To be frightened about the Government’s plans for benefits reform?

[PilgorTheGoat]

I am one of the millions of people currently on long term sickness benefits. I receive the LCWRA element of UC and PIP due to poor mental health and autism. I have severe anxiety and depression and I am awaiting an appointment to see if I also have PTSD due to sexual abuse in my childhood.

I have tried every element of support offered to me. I’m maxed out on 2 different types of antidepressants. I have had back-to-back (excluding the 6 month wait in between) 12 week sessions of counselling offered via the NHS. I am on a waiting list for intensive CBT due to my possible PTSD. I am currently having twice weekly private, video counselling appointments.

I can’t leave my house alone due to panic attacks. I struggle to meet my own care needs and my husband has to do a lot of the work for us both (although he works full time). I have a very understanding friend whom I force myself to go for a short walk with twice a week in order to stop myself becoming completely imprisoned at home but I find this very distressing and we have to take the same route each time.

I am so, so scared about the government’s plans to end sickness benefits for people like me. We don’t have a load of spare cash, we’re just about getting by. There is no support available. I’ve taken everything offered and my husband has been very proactive in seeking out other services for me to be involved with. I’d love to be better, I’d love not to live in fear but there is no help.

I think it's quite obvious these policies wouldn't be aimed at you OP. They're for people who think a bit of anxiety or depression are an excuse to not work.

''@hamstersarse
I don’t particularly like the rhetoric but currently fewer people are net contributors than contributors at the moment. Fewer than 50% of people actually create a tax surplus. ''

Well, then let's start with the big corporations that manage to get away with paying a tiny amount of tax and into the tax arrangements of wealthy individuals like Sunak's wife or people like Rees-Mogg.

Or with recovering the money that was lost in Furlough fraud and Covid procurement...

Yes I agree with this. The current situation is unsustainable. I think people like op will be ok if MH issues are severe.
I really want to know what Labour's plans are for addressing this £69 billion benefits bill.

I can hear the panic in your post. Is there anything you can do to try to overcome your phobia, like exposure? Try leaving the house every day instead of twice a week for example? Slowly increase. I think it’s like physiotherapy - you have to practice and do it yourself, no-one can do it for you.

unfortunately something does need to be done, currently there are not enough people net contributing and it’s ok to say look at the big corporations but more people do need to get into work. There are lots and lots of genuine people like yourself and I would hope there would be mechanisms in place to support them. But more people need to stop relying on benefits otherwise the country is going to be in a bigger mess. And that needs to look at preventative measures too. Looking into root cause!

According to Google, you need to be earning £41k to be a net contributor. Bumping people off of benefits wont mean you they end up earning enough to be one. Many will be stuck in NMW jobs, and still claiming UC as a top up anyway.

But still, it is acceptable to punch down and blame people too poorly to work.

@PilgorTheGoat, I say this gently but if you've already had so much counselling, and none of it has worked, do you really think having yet more counselling will work this time? I didn't even know you could claim UC for yourself if your DH works.

@PilgorTheGoat, pressed too soon. You say there is no help available but you also say you are under your GP who gives you 2 different types of antidepressants, you've had 2 lots of 12 sessions of counselling, you are seeing a specialist about possible PTSD and you have video counselling too. That is actually receiving a lot of help and support.

I think we are all panicking for one reason or another

I'm similar to you, OP. I have bipolar disorder and C-PTSD, as well as PoTS, and have just been awarded PIP and am waiting to hear about LCWRA. I rarely leave the house either.

I've worked all my life, I felt nothing but shame when my DP gently told me I should stop working and apply for PIP, as my health was so incredibly poor.

I've tried SO HARD to function all these years, and cunts like Sunak think it's an amazing idea to push those who are unable to work into jobs that will eventually fire them for poor performance.

I know deep down it's all Tory propaganda, but that's what they really think of us.

This

Me too, I have not heard what Keir plans to do about the disability benefits system, and am curious to know what changes they are likely to make.

Well this is somewhat my point. I’ve accessed years of counselling (far more than 2 lots of 12 sessions), I am doing everything the medical professionals suggest, and yet I am not “cured”.

I have tried volunteering, I’ve tried participating in community groups designed for people like me who struggle to get out by themselves. The fact is it doesn’t help.

I would dearly love to be better. I’d love to be able to go out to meet a friend by a cup of tea. I’d love to earn my own living and stop having people looking down on me for being a “benefit scrounger”

This rhetoric from the government is making me worse not better.

My 17 year old with learning disabilities has just gone through a care assessment before his 18th. He's always attended a special school. He can't read. His IQ is less than 75 and he has a memory deficit so forgets most things he's told yet they seem to be suggesting he can manage his own care needs. It's already a nightmare for people like him. I don't see how it can get any worse tbh.

PS, I claim UC perfectly legally. We have a joint claim and my husband’s salary is deducted from what we receive. He works 40 hours a week for the police so we aren’t taking the mick out of the system.

I wasn't suggesting you were. I was just unaware a person could claim for themselves if they were married but you have clarified by stating it's a joint claim.

They don't. They're fucked. No party since full enfranchisement has ever managed to come back from poll deficits of the level the Tories currently enjoy.

alrighry Nostradame. 😂

I think correctly clocking the way this one is heading is more Mystic Meg territory, personally.

Maybe some not all...of the ppl on benefits could actually benifit by going to work ..plus we all know there are ppl who work the system thst should not be on benifit they should be working 💯

Big hug, OP, I hope you always get all the help you need!

Most people on benefits already work.

You know that's not what I'm saying I'm talking about ppl working the system that do fuck all

That are able to work

Then I'm clearly not talking about them read what i said