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

Regardless of Sunak's latest wheeze, the poor, sick, disabled and elderly are already suffering. We've never stopped having the austerity that Cameron and Osborne subjected the country to - well, not the whole country obviously because they and their mates came out of it richer than ever. I look at Cameron's smug face now as he jets around the world at Foreign Sec, and it turns my stomach. And austerity came with the help of the Lib Dems, lest we forget.

Where I live families are poor - there are food banks, baby & children's clothing banks, school uniform bank, a cafe that provides a free hot meal. It's almost impossible to get a GP appointment. A&E is atrocious - like something out of a developing country not a country in the G7. Get burgled and all you get is a crime number for the insurance, you never see the police. Schools don't have enough TAs, or even enough teachers. The school buildings leak and are overcrowded. School transport for disabled young people is almost non-existent. Woe betide any children who are ND or have disabilities because they'll be stuck in an overcrowded class with no TA following a curriculum devised by ideologues and that tries to jam square pegs into round holes regardless of the effects on children's mental health or self esteem.

Elderly people who get home social care are getting two, 20 minute visits a day. No wonder there's an epidemic of loneliness.

I sometimes feel that we've been abandoned by the government.

I’m disabled, physically disabled, I’m on 6 lots of medications a day that I would have about 4 days to live if I didn’t take them. I’m up every night with pain and symptoms. I work.

@SerendipityJane thank you, you have pretty much said all that needs to be said in one post.

Thank god we will be rid of this sleazy, corrupt and wantonly cruel bunch of bastards some time this year.

I just want to be really clear. I’m not in any way saying that mental health isn’t a serious condition. Of course it is. And look, if you’re feeling anxious or depressed of course you should get the support and the treatment that you need to manage your conditions. But that doesn’t mean that we should assume you can’t engage in the world of work

I actually agree with this up to a point, but to improve the situation we need:

More early access provision for children and young people, including increased investment and CAMHS and creation of more CYP inpatient units so those in most need can also benefit from the support of their families instead of being shipped halfway across the country for treatment if they’re one of the ‘lucky’ ones.

Employers to be more supportive of people with low-medium mental health needs, in terms of day to day understanding and provision, support of outpatient appointments and particularly a review and legal strengthening of the right to request flexible working.

If the Tories would stop throwing money and benefits at wealthy pensioners to ensure their votes and use that surplus to support CYP and those of working age, they could increase engagement with work thus bringing in more tax revenue to continue these developments and providing additional support for the members of the ageing population who actually need it.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/neil-kinnock-warned-you-tories-29089961

We don't need an updated chart, by the way. Those ratios have only changed to make the blue bigger

Well that kind of makes it worse. You know what it is like to be disabled, but you still look down on other disabled people who don't work and/or claim benefits.

Honestly, I don't give a shit if a few (in the scheme of things) people are playing the system and getting something they're not entitled to. Rather that than genuinely disabled people being made to behave like performing seals at the dehumanising PIP assessments.

We're the sixth or seventh largest economy in the world, we can apparently afford to pay Tory cronies millions in contracts for non-existent ships and even by the DWP's own figures, more goes unclaimed than is lost to fraud. So excuse me if I can't get too exercised at somebody's aunt's next door neighbour's window cleaner's cat receiving PIP that they're not entitled to 🙄

If claiming benefits is so easy and gives you such a cushy lifestyle, give up your job and do it yourself.

Dis labout person not suggest "tax the pensioners more" yesterday?

Both parties are in it for themselves and if you think different, then you have been fooled

I have no idea what a specialist work and health professional is. Is it a recognised role or something they are making up? If it isn't medical professionals how do they assess people's fitness for work?

What on earth are you on about? Your first sentence makes no sense.

It's WCA. Like Atos, Capita etc.

I have no idea what a specialist work and health professional is.

It will be like the cunts they sent round to assess people for DLA/PIP. You know - who have to step over the corpse they declare fit for work.

We have to do something about the sick note culture. We ALL know someone who is working cash in hand but in the pub Friday night boasting about it. People are playing the system and it spoils it for the genuinely sick.

And yes, I believe this will go down well with the country.

If as Sunak says its going to increase by 50% in the next few years something needs to be done.

According to stats 51% of PIP applications are rejected. Some give up but 69% of appeals are successful

Rishi didn't mention that.

Making assessment even harder than it currently is (eg requiring more medical evidence when people are unable to access services) will just increase the percentage of rejections and therefore put more pressure on the appeals system.

Also, how will preventing access to benefits translate into making employers provide reasonable adjustments or translate into people being able to receive the support they need to be able to work?

Also, it is odd that Rishi focuses on the health promoting aspects of work as if benefits/work are an either/or. PIP is an in work benefit (work does not cure disability) and the percentage of in work claimants for UC was over 40% in the last 12 month.

This a new low - even for the Tories

Apologies

Labour person said yesterday that pensioners should by more tax

Both the tory and Labour lot are in it for themselves and if you dont believe that then they have you fooled in my judgement

🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄

Lucky you!
Hoe about not judging others who aren’t as lucky when you should understand how hard it is.
Im unwell with brittle asthma.

I daily look after my 94year old father who has had a stroke.
I look after my life limited adult son who has just been told he isn’t to do anything but rest for the next few months because he needs major surgery that they can’t do as it’s too high risk and he won’t survive. He has spent his life knowing he could die at any time. He also has adhd and asd. He has diagnosied mental health issues due to above. He can’t drive. He can’t lift. He can’t stand for any length of time. He has a first class honours degree he worked very hard with support to get. He would love to work. He talks about it daily. He simply can’t find an employer who is willing to take a chance on him.

I can’t risk losing my CA by going over by 30p and being prosecuted because I couldn’t afford to feed us if I did. I can’t find a job that will allow me to fit it in around looking after both my Dad and my son and their various care needs and hospital appts. Never mind even thinking about my own health.
I would love to work for my own well-being never mind the money.

Where are these magical employers who will agree to take on people who can’t work more than 12 hours a week, who have to have regular time off for surgeries/endless hospital appts?
Please show me them??

Don’t forget fat people are to blame for NHS failings too according to the tory health minister. So, if you are too old, too sick,too fat,too disabled, young and lazy, a greedy nurse or junior doctor who wants enough money to live on then you have caused the huge waiting lists and inability to get a gp appointment.
Nothing to do with 14 years of tory government at all. Shame on us all. Those poor tories struggling against all odds to run the country when the rest of us are useless wastrels.

I refer you to the chart of money available.

Isn't it a bit dim to try and squeeze the smallest cherry ?

And whilst some posters may have met someone who fiddles the disability benefit system the huge majority of disabled people are entirely genuine and sick to the back teeth of being judged by those who don’t have a clue how hard life can be.

Ri$hi and company will not be in power come January next year (hopefully a lot sooner than that) so anything they say is just background noise designed to rile up the easily manipulated parts of the population (who despite being very vocal, are a minority).

Funny everyone remembers the benefits cheats on threads like that, but never the tax dodgers. Defies statistics really, if mapped back to reality.

It's almost as if there is an agenda.

Very true. Most of that cohort will be voting Fascist Reform UK anyway, so Sunak is wasting his time.