So, who is going to employ all these disabled people the government wants to wean of welfare

[Jimisnotmyname]

Really wondering. Not saying it is necessarily a bad thing to encourage those who can work, to work but as a carer for 2 disabled family members, I am hugely struggling to find another job as nobody is willing to give me any flexibility (which I need as a carer) and there are always candidates who do not need the same accomodations I do. I would imagine that many of those currently not in work because of disability or a health condition, will often need a similar level of flexibility. I just wonder who on the the government think will offer jobs galore on these circumstances??

Hope it won't be like the Iain Duncan Smith days, as my disabled autistic relative was put on a completely useless work programme, where they said he had to apply for a certain amount of jobs that he couldn't do, or have his benefits taken away. After wasting 2 years of his life on that he made a suicide attempt, and only then he was taken off it. People who work for the Job Centre must have something wrong with them to follow orders like that.

You've missed the point being made I'm afraid.

Are you actually serious? You can't be, surely?

Possibly, I do have some comprehension issues, another reason I USED to be eligible for PIP.

I'm a Mental Health Nurse, and I'm terrified for people with SMI (severe mental illness). Things like Bipolar and Schizophrenia can be absolutely debilitating. And what employer is going to want to hire someone at high risk of relapse? Some people with chronic mental illness truly cannot work. Some people are just about coping with life when well, and work is a pressure some don't need. And even when 'well' people with conditions like Schizophrenia are often still experiencing symptoms like depression and apathy. And 'well' for some people experiencing psychotic illness can still be things like chronically poor sleep and heating voices! Many people with SMI are absolutely capable of working and do work, but many aren't. And there are not many truly flexible and inclusive employers.

The stricter PIP requirements is also catastrophic for people with SMI, as people typically score a few points across all domains, as opposed to 4 points in one.

I think the government need to take a long hard look at why so many people have mental health problems in the first place. Some of the biggest driving factors are: cost of living, poor working conditions, carer stress, ACES, etc.

Unfortunately these changes will cause suicides and will plunge some people further into poverty.

And that sucks, having access to green space should be a human right IMO because it does have a positive impact on your health
Again if gardening jobs are not going, refuse disposal is also understaffed. Litter picking is not glamorous at all I get that but honestly would help communities as well if more people would keep it clean and accessible for others. But no one wants to do it

I'm increasingly thinking those without disabilities/carers should be allowed a voice as they simply don't have lived experience. It sounds brutal but some of the suggestions are at best naive and at worst idiotic. This isn't Labour. It's a Conservative policy. There are options which don't involve throwing the disabled under the bus (and fraudulent claims are low) but people are willfully ignoring them. Starmer has created a backbench who largely won't challenge him, bar a few politicians he couldn't oust like Abbott and Corbyn. The money could easily be earned by taxing businesses more but he doesn't want to do that... instead attack the low hanging fruit. Shameful.

I'll suggest that to DS1. He can't speak but he does have GCSE maths.

Chat based tuition perhaps? Can he type so there is no face2face or talking involved? Not being cheeky genuinely bouncing ideas.

It’s a tough one- I have two kids with SEN (on the more severe end of a “scale” if there was one). I work part time- myself and my partner work around each other. I don’t “need” to work but I do so because I enjoy it. I get on with my colleagues, enjoy working and obviously the money is hugely beneficial too.

So I obviously understand the issues at play here and have struggled a lot myself. It’s so hard balancing everything even with working 3 days a week.

However I can also see it from a business perspective. If someone is unreliable and is sick most of the time, it just won’t work for a business.

There would have to be a lot of government support on the business end of things to even make this possible, but even at that, chucking money at a business because X employee is sick for the 5th time this month doesn’t fix the problem of not being able to run properly as the person is not there. Most industries don’t have “bank” staff or agencies that can fill in.

Businesses have already been hit with NI changes, and they need to be profitable to survive. We can argue all day long about how profitable they should be and what is just “greed”, but it’s beside the point.

I can’t see how it will ever work. Grants to make buildings more accessible etc would be a good idea (installation of ramps, lifts etc). But beyond that? No clue.

Just seems like another poorly thought out policy by Labour who have fucked over most societal groups at this point.

The disabled are fucked.
Farmers are fucked.
Mid sized businesses are fucked.
OAPs are fucked.

It’s a mess.

I thought it was strange my relative with an invisible disability was assessed by a paramedic in the Job Centre who said they don't look disabled, but then after 2 years of waiting for an appeal, they won based on the tribunal looking at medical evidence when they were diagnosed. Their health shouldn't be made worse by having to go through that.

