‘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

They can’t just accept ‘autism’ as a green light for PIP though. So many people have a diagnosis now it’s necessary to unpick what they’re actually capable of.

Oh come on, we could have saved the disability benefit budget if we didn't have the dodgy contracts, schemes like garden bridges/rwanda/HS2 and relook at other spending. We could have actually tackled the whole immigration/asylum process and it would have benefited us all (immigrants included). PIP is a under claimed benefit. People get refused it, then months kater awarded it. It saves paying back pay.
Then there's this take.
www.bigissue.com/news/social-justice/disability-benefits-bill-uk-economy/#:~:text=Around%203.5%20million%20people%20claim,which%20is%20approximately%20%C2%A328bn.

And how do you propose that it gets sorted then?

Oh don't be obtuse. Money is sophisticated bartering, and the issue is that our economic systems are controlled by a small number of humans to actively disadvantage a greater number. Keeping people scrabbling to survive with vague promises of "jam tomorrow" stops them revolting - it was part of the reasoning when things like the NHS and the welfare state were implemented.

Why do hospitals have to pay huge amounts for basic drugs and equipment like staplers - an example I've seen is twenty odd quid for staplers from a cobtracted supply firm, when you can get them far cheaper at retail outlets?

Why do carers get paid a pittance by private companies in order to make sure shareholders get their dividends at all costs, while the carers struggle to make ends meet and their clients get sub standard care due to time constraints and alkeged "lack of resources"?

Why, historically, is war seen as an opportunity for profit?

Why, during Covid, did money get poured into private contracts that failed to deliver PPE?

Why, when people are going hungry, is the price of food going up and up for "market" reasons, and supermarkets will destroy perfectly good food because it's one day out of date, and criminalise those who try to take it?

Why is our world built on slavery, that is ongoing?

Why is the wealth gap growing faster and faster?

Why does our economy demand dual income households that still can't keep up with COL basics so the government has to subsidise wages, while corporate executives live in luxury ?

Why do our overlords get so many perks and benefits and subsidies despite our country being in shambles? No performance related pay for them, and they have the opportunity to work in the private sector too, to keep their own nests feathered and pull up the ladder after them time and time again.

If your answer is "that's just the way it is" and shrug, then you're part of the problem.

Love of money is indeed the root of all evil.

But we can’t just exist as a country to pay benefits. Nobody seems to understand that. We can’t just close the door on new ideas, or new policies, because benefits needs yet more money. I will repeat: as a country we simply cannot exist as a support system for a minority of people, where all money is considered theirs unless there’s a very good reason not to. They should have their fair share and right now it’s my opinion that they are getting more than their fair share.

Not entirely true. Most people can’t make a new claim for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) after they reach State Pension age, but they might be able to make a new claim if they've had a PIP award that stopped in the last year, or if they're getting Disability Living Allowance (DLA) - or it stopped in the last year. If someone's already getting PIP, it will continue when they reach State Pension age and the DWP will turn it into an indefinite award (this means there’s no end date and the DWP will usually review the award every 10 years.)
Pensioners who can't make a new claim for PIP (the majority of them) can, of course, make a claim for Attendance Allowance (AA) if they need help or supervision with certain activities.

It’s not as simple as the way you’re portraying it.

I bet in actual fact, those mums didn’t want their children to have autism. Nobody “wishes” for that to happen.
But when you’re faced with that reality, yes you want that diagnosis because it opens more doors to support for their whole life. I wanted my DD to be diagnosed so that it would mean she has some sort of protection and won’t be lost in the system as an undiagnosed child.

There’s nothing abhorrent about wanting your child to be diagnosed with the disability that they have. In fact I would find it abhorrent if a parent tried to ignore it and tried to pretend it wasn’t there.

And when it comes to DLA, it will make the claim stronger and will make it more likely that the child will get the financial support that they need. But that is just one strand of support. It’s not all about the money and those mums will know exactly what I mean.

In your opinion. Not in the opinion of those who it's helped gain benefits.

@MistressoftheDarkSide It's just nonsensical to say that if someone can't resolve an age old question such as "why is war seen as an opportunity for profit?" they are therefore part of the problem. We work with the world we have. People who need society's support need it in the here and now, for a start.

