How likely are PIP vouchers now labour are in?

[CatOnALightSwitch]

Just as the title says really.

It doesn't affect me as I don't claim any benefits and work full time however my son and mother are on PIP and I'm not sure how vouchers would work for them and I'm a little bit worried.

I know there is previous threads on this but I can't see any being mentioned now labour is in.

Is it worth worrying about or is it a wait and see what happens situation?

Thanks all.

Please post what tax breaks and vanity projects you’re referring to and the cost of them.

We could afford a hell of a lot more if we didn’t have to pay for unnecessary appeals!

Exactly. I think a lot of people have got better at standing up for their rights. (Good). They use the internet to equip themselves with knowledge of how to fight for what they are rightly entitled to. Whereas the government used to hope that people would simply give up.

An ND diagnosis is not necessarily a barrier to work though, nor does it mean you cannot function (for a big majority of later diagnosed young people/older people)

What it means is that you need support and help to learn how to do it, something that is sadly lacking. There is very little out there once that ASD /ADHD diagnosis comes through (and i say that as a 57 year old AuDHD parent to 2 AuDHD kids, one with other physical health conditions) especially as a child.

There are no services there helping you to function in the modern world, helping you to understand your neurodiversity and steps you can take to help yourself, nothing to assist with executive functioning. No extra help generally in schools to help with the increasingly overwhelming environment. No money for the tech that could make a massive difference, or the mentoring support that could help you to learn life skills, and feel better about yourself.

IF you can struggle through and make it to University, then the DSA shows you exactly what COULD be available - my daughter now has so much software and 1-2-1 support that its actually heartbreaking to think that this COULD be available for kids in school and what they could achieve if they had it - and if you are employed then Access to Work should provide the same level of support but Im not sure that many people know about it (Ive applied as self employed but its kind of in limbo at the moment)

It does kind of highlight what help could be there to help you, especially with tech advances - that can help you to progress in life, but too many people are simply left to rot, which starts a whole cycle of anxiety/depression/lack of self care on top of the ND diagnosis.

The main issue with benefits as they are now is that they accidentally discourage any personal progress, where that is possible.

For example if my adult son spends all his time in his bedroom, desperately depressed and distressed, he gets high level pip (which he can't spend on anything as he can't get out)
If he then begins to walk to the corner shop on his own, gets more confident, and gets the bus to the local shops successfully - then he gets less money, loses his entitlement to a mobility car etc. Even though he can now spend a little of the money himself.

If he tries working in any paid role, and it doesn't work, he has to reapply for LCWRA which takes months and a gruelling interview to get.

Mind you, we are now having UC cut as my son has been too disabled to spend his money as he relies entirely on us. So he now has "savings" above the limits.

Also PIP is not an out of work benefit anyway.

Nobody is really ‘entitled’ to anything, we as a country put money into a pot and the government carve it up and hand it back out (or they should do). If we are putting in less money, it’s not surprising there is less being given back. Absolutely there was corruption and waste under the tories, but even if we recouped it it wouldn’t make much of a dent.

Their comment is also ignoring the fact that DLA and PIP are based on needs, too, not diagnosis.

I think I've gone hoarse through telling people this recently.

Again there simply isn’t the level of wealth needed to provide this level of support to everyone who needs it. There just isn’t. We can’t mitigate absolutely everything for everyone. Literally no country does this, it’s not even possible.

Then we look at ways of reducing the amount wasted by people having to appeal. Why does hardly anyone mention that? It's always "there's too many people claiming" - 1 in 4 are disabled.

The consultation is continuing as planned under the conservatives. Labour aren't planning to halt it.
The decision will be made once the consultation is complete.
The bill for PIP has been rising so Labour will need to do something to either reduce it or raise more funds through tax. They have said they are committed to get people back into work so assume they will do something to target those claiming that are out of work. (PIP is an in-work benefit so many of those claiming will be in employment)

I don't think life as a disabled person will be drastically better under labour unfortunately.

The thing is that ND people and children differ vastly in their presentation. They can have very different strengths and weaknesses. It’s very difficult trying to find the right path (ime)
PIP certainly helps though.

I wouldn’t have thought 1 in 4 are disabled enough to need benefits. I’m disabled and don’t claim. Yes my condition incurs costs, but they’re manageable and the way I see it if we all claim the system will sink. I don’t want that to happen. The level of support needed by the public is now so great and so complex we actually cannot meet it, it’s not possible.

I wouldn’t have thought 1 in 4 are disabled enough to need benefits.

How would you know? It sounds as though you've internalised ableism. Which is not unusual really.

What vouchers are we talking?

I get PIP but it's £28 a week.

Food / public transport vouchers?

Being disabled and being disabled enough for benefits aren't the same thing

Covid has done a great deal of damage too. Not just to mental health but also physical. I know a man in his 40s and a teenage girl who both use mobility scooters now due to long Covid (previously fit & healthy)

My friend is a safeguarding officer in a senior school and she told me they have ambulances called for suicide attempts every week.

Oh please this is getting absurd

Do you think paying 1 in 4 people disability benefits is even remotely affordable?

The continuing narrative on this website that everyone should have everything they want for free and anyone who acknowledges this isn’t possible is ableist/a bigot/a Nazi, never ceases to amaze me.

And frankly it makes me see how we reached this sorry state of terminal economic decline and public degeneration to start with.

That doesn't necessarily mean they will get PIP ,both mental health condition, s and Neurodivergence conditions have huge spectrum, s
And entitlement to PIP goes off need not diagnosis .

If you're disabled enough to have a diagnosis then usually, you will be entitled to and require extra support.

However, these benefits are awarded on care needs, they are not handed out with a diagnosis. As has already been discussed.

Yes but the numbers of applicants as a whole has massively increased and therefore the % awarded.

Lol, what extra support?

If you’re just going to be rude then I won’t engage with you. It’s nice that these problems are a laughable joke for some of you(!)

I'm not being rude. You're just being absurd. There isn't always extra support. Most of the time it's "here's your diagnosis, bye"

I dont know what your disability is but you wouldn't necessarily qualify anyway

My oldest son was diagnosed with Diabetes last year his wwa due to acute necrotizing pancreatitis, so he's treated as type1 as he virtually no pancreas left but he actually has type 3c
However even though he has to inject himself with insulin upto 5 times a day and take tablets ti help digest his food
He doesn't need help with self care etc and can prepare a meal for himself and undertake a journey from A to B he wouldn't qualify for PIP