I’m not sure on everyone else’s experience in applying for pip but I’d describe it as a military exercise, the amount of paperwork, evidence we had to provide and then we had a separate phone call (45 mins) to further discuss DS needs.
he has autism, dyspraxia, he has bladder problems, needs help with daily life, cooking, organising etc, is very socially awkward/ non available so getting a job for him will be near impossible unless I can find him something online where he can work from home. He’s fantastic at graphic design, smashing all his college media courses, top of his class. So unless someone will take pity on him to work from home, without social interaction it’s literally not possible for him to get a job.
He’s not academically inclined and failed his GCSEs, won’t retake them at college due to ptsd from his high school. can only walk certain distances before his legs become like jelly, he can cross a road at lights only when indicating to cross safely and even then can lose focus, has high level anxiety, he has asthma, frequent nose bleeds which he’s had since he was 3 and the doctors won’t do anything. and since going on pip has also been diagnosed with kerrataconus.

I don't think you understand the concept of 'being disabled'... honestly.

Who is offering this work?
How do you ensure there is suitable work for every single possible disability/chronic health problem?
How are you getting people to these work places, or supplying people at home with what they need?
Why should these employers do this vs just employ one reliable person to do the job properly?
How are you assessing what each person can do - that's going to require a physical in person test so you'll need to send a suitably qualified person to every single persons home (no good them coming in, as you need to see if their home is also suitable).

Do you not think that this is an impossible goal, that this would cost much more money than it would generate, and would mostly involve work that is unskilled, unfulfilling, pretty demeaning, which just adds more stress and fatigue to the lives of people already struggling to just exist?

I fully agree that working gives you something to do, goals, a sense of achievement etc - that is why I work when I don't have to, I have been assessed as not fit for work and I have no requirement to work at all. But I can't just sit here on my arse doing nothing, I am a creative person, I have to create!

However I am lucky enough to have the physical ability, and some skills, that I can use to earn an income. That is not the case for every disabled person.

Perhaps if more people had useful skills they could use in some self employed enterprise, that would be constructive... but that'd be the government putting money and resources IN, at a time they're trying to take those away. It would mean more employers embracing job sharing, part time working and WFH set ups, again at a time where employers are trying to move away from that and back to bums on seats in offices.

Yes, I am fully serious. How is thyroid problems, diabetes and crohs/coeliac preventing someone from holding a job? I know people with these conditions, they can work

Oh so taxpayers who actually pay for that should not be allowed a voice? Really?

I appreciate you writing a detailed and informative reply.

It sounds as though you have some debilitating physical conditions to contend with.

I really don't want to offend anyone who has this diagnosis of fibromyalgia. I really anf truthfully believe the symptoms. My scepticism is with the actual diagnosis. But I accept this may not be the place to air my views as it's unintentionally causing offence.

local authorities budgets have been cut so much that there aren’t lots of jobs available, those that are available may also require specific qualifications such as social work so are quite specific.

I know what he can and cannot do, thank you.

Only so much they can squeeze from the wealthy. They’re taxed pretty heavily already. Don’t you think Labour, who generally in the past have always turned to the wealthy to get the extra money, would have gone down that route if it was available? Labour are the champions of the Welfare system, so the fact that they are realising the current situation with the system is pretty dire, speaks volumes. People have come to rely on the state, when they’re capable of doing work. All good things come to an end…..

That you. I live on my own and something like 4 hours a week would not pay my bills.
I have been very anxious today, and some of the comments on here have been awful. I hope everyone else who is worried about this has some support and someone to talk to.
My boyfriend was worried about me so got me out for a bit. Said it is pointless worrying about something I can not control, and he is right.

It would depend on how well-managed those diseases are. A well-managed thyroid won't cause too many problems but if it's not you'll feel dreadful (I should know! I have never been able to feel well since being diagnosed with Hashimoto's 8 years ago, despite my best efforts, and the medication I take only does so much.) Crohn's can be incredibly debilitating, just find a forum or a FB group with people who suffer from it. Everyone is different though, so it's not helpful making the 'oh well I know people with the same conditions who work' because having the same diagnosed disease doesn't mean you'll have the exact same symptoms, progression and day to day problems.

Thanks, I just lost my temper at the words "wishy washy". It's been a tough few days.

In other news my wonderful son surprised me - he ran me a bath with a lavender bath bomb and popped some clean pj's and a towel on the radiator for me because he thought I'd had a tough day. I managed to get in and out by myself and have a lovely soak.

What a fabulous, caring son he is (with his own difficult challenges too).

Sure.. Maybe they need to think outside the box. It's not like people don't experience these conditions in a identical manner or anything 🙄

None of those prohibit employment.

When I get overwhelmed, I can't talk and I shut down. How will I get a job if I can't even pass an interviews?

I have an autistic guy in my team like this. We recognise when he's struggling & cut him some slack/give him space. He works from home on those days. His job is on computers and he knows it well, he makes up for bad days with good days.

How do you spend your time at present? Think about aspects of how you fill your time that you enjoy & don't trigger you to shut down.

There are all kinds of jobs out there, you just need to find the right thing for you.