They can also rely on the right wing press to feed that anti poor hatred to the public, get them to hate the poor as well, and voila, vote Tory. Keep feeding the public the diet of anti poor hatred, that will continue to push down the minimum amount of financial support acceptable. Win win for the Tories.

They hate refugees as well op.

Its benefit claimants and the poor the Tories really hate,

and the Irish.

@FoxyTheFox
Which MP is it?

CarelessSquid07A Wed 03-Mar-21 14:20:21

My in laws are both disabled, ...They manage absolutely fine on what they receive, simply because they never leave the house apart from urgent medical needs.

It is as always incredibly shocking that disabled people go outside, of course they should all just stay in, the audacity of those pesky disableds taking part in society like they belong there

And yet the British public love the Tories.

I think the few ruin it for the many when it comes to benefits.

It’s the only system that the government determinedly run using the few as the baseline. And it’s publicly acceptable because of the number of idiots who trot out the “well I know a guy who scams over a bad back” cliche every time it’s mentions.

Most definitely not ignorant of CFS. If you manage the psychological causes and use grading, exercise, good diet and enforced routines around sleep rest and activity it can be managed.

Do you mean graded exercise therapy? If so, your knowledge of CFS is outdated. NICE stated last year that GET should not be offered for the treatment of ME/CFS and that CBT is not a treatment for these conditions but may be useful in supporting sufferers to manage their symptoms.

Headlines are all
"Furlough extended"
"Benefit uplift extended"

but strangely no
"Fuck Off to disabled extended"

And it’s publicly acceptable because of the number of idiots who trot out the “well I know a guy who scams over a bad back” cliche every time it’s mentions.

You can't knock the right wing press and the Tories on the job they've done demonising the poor. So many people have absolutely lapped it up.

Always best to know what your opponents think.

Those saying its more than enough to live on...

I receive

67.25 a week carers
44 a week IS
277 a week CTC

Which works out at approx £1682 a month.

My oldest in school is a minimum of 1:1, often 2:1. My youngest is 1:1. I care for 2 children who require 3 members of staff to manage in school (and 1 doesn't do full time as the school can't cope with her) single handedly. My oldest receives high rate care which means substantial round the clock care. My 'respite' is the 3 hours a day they are both in school 39 weeks a year. Except the respite is filled. Today I spent 90 minutes in a meeting doing paperwork for the continence service. Thursday I have a 3 hour planning meeting. Yesterday I spent 45 minutes with the ed psych.

Yes I can live off the money but for what I do its nothing, it works out at £2.80 per hour so £1.40 per child.

@drinkingcherrywine

Well said. I’m so sorry your family are in the heartbreaking position of have a loved one, especially a child, with a terminal illness. Life is just so unfair and cruel sometimes. You shouldn’t have to put up with Ignorant, selfish, ignoble, manipulative people like @Countrygirl2021. Troll or not, it’s disgusting vile behaviour. A less mature person could say May s/he be struck down with a nasty scaly itchy smelly lifelong rash . Flowers for you and your family