To be concerned about what Liz Kendall is up to with disability benefits?

[Locutus2000]

The Times reporting just how enthusiastic Labour are about targeting the disabled.

I can only hope they are getting the worst ideas out there first, if not I dread to think what is coming in the upcoming review.

I was confident Labour would at worst be no worse than the Tories.

I was wrong.

Free archive link here.

But since 1971 the amount of women who have entered the working place has soared. The number of men has declined though.

Wouldn't surprise me 🤦🏼‍♀️🤣

We;ve been over this. If the benefits being used to make the car 'free', then child benefit makes food for your children 'free', pensions (which are also benefits) make living costs for pensioners 'free'. You can't have it both ways,

Well yes, I'd also agree that CB is "free" money. Who would argue it's not??

Pensions are slightly different in that you do have to earn these by paying NI/stamp throughout your life, though they may be disproportionate to what you've paid in (in either direction). Pension credits, WFA, etc, on the other hand, are also free money

Then the opportunities need to be created before the benefit system is changed, surely.
Edited for spelling

This l totally agree.

@LoLocutus2000 Yiu have no idea then wheat the yotied intended to do with their white paper to the disabled people then? I know cos I was of the 16,000 plus charities that replied to it.

Believe me, what Labour are looking at doing isn't going to make the difference in costs they think it is.

Even though it's the times it still not being reported accurately

I strongly believe those with addictions should not be given PIP money into their bank accounts it’s just money spent fuelling their addictions.

Great idea! DD met someone, addicted to benzodiazepines. He went out shoplifting with a knife, if necessary to rob shopkeepers to fund his habit! At that time, the local mental health trust’s priority was to treat alcoholics and drug addicts, because of their impact on crime!

Does this still apply if they have a spouse with a pension of their own that takes the household over the pension credit limit?

There are tons of people on PIP which never see the GP for their disability. DC has a chromo disorder and severe learning difficulties. We don't see any doctor at all. We only saw the GP a year ago for a chest infection (which is utterly irrelevant for DC's PIP claim). it's hard enough to see a GP as it it. what a stupid idea to saddle GPs with this extra workload esp if there is nothing to contribute at all.

This is true. My DH hardly ever sees his GP and sees his consultant once a year. His condition is incurable and not really treatable, apart from some pain relief etc. We are basically left to get on with things as best we can.

My PIP goes towards my share of rent, electricity, other bills etc, because I'm not entitled to a penny in other benefits. That £400 a month isn't enough to cover my half of the rent, let alone any other living costs. I don't have the luxury of being able to spend it on things I need for my actual disabilities, such as carers, a meal service, a cleaner, mobility equipment, adaptations etc. I have to rely on my children and full time working husband to provide all my care while also taking care of the house, shopping, cooking etc.

@SquashedSquid you are not entitled to anything else because your husbands earnings are supposed to take care of all of you

As others have said, GPs often have very little input into the lives of chronically ill people. I can't remember the last time I went to see my GP. My neurologist covers my epilepsy, my neurosurgeon covers my brain tumour. How would they decide which doctor fills out the form? How would they cope with the immense new workload for GPs and specialists?

Fair enough . Do you have any better suggestions? The current system isn't working well for a lot of people. the process is stressful and many many people have to go to tribunals for a successful award which can take a year in most cases.

Although many do not like it, the fact is,t he Government say they ARE benefits now, although years ago they were not regarded as such.

Why though?

Why is the husband expected to take care of her?

Has he received any tax rebate for that? No. Have they filed separate tax returns? Yes.

So why do some women need to depend on their husbands and others get the state to pay for them?

How is that fair?

Are you sure you're no eligible for Universal credit? have you factored in that if you were awarded the LCWRA element on UC, a proportion of your dh's earnings would be disregarded before deductions come off for his earnings. having that LCWRA element can make a big difference.

If she has worked and paid NI contributions people can claim new style esa which would not be affected by a partners earnings but that does depend on having paid Ni contributions in the past 2-3 years. Otherwise anything else is means tested so will take into account a partners earnings. That's just the way means testing works.

most benefits tend to work on a household basis rather than an individual basis, universal credit being the main one.

This issue was brought up last year as part of the white paper .
The conservatives ( or maybe it was just the papers tbh) said they would look at alternative ways of paying. Vouchers etc

All this frothing at the mouth, that the UK can’t afford disability benefits - it’s estimated the real cost of public sector:

https://iea.org.uk/media/public-sector-pensions-cost-57bn-per-year-more-than-is-declared-finds-new-iea-research/

Why don’t posters suggest public sector pensions are brought in line with the private sector? Say 4% employees contributions and 4% employers?

Its all disability bashing again!

Any means tested benefit is worked out based on household income. It it was on an individual basis SAHMs could have a well of husband and claim benefits. For lots of couples it would then make financial sense for only one parent to work.

@JoyousGreyOrca Yes, great idea, force mentally ill people into becoming well by cutting their benefits. That's the answer to it all is it? Why did no one think of it before? If that's all it takes to make them well again, forget therapy, drugs etc just stop their PIP! Well, I suppose it would ultimately cut the benefits bill because many mentally ill people, my dh included, would just commit suicide. So there you are, problem solved!

I have to agree with this my ds was offered 24% employee pension in the public sector.
I had no idea they offered anything like that.

Having worked all my life in the private sector and gone from 0% for years and years I’m now still on a tiny fraction of that.

I spent 14 years wishing the last shower were gone. I expected to vote Labour but became increasingly concerned that Labour had no vision and no plan. In the end I voted for another party and I'm glad I did.

A party that won't fund public services, won't tax the very wealthy to do so, targets the vulnerable, won't address the elephant in the room that is brexit, has abandoned environmental commitments and plans to tarmac over the south-east in a doomed push for growth is not a Labour party I could support.

They're just tory-lite, further confirmed by the lies they've told on their CV's and elsewhere, and the tens of thousands they've accepted in lavish gifts and hospitality. The only thing that has surprised me is the speed with which they've been corrupted and the shamelessness of it.