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.

However in the in 1970 average house price was £4975 and average income around £1300. In 2024 average house price is £267,200 and average income £37,430. Back in the 70s families could live on one wage unlike today.

I think they’ll do something with children’s dla. It’s now something like one in sixteen children who are on dla and most will go onto pip at 16 as well as all the adults that become disabled in adulthood. My son is autistic and I get dla for him about £100 a week. In all honesty his disability doesn’t cost me anywhere near this over and above what a typical child would cost, as where it would cost more like having to accompany him as a carer most places do free carer tickets. However I claim dla as it’s the thing that’s most often requested as proof of disability so some of things we attend like Sen sessions we wouldn’t be able to go to if he was not in receipt of dla. Obviously it is massively difficult having an autistic child and I’m not saying it’s easy but I don’t have things that cost me extra money really. I know that’s not the case for all children as some needs expensive equipment but there will be a lot in receipt of dla where there aren’t that level of extra costs. Ds is disabled enough to have an echp and be in special school so he’s not a mild case. We are having a tough time at the minute and I’m trying to get some support from the la but to access the support you need to be on higher rate care or higher rate mobility so now I’m going to have to go back to the dwp to try and get his dla reconsidered and changed to higher rate care

I am sick of the hatred of disabled people in this disgusting country where people can't even see a GP let alone have hospital treatment.

I'm equally disgusted by those abusing the benefit system - and everyone knows someone- who are making every disabled person the butt of suspicion. I'm not surprised that mental health claimants will be targeted but I'm furious that seriously physically ill people will be affected.

I work part time with reasonable adjustments and part time self employed. I am exhausted. I get full PIP and no other benefits. My motability car is not 'free' it's several hundred pounds a month and is adapted so I can drive with MS.

I'm exhausted by how hateful and bitter this country has become. My husband pays an absolute fortune in tax at top rate. He didn't plan to have a disabled wife. I'm no longer a higher rate tax payer because I'm not able to work enough. Britain has fallen so low in my lifetime that it's heartbreaking.

What about the labour governent we had up until 2010 most people will remember them

So it should be. If you’re disabled there are many extra costs to live

• medications
• therapy the NHS isn’t providing
• transport
• carers
• higher utility bills
• more sick days
• more likely to be low paid
• more likely to be sacked for being more work than an abled person

'Qualifying for the Motability scheme has nothing to do with whether someone is able to work or not.'

Actually it is linked. Eligibility for a Motability grant for a vehicle ceases at about 65 because it is assumed that the individual will no longer be working.

After that point, users must self-fund.

It's the same with DLA... For the parents eligible for UC, in addition to the DLA, they then get the carer's element (fair enough), but then an additional disabled child element?

It's paying them twice...

We claim DLA for our eldest DC, but because we're not eligible for UC, we don't get anything extra... And I can guarantee that there will therefore be some UC claimants with a greater income.

A huge number of the people not in work have things like mental health conditions, depression particularly, which are actually proven to be improvedby being in work.

No causal link was ever proven. All studies have shown is that people in work tend to also be people with good mental health. It is a correlation only.

I don’t think depression and anxiety are conditions which should receive disability benefits indefinitely. Get treatment , take medication like most of the population have to do. Very few will suffer so severely that they are never able to work. Depression and anxiety are the new ‘bad back’!

No one receives disability benefits indefinitely

No one receives disability benefits indefinitely

@TigerRag can you say more on this, do you mean no one who needs it long term gets it? What do people do if their condition doesn't go away?

This isn't true. It's assumed their mobility will be impaired due to old age. Nothing to do with working.

I don’t know anyone abusing the system. I think it is too hard to get disability and I think the benefits are too low.

signed breast cancer patient who has been refused ESA 2x since diagnosis because DWP thinks I had not paid enough NICs for 21/22 and 22/23 even though I have paid full years for these years (and 10+ years before those) and even though I have sent screenshots and printouts from the Gov gateway, and talked to DWP over and over, DWP keeps rejecting and resetting the ESA claim start date. Was Sep, then Jan…at this rate I will be dead or cured before I see a penny of new style (contribution based) ESA.

Good thing no one does!

They can reassess you whenever they want but no later than 1yr prior to the end date of the award. It’s in all the applications.

Quite, many people are in for a shock if they haven't copped on already.😒

No it isn't.

Qualification for the Motability scheme doesn't end at 65/pension age if the disabled person has an ongoing award of the mobility component of PIP. PIP does not end at 65 /pension age for existing claimants.

