Benefit cuts proposal

[Charliechoosecarefully]

I just wanted it to have a specific thread:-

Kendall says government to consult on merging JSA and ESA benefits.

Kendall says WCA being scrapped, with Pip assessment process being used instead - will be scrapped in 2028.

Kendall says 'right to try' will let people on sickness benefits try work without immediately having benefits cut.

Kendall says UC payments being rebalanced, with standard rate going up, and some health top-ups frozen or cut.

Kendall says reassessments for people on universal credit with health top-ups to be beefed up

Kendall says universal credit claimants with most severe disabilities will not face reassessment

Kendall confirms Pip eligibility rules to be tightened, and assessment process to be reviewed - 4 pointed needed in one descriptor.

Kendall says under-22s could be prevented from claiming health top-up for universal credit

Sourced from the guardian.

That should be means tested, and anyone can post my friend. It’s a discussion. I work every hour, and wouldn’t dream of milking the state for my disability. I believe in supporting those that are bed bound and in real need, not those that are claiming and the morally bankrupt. We all know of people that should work but choose not to.

You need to convince those who need UC to top up wages on which they can’t make ends meet, and that employers won’t improve on because they know that the taxpayer is obligated to it via UC. And the double whammy of landlords increasing ever exorbitant rents - again because UC enables it. That needs to be tackled before reducing or stopping benefits, which would render the claimant in trouble.

What you don't seem to understand is that many physically disabled people meet 3 points across multiple areas but not 4 in any one area. In this insane new system someone can get 4 points total in daily living and get PIP while someone getting 14 or 15 points will get nothing.

I have multiple sclerosis and I work because I strive to do so. My PIP funds aids like a rollator (sexy I know). Will I just take to my bed because that way I'll get PIP? It makes zero sense.

Exactly the same attitude from people as they had towards the pensioners when they had their WFA cut. No one cares until it affects them but be patient because Labour are slowly working their way through the list apart from their rich friends who will just get richer. Anyone who thinks they are safe from this government are fools.

Can someone help me understand the daily living point changes please?

Does it only affect people who score less than 4 overall for daily living? What about people who score 4+ for some questions but not others?

If someone scores high in questions on communication and social barriers, but lower on whether they need help to cook and shower, would they be okay?

Exactly this. It's the fatal flaw.

Essentially people like me with severe incurable illnesses will be punished for refusing to lie down and die of depression. Meanwhile Sally the scammer will spin a fairytale about how they lie in their own piss and need mummy to feed them. Who can prove otherwise if mummy is who Sally learned to scam from?

They didn’t.
They went for education first
Then the elderly
Then farmers

Ah yes!!

Thats it! People who are disabled should be hidden in their own houses and never come out!
I mean who is leaving their house for something other than work right?

Maybe @chipmonkmusic you’d like to send away in an asylum like we use to? I mean that would solve many issues.

One positive is Liz K said there'll be a pretty intensive review of how the PIP system is run, and that can't come too soon - DWP figs showed that in the year '23-'24 the cost of processing applications that were initially rejected but passed at tribunal/mandatory reconsideration was around 50 million pounds. I wish the Gov had had a thorough review and rework of the system, and saved money that way, before reducing support to the disabled.

I think the introduction of a minimum of four points in at least one daily living category is designed to reduce the numbers of mental health claims as well as lower level physical disability. Four points, in any of the daily living categories is quite difficult to achieve even for those with moderate physical disability. Assessors will always default to any aids or adaptations available that can be used, so that physical help from another person isn’t necessary.

I think over the years we’ve lost sight of the fact that these benefits were designed for those with significant disability, and the eligibility criteria have been watered down to accommodate conditions that were never meant to be assessed and supported as disability. Hopefully this one very clever change will rebalance that and put the majority of PIP awards back where they should be.

This is the killer blow. I’d need to pull the stats up but the majority of people with conditions like MS (unless primary progressive and late stage), arthritis, heart conditions, respiratory conditions all fit into the aids bracket. So two points in each activity across the board. Maybe slightly more in Act 4 if they can’t get into the bath (3 points).

We (as the assessors) don’t give out loads of supervision/assistance awards, which is now what’s needed to qualify. These generally apply to the most severe cases where someone literally cannot function without another person, or in cases of LD where safety is an issue.