"...yet some on this thread have insisted that you need proof eg medical evidence, you don't." You're wrong. I was a volunteer adviser with Citizens Advice for 10 years and spent a lot of time helping claimants with their applications and I can tell you, claimants absolutely do need to provide medical and other evidence to support their claim - without it the DWP will not entertain their claim at all.

Well the answer is capitalism, but what’s the alternative? I’m all for more tax on multi million or billionaires, but I think everyone who earns in the hundreds of thousands are already paying their fair share. I’m satisfied that if there was low hanging fruit Labour would pick it, but it’s never that simple.

As I said; we as a country now need to build back quality of life. The population are depressed and the taxpayers are sick of tax paying, because they don’t get anything back while all their money is funnelled into health, social care and benefits. 60-70% of their council tax also goes to social care, while swimming pools and libraries are closed, mainstream schools are underfunded and bins are being collected less and less.

We, ALL of us that is, need to face the fact we are no longer a very wealthy country who can simply spend if the ‘will is there’. We need to decide what is fair, and right now taxing somebody on £24k to pay benefits to somebody taking in £35k in UC, DLA, carers and whatever else is not fair.

Like I said, most people are good people and are happy to contribute to a welfare system. But not one that gives people more than they get themselves, and that is not at all selfish.

Well he isn't going to suddenly wake up, not be Autistic and he able to go out without carers, etc is he?

@TigerRag That isn't what Wildflowers meant, I think. Many people with an autism diagnosis are not so significantly disabled as to genuinely need PIP. Of course someone who is, will not see their need change.

Like I said plenty of autistic people work and live independent lives (like my best friend) so autism in itself isn’t a green light and assessment is necessary.

Yeah people say all kinds of shit on here it doesn't mean it'd true
PiP isn't based on a diagnosis it's how that diagnosis affects a person's.

But DLA and PIP are about the daily living needs NOT the diagnosis. There are some people who manage perfectly fine day to day living with ADHD and others who can't. That latter category absolutely should be entitled to disability benefits. I don't care what other countries do or don't do.

For the record I have hemiplegia and suspect I am ND, but have never claimed on my own
account, but I suspect there will be others with the exact same conditions who do need the extra support.

I can understand why assessment is necessary aa a chold aa autism is a huge spectrum and things csn and do change
But as an adult a person's needs remain much the same.

On the other hand, work is good for the mind and general happiness.

Given a fifth of children will probably have an ADHD diagnosis by adulthood, is this remotely sustainable?

Yes agreed and your son is the kind of person who should receive disability benefits and NOT be repeatedly assessed (in my opinion and from what you’ve written)

I agree that disability benefits for neurodivergence is getting unsustainable. Nearly every single family I know has at least one child either diagnosed or awaiting a diagnosis and getting a claim in for dla. They ARE going to tighten the criteria of disability benefits in the near future whether people like it or not.

It seems to be the source of a lot of stress too, from what I read on here. It is not one size fits all. Some people will always be unable to work, for a myriad of reasons.

They won't all get PIP though will they ?
My oldest son could be described as disabled aa he's Diabetic ,he's insulin dependent and it's been life changing
However essentially he can care for himself and travel independently so doesn't qualify for PIP.

@TigerRag It's especially egregious that the Twitter lady's son was placed on a three year assessment schedule when there is the option of an indefinite award with only light touch assessment in ten years. That was clearly the right choice under the current system for an adult severely affected by autism. I agree it's shocking that that was not given.

I agree, people do need help in the here and now. The point I am making is that those people aren't the problem. They didn't ask for their challenges or illnesses or vulnerabilities and some if them are the direct result of the way the world has been structured and engineered. Part of that is because we are conditioned to see some people as worth more than others on an intrinsic level.

It is a catch 22 situation in many ways.

Money is largely a digital, abstract entity of its own. Saying there isn't enough money is ridiculous, when it can actually be created out of thin air by a few key strokes when it suits. See bank bail outs. See the writing off of millions of pounds of corporate debt.

People applying for PIP did not create this system, and if more and more people are becoming unable to function at basic levels in our "brave new world" looking at why is essential to addressing the problem.

We are simple creatures, mostly with simple aspirations - a sense of worth, a secure home, meaningful lives and a sense of family and community. If so many are struggling to achieve the basics, despite in most cases, trying their best, then we have a recipe for complete societal breakdown.