‘Game the system’ disability benefits

[Tomatochocolate]

WTF
just read a bbc article about welfare reforms

Apparently ministers think that it’s an incentive to claim disability benefits as the incentive is no work commitments on UC. That claimants ‘game the system’

It’s a long process and really hard to get awarded dla or pip. It’s not just ticking a box that says ‘I’m too sick to work’.

AIBU to think this is just horrific

It is a 22 page thread. I commented on the last page. I don't think you can suggest I am trying to "shut down" a thread that has been running for 22 pages.

@TheWorminLabyrinth attacking a thread and its participants as "vile" is censorious behaviour. Claiming that I want "sport" when I challenge you is equally obnoxious; presumably you've at least skimmed part of the thread. I've been very clear that I am a claimant.

It always shocks me how people are pushed and threatened with sanctions and sent off for childcare or care work - if they aren’t motivated the care will not be to the required standard which is terrifying

Do you find the fact we have the equivalent of the population of Scotland on disability benefits terrifying? If not; how many is too many?

@Wildflowers99 I certainly find it terrifying!

Yes it’s terrifying and rather than cuts they should be looking at what conditions are the most common and which have had the biggest increase then increase spending in the nhs on those areas.

Personally I find it terrifying that so many people are suffering and are at the mercy of a rigged economy that places money over humanity and care.

I find it terrifying that freedom and personal autonomy is secondary to "money".

They need a long term plan not short term. Cuts will help immediately but cause suffering surely they need to investigate exactly what conditions are needing the most sickness benefits and get to the root of that and provide care and support and additional nhs clinics for those issues help those people and then in a few years things will naturally improve

As has been pointed out many times on this thread, there is no money for that. Thr govt are in a position of having to claw back billions to cut spending and increase defence budget

Defence shouldn’t be more important than disabled people

5 days crash course would be substantially better than training provided to the care staff. I had a short stint as a carer in my first year at uni. We had half a day training on manual handling and bed positioning and another hour or so of mandatory training on lone working and infection control.

Without defence there would be no disabled people.

@Tomatochocolate Unfortunately it's very naive to think we can back burner defence spending. I wish that was an option, but it isn't.

And rightly so. We have defunded the military for long enough to pay for spiralling welfare (among other things), now we have to face the problem that’s created.

How do you suggest we pay for things without money then?

Just because it isn’t easy to do doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Sadly there are many fraudulent claims out there as people do know how to play the system. There’s a wealth of information sharing that goes on online with people giving tips to others on how to fill out claim forms in order to do this. I by no means disagree with the benefits system but I do disagree with its misuse. A reform should weed out the false claims, if you have a genuine need then you have nothing to fear

I have a several friends and relatives who have followed the coaching videos online and managed to get PIP which they really don’t merit having read the forms, and they openly admit they shouldn’t have got it but if they can exaggerate a bit and qualify why not. I also have a relative whose life and employment is definitely impacted by neurodiversity and other health issues but because they refuse to exaggerate they were turned down flat.

There are many genuine applicants and I have no issue with them being supported but we’re kidding ourselves as a society if we don’t admit that the numbers are inflated by many that don’t need it.

People have a few counselling sessions through their GP to create a paper trail. Meanwhile people with severe, enduring mental illness can't get the treatments they need.

I imagine those that manage to game the system in this way are a vanishingly small minority. But you're right about the inconsistency. It can feel like it's in the lap of the Gods whether you get awarded what you should be entitled to, as although the decision makers have guidance on different conditions etc, few have the medical knowledge otherwise. You read all sort of stories about, for example, people with Down's syndrome being asked in their PIP assessments how long they've had Down's syndrome for. It's far more likely for people to be wrongly declined (especially when it's tough to get supporting evidence) than to be wrongly awarded. My DD is 9 and currently has HRM DLA, but I suspect we'll struggle to get mobility at all next time round, as whilst she's physically more mobile and fatigues less than when she was last awarded, she can still very much be a loose cannon, a runner and unsafe when out and about - but that's harder to get evidence around (other than from her LSA etc) than when she was still using a special needs buggy, and as she doesn't get HRC she wouldn't be entitled through the SMI rules either.

Does that include the thousands stripped if their pip who have to appeal?

I'm due for renewal soon. I'm quite scared. Not helped by the way the last bullshit assessment was done

Out of interest have you ever filled in a pip form and had an "assessment"?

@PandRsMummy

A reform should weed out the false claims, if you have a genuine need then you have nothing to fear

This is not entirely true though. There are many genuine claimants who should receive it that are refused PIP. Those that have to go through MR. Those that give up because it’s literally too much for them.

They cannot make a new claim for PIP - they can apply for Attendance Allowance - but people in receipt of PIP before they received the state pension retain their PIP entitlement.

It's not 'bullshite' to the poster that could only manage that reply.
Go have a look at the post above yours where you exclaim 'bullshite'. Another example given for how some get it easily, without care needs.

This person, go look at some examples given.

You can get pip on the basis of needing aids and not actually needing help from another person

I follow someone on twitter whose adult son has Autism. He has to be reassessed every 3 years by pip. His GP wrote on the form he was sent that yes he still has Autism and he won't grow out of it