To be confused by benefits cuts to the disabled and ill?

[AllyHayHay]

As luck would have it, I have not been in this position, but I do know of one disabled lady who has struggled. She was incredibly fortunate to already own her own home prior to her accident.

I am not what you'd call politically astute, but I have been reading about the proposed spring benefits cuts and wonder why people always discuss this ONLY affecting the sick and disabled.
I am also aware that there are many, many rough areas with families who have never worked, people who are struggling with addiction, prison sentences (their kids, spouse, etc) and these people never seem to be included in the Guardian articles and opinion pieces online.

Why would a system wish to make the life of a disabled person worse, yet ignore the growing issues of illiteracy, generational poverty and other issues which are going on in most urban areas just out of sight of the comfortably off?
Why not address the reasons that great swathes of people are living on benefits across the UK who are NOT disabled? I imagine this would drag up questions of why those issues persist - and no one in government wants to address that.

Since benefits claimants who are not in work of on the pension are a minority, are these cuts more of a populist tendency?

As a benefits advisor I would say you’re the authority of the thread.

Well it is at the moment so you really need to respect that.

@ChilliLips perhaps you missed this.

Where did you get this information about 30% of LCWRA.

And one who enables some people to 'swing the lead' apparently!

Autism is almost definitely not just one thing. Especially since it's so common, it's more likely that some people just have a genetic predisposition to be slightly different, rather than an underlying pathology.

I think you are implying that nobody can suggest the rules are wrong or need to be reformed because the current rules prevent this kind of discussion. That simply isn't correct! If it were true then we would be in a very strange situation where the rules and laws could never be changed to reflect the most recent scientific understanding and changes to society and economic factors.

No but what you can’t do is dismiss a disability. Autism is massively disabling.

Im actually spiralling here. Shaking.

Im so scared man reading all this :(

Its been about 16 months since I last SH but I dont know what else to do to calm down

All my issues are MH related. Im just completely fucked :(

It worked for me. I'm audhd and had a mental breakdown and had to leave nursing after working for 30 years. I was suicidal and very depressed. The GP eventually changed the class of antidepressant I was on and I steadily became better. I still have low days, but I'm now working two part time jobs and doing things socially. This was unthinkable five years ago. I've struggled my entire life, but always worked and had to tough it out.

But the diagnosis in itself is not the reason why people are awarded disability benefits - its the severity and impact on daily functioning. Some people with autism work full-time; some people with life limiting illness can still work. Some people without a diagnosis are bedbound and cannot work.

In my opinion the questionnaires need to be improved to be more suitable for assessing mental health issues rather than focusing manly on physical limitations. Someone with severe OCD or agoraphobia may not be able to walk to the local shop but its got nothing to do with whether or not they have two feet which is what is asked in the assessment.

Honestly, step away from this thread. We don't know anything for sure yet. Most of this is speculation and gleeful frothing by benefit bashers.

Hide the thread.

Having PIP for MH is not exploitation! Many mental health conditions are hugely disabling and those disabled with them have to cope with the same life traumas but with a disability on top!

Where are all these jobs going to come from though?
It's all very well, telling people to get back to work, there has to be the jobs though.
We know at the moment how many people are chasing job applications.

Now you’re just being nasty.

These jobs aren’t out there for all people. ND and disability varies a lot. People, qualifications and suitability vary a lot.

Having deadlines, online meetings, navigating software etc is not suitable for all.

My daughter’s team would disagree. She could never do waitressing. She finds dealing with people she doesn’t know hugely difficult and has several conditions that would make it difficult ( dyspraxia, sensory processing and adhd on top of autism to name but 4).She finds using public transport hugely difficult for the same reason.

I was just batting the ball back, making the same point as PP in reverse.

Unfortunately not everybody can cope with modern life.

We have no choice but to live in it.