Anyone underestimating the impact of this change is being silly, IMO. My colleagues and I expect our workload to drop like a stone next year now.

But the country can’t afford for hundreds of thousands of families to have 3 kids on DLA, plus UC and carers etc. Whatever happened before didn’t result in catastrophic unemployment but financially propping everyone up in this way is - it makes benefits a valid alternative to work, and allows people to avoid the world and working life by paying them to stay home and opt out of society altogether.

I’ve never read about a case where a child in receipt of DLA for ND has gone on to be free of benefits as an adult. They’ve all simply gone on to PIP and UC. We shouldn’t make this an option. Thankfully it looks like under 22s won’t be able to claim any more.

Many of the least mentally ill people will be exactly the people who will lie like a rug about the severity of their symptoms.

Meanwhile people with actual physical evidence of their disability will be punished for heating a ready meal with their one non amputated arm. Are people actually too stupid to realise this?

I agree
This is a clear way to save money.
If all applications go through thorough vetting and decision making with more than one person reviewing each application there are less likely to be mistakes. In fact there should never be if claimants put forward everything in the initial application
Then ban appeals

Thank you so much. I tried to read that but it’s just like a load of gobbledygook!

I agree. I am physically disabled (mobility difficulties and nerve damage) myself.
I had started a full time job the autumn before Covid. I was very clear about my disablity (& they could see my double walking sticks at interview). I was told I would work in one office with no stairs. In fact I was asked to work across two offices (up the stairs in both) and drive around quite a bit in my role. I had been a Carer for a long time and was VERY keen to get back to work so I was trying my best but becoming more & more physically exhausted each day. I asked to do some work from home (it was delivering psychological support by telephone) but told: 'not possible'. Of course during Covid the service was entirely work from home. Now it 's changed back to 100% office. We seem to learn little.
I was eventually signed off by my GP. I took advice from CAB who agreed that I was being discriminated against but because I'd not been there very long and because by then my YP was ill again I settled for 4 weeks notice pay, my holidays pay and a 1k 'consideration' for which I was asked to sign an NDA.
It was incredibly disappointing. I was not able to resume the benefits I'd been on before I took up the job offer (which was not as described) & regretted trying.

Looking at the criteria I feel someone who doesn't score 4 points in any category probably doesn't need £72 a week. Though perhaps there is an argument for a more graded system. Overall I think probably the whole thing needs an overhaul to account for nuances in people's actual needs, but presumably the government can't be bothered with that.

Yep they’re just going through the groups. The early ‘difficult decisions’ got support on here, but then it hits more people.

The article says 29% in central Blackpool claim, an area where about 7,000 of Blackpool’s 140,000+ population live.

@Rosscameasdoody disabled people are screaming because the system isn’t fair.

I got 2 points for using aids for cooking.
The reality is that I cannot cook. Let alone cook everyday (and even less so 2 meals a day).
If I want to cook (after long discussion with OT etc..) I should do some prep for 10mins max, stop. Leave it until 2 days later and then take the stuff I prep and finish it (usually it means slow cooker or air frier). In reality, dh does it all.

But according the DWP, I only need aids (prob because they’ve been prescribed so can’t be ignored)

Thats why you’re going to get MANY seriously disabled people who are going to loose it all. The evaluation of how severe one is is totally flawed.

50 million is a drop in the ocean. Literally.

There seems to be this misguided misconception that we have a bottomless pit of money that can endlessly be paid out to all and sundry indefinitely. It’s absurd that pp can not see how unsustainable this is. I would be getting myself into training and out into the work force whilst I still had the option of choosing the job I wanted to do, and prepared to take qualifications etc, because I do believe that those that can physically work should be doing so, it should never be a free option.

Well no you’re not helping at all as according to her there are nearly a million jobs available yet 22.6 million people claiming benefits in 2023…….. so population although huge is irrelevant really, fact stands there aren’t enough jobs for the population

As someone who has once been on benefits for 6 months whilst unemployed - I fully support the tightening up of welfare. I was fully encouraged to look for a job as I couldn’t stand going to the job centre.

The NHS doesn't provide enough therapy and waiting lists are often incredibly long so people tend to use their money for private therapy.

My son gets DLA and the NHS provides 1 30 minute physio session every week which isn't enough for him to reach his potential so some of his DLA goes towards private physio and hydrotherapy.