Don't be poor, disabled, sick or elderly . .

[MistressoftheDarkSide]

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2024/apr/19/rishi-sunak-sicknote-culture-welfare-reform-post-office-horizon-conservatives-labour-uk-politics-lastest-updates

So this is a big part of the next Tory strategy to get elected.

I hope the buggers don't get in

Do you understand that a) PIP is an in-work benefit and b) the effects of fibromyalgia can vary hour by hour, much less day to day?

The 98% tax on certain investment income was a government in the 1970s. It will not return and you would be equally guilty of a smear if you said the Tories will make income tax rates of 33% for starters.

Just make sure you vote for someone other that the Tories when the general election comes, and Rishi Sunak's proposal will become academic.

Sick note culture was created by the Tories in the 1980s.

When unemployment rose, due to the trashing of various industries, the record number of people “on the dole” was bad publicity. So people were actively encouraged to be declared sick/disabled instead, and then the headline unemployment rate didn’t look quite so bad.

The children of those families have now got families of their own, and the problem is one entirely of the Right’s making. And they’ve resorted to type, pitting one working class person against another to distract from the corrupt contracts for mates, tax dodging, profiteering lot that are really costing the country money. Flog the nations infrastructure, make customers pay more and watch the profits fly abroad and then 35 years later wonder why they are so many leaks in the water supply and people can’t afford to heat their houses any more. But they’ll blame the asylum seekers on the boats in the channel and people will fall for it all over again.

You don't need to be signed off sick to claim PIP. It's a disability benefit & non-means tested. I work full time & claim PIP.

Head pain prevents me typing more today but my thoughts on Cons plans same as the economist Coppola’s here:

And this:

It is perfectly legal to work full time and receive disability benefits @OOBetty . Sick notes and GPs have nothing to do with those benefits.

You really need to research before you make stuff up.

God I am sick of the bollocks and the hate that is spewed about disability on MN.

This! I am not reading anywhere that everyone on benefits will be forced into work, what I am reading is that those able
to work will be expected to work. I take this to translate that my ex-SIL who has never worked a day in her life, but is physically and mentally able to do so, may now find herself having to put back into a system that has housed her and her three kids, and paid her enough to live on, since she was 16. I’m guessing the mum of three who also proudly declares she won’t ever be forced to work because she knows how to play the system, whilst drinking her fifth Stella at 5pm, and living in a nice new build flat may also feel some pressure to give back to the society that has supported her and her three kids all these years. These people exist, everywhere.

I too would pay higher taxes to support those who cannot work due to legitimate reasons. What I do not condone is those who breed like rabbits and kick off when they aren’t given a bigger home or expect the state to support them. Where is the personal responsibility and pride? I have significant health issues that I manage very well with support from the NHS. I work FT, and will continue to do so for as long as I can. I don’t expect the state to support me!

How many times have I seen this especially in the NHS. Someone gets reprimanded for a mistake, they can't cope with being given a telling off/ reprimand and feel hard done by. They go off sick for weeks with ' stress' on full pay accruing annual leave, come back on a phased return weeks later.
I think the whole sick note system needs reforming.

My DS gets PIP for a condition that cannot be cured. It cannot be treated. He works part time and between that and PIP, he gets by financially. Take his PIP away for some nonexistent treatment and force him to go full-time and he won't be able to work at all, because his condition will rapidly deteriorate. Shame on everyone on this thread who supports this useless heartless government.

Well said. 👏👏👏👏

@OOBetty I don't think that you seem to like your "friend" very much. No doubt that she would value your thoughts on her disability

Slight correction to above Coppola is not a trained economist. She worked in finance and is now a writer and commentator on banking, finance and economics.

You post this absolute mess of stereotyping. On a site aimed at women with children. Some of whom will claim benefits and/or live in social housing?

For shame.

''@Ladybir

Like it or not but I believe there will be a good proportion of the UK population who agree with him''

I doubt that very much...

The majority of us know that:

• High waiting lists and things like Long Covid have badly affected the nation's health

• social care and mental health services are underfunded so people just get worse and can't access the support they need

• suggesting that mental health issues are not real is ignorant and dangerous

• disabled people deserve a decent standard of living like everyone else.

The UK has some of the lowest benefits already, in spite of what the Daily Mail would like people to believe and fraud is a tiny part of all claims.

As usual it is the Tories trying to kick down immigrants, disabled people and the sick because they don't have anything to offer as a party but hate.

The real fraudsters who have siphoned tax payers money at the moment are in the Government, Parliament on the Tory benches or are the rich mates of ministers.

Only a fool would believe the Tory rhetoric on this.

My dh works full time with two severe chronic conditions. He doesn't consider claiming hundreds in PIP because he has no extra costs and earns a decent salary. If he did need to pay for therapy, or physio or have to get taxis to work each day, or had to reduce his hours because he couldn't cope with full time ( something which is a possibility soon ) then he would but he doesn't have extra costs. He's grateful that he gets injections paid for by the NHS that cost 1k a month that keep him off relying on steroids and all the horrible side effects that they bring. I think the whole PIP system needs to be reviewed as a matter of urgency.

I cannot get worked up about this.It is posturing to the media thats all.There is no way the Tories are getting back in power they are toast,So Rishi is being a twat today on this issue it will be something else tomorrow that will also hold no water.Look at his record he hasnt achieved anything yet!

I have a "variable" condition hEDS.
On a good day I can run a marathon.
On a bad day I can barely walk across a room, I never know when I'm going to have a bad day, because I never know when I'm going to sublex, or if I'm going to be massively delayed on a journey, leaving me in agony for days after (as happened a couple of weeks ago).
Most people looking at me wouldn't know that I have the particular condition, I've lived with the background level of pain that others wouldn't be able to function with all my life. And I've worked hard to do my best to reduce the risk of injury, but there are still days when I have to fight the pain for every single step

Agree, I’m not sure why @darksideofthestudio quoted me, I don’t agree their post!

You do realised that that 120bn figure comes from not only from a biased source, but it's also completely unvalidated. It's about as credible as plucking a figure from the air.

There are some rich people who pay not enough tax, but there are lots and lots who pay a huge amount of tax - like us. DH and I were poor growing up and thankfully through mainly hard work and good choices we're not. But we pay a massive amount of tax and it really annoys me when people take the piss as it's our money and your (if you hopefully pay tax) money they're pissing away.

It's also unusual for people to only take part in one criminal activity, usually there are multiple ones.

You can and should detect and prosecute anyone who avoids tax and breaks the law.

Sad to say but it’s not really financially tenable for just about anyone to rock up to the GP with normal life stresses and get signed off for 3 weeks and check in again and get that updated to 6 weeks. It’s a real pity that what they’re doing will very likely impact the genuinely sick but the current system is being massively abused so I’m not surprised the Tories want to do something.

My mother has never worked a day in her life. She went from living at home to being married and my father supported her completely. She's the laziest person I know. She never got out of bed to get us breakfast before school, would drive to the school to collect us (0.2 miles according to Google maps).

When my dad left she went onto disability benefits, I have no idea how. When I queried it she said she didn't want to work and didn't see why she should. That was 30 years ago when she was mid 50s. She still gets disability payments (not sure exactly what as she's very secretive) and I have no idea how she's been able to do it for so long.

Yes and I said that was the only one I could think of but how is one change for pensioners translate into "too many tax breaks." It is one surely?

It isn't actually an 8% reduction, it is an 8% reduction on anything over £12,570 a year which could be nothing but it won't ever actually be 8%.

Me too. I go to the gym and lift weights to help my EDS. On a good day I can leg press 100kg.

People here would have a field day with that, no doubt.