PS Motability is not a grant. The car is paid for by the Motability customer, who pays the mobility component of their PIP to Motability.

I think a lot have been let down massively by CAMHs,the education system, SEND provision and NHS waiting lists and then adult mental health services. It stacks up.It’s tragic as so many wanted and want to work but they’re stuck. Behind all these kids are parents who have battled whilst trying to hold down jobs themselves.

You reap what you sow. Thanks Tories.

You think Channel 4 used a paid actor. Okay.
I suppose C4 are rather well know for their right wing benefit bashing aren't they. BATSHIT!

@SummerFeverVenice some people must receive them long term if their condition doesn't change or worsens?

@ConsuelaHammock I agree with you but the support has to be there. I had to fight for about a year before getting mental health counselling and outreach support. I am finally starting medication for my depression and anxiety (good luck getting an appointment) and then I will be starting a business from home. But I will need help from someone, as in I need someone to manage the money part of it for me and also tax and anything that to do with it because I don’t understand anything, get overwhelmed and it can be impulsive. Not everyone can get that or has that help.

Well they won’t get far if that’s true. Nearly Everyone on mental health wards are sectioned under mental health act these days. Can’t get a bloody bed for anyone who’s not sectioned!
Therefore I think this is just a bit of cobblers and not true and click bait

At best, they may be trying to work with secondary mental health teams. They look after folks discharged or not ever sectioned but with severe and enduring mental illness. Funding has been massively slashed over last 15-20years to support the care in the community model (drug and dump is currently a better description). So if they’re going to put in advisors or occ therapist to help those under secondary mental health team a chance to get back into work then that’s a bloody good thing. And an enormous challenge . Those under secondary mental health teams will have huge challenges, including variations in symptoms over time , crisis, and even just compliance with meds and treatment. But I know form personal experience that someone working with my exh who had paranoid schizophrenia to try to get him into some work, any work, would have been massively beneficial .

but I suspect the sheer cost of this, and the challenge is also not what government are going after. It never has been. Too bloody hard

i suspect what they’re targeting is to identify those with mental health issues being treated by primary care (GP and referrals to therepy and counselling). It is these numbers have massively grown since Covid. The reason are complex, and it’s not an easy task. But many, many people find that their mental health does improve once back at work where it is not a diagnosis of severe and enduring illness. It provides structure, purpose, builds self esteem etc. yes, I’d like them to be doing the work to understand the various groups of causes of the rise in mental health issues, and address those head on, but agian probably way too much work and too much cost.

but please do stop scare mongering vulnerable people with idea that folks are going to be interviewed in mental health wards. Have you ever been on one? They are noisy, scary and chaotic environments. And sometimes violent as patients can, in their distress, be aggressive. Have you ever experienced a love one admitted to mental ward under sectioning? This happens when they’re deemed a danger to themselves and others - you’re not going to shove a civil servant into that mix. 🤦‍♀️Have you ever tried getting someone admitted to a ward where there are no beds in the whole authority and people are arguging that the perosnal is not a danger to themselves and others? No one can rock up in mental wards. You need to be relatives and recognised care giver. And even then in some cases even nearest realtives aren’t always allowed to visit for short periods.

or to put it more succinctly you’re talking twaddle. Sorry.

Well,I think it is a great idea, the research supports that working is good for mental health & is purposeful
Obviously, caveats apply, need to be a good fit, suitable for the individual etc but yes I agree

@Jabtastic your post resonates with me so much. I had a great career, high earning, paid good tax. In my 30s I became severely unwell. I lost half my intestines, had sepsis,spent months fed into my veins, now live on liquid formula to survive. My multiple aggressive diseases have totally destroyed me. Last week I left the house in my car and took my son ( who I can no longer look after myself) to the park. ( Not a motability car). I get off my sofa and leave the house once every few weeks.

How many people would see me drive to the park and think 'she looks fine to me.' Absolutely plenty would. The ignorance and hatred is so frightening.

I was educated and hard working once, just like those hateful ignorant people.

I have minimal support from the state and have used all my savings to pay for my own conditions and supplies and £4000 plus to support assessments and costs of my ND son. That's fine. But people have no sense and don't see this behind the scenes.

If you DS gets that level of DLA, I presume you have had to give up work or reduce your hours. For me, the loss of income has been the highest cost - about 20k per annum. No amount of DLA can make up for ths hardship we encounter as a result.