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To wonder if all those gleeful about PIP cuts are going to welcome people with serious mental health conditions as colleagues and employees?

821 replies

Somethingthecatdraggedin7 · 19/03/2025 09:39

Given the amount of ableisism I see on MN I think the likelihood of people welcoming people with serious mental health conditions into their workplace is pretty low.
And yes, these people will very likely now be forced to try to work even though their condition makes it impossible. We are not just talking about some lazy twenty year old who expects to sit at home gaming due to his “anxiety” as many people seem to believe is the case. It will be people with significant impairments to social functioning.
Even if they get support to apply for jobs, and even if they then get the position (doubtful) how accommodating will colleagues or customers be if the person seems a bit odd, or gets adjustments workmates deem unfair?
This is going to be a total shit show.

OP posts:
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10
onwardsup4 · 19/03/2025 13:44

Gleeful is the word isn’t it, find the whole thing disgusting we should not be punching down.

Iloveshoes123 · 19/03/2025 13:47

Somethingthecatdraggedin7 · 19/03/2025 09:55

Tax the richest more. Simples. We must pay in to the system proportionally to our wealth to ensure a more equitable society and look after all citizens.

Except it's not simple is it. Who exactly are you talking about here? The 'rich' people who already pay 60% of income tax despite earning 10% of the income or some other rich people that you are going to come up with another magical way to tax them that means they can't just leave the country and go elsewhere. Good luck with that. 25% of the working age population don't work all you will succeed in doing is increasing that % and there will be no money to pay for anything.

Whammyyammy · 19/03/2025 13:47

onwardsup4 · 19/03/2025 13:44

Gleeful is the word isn’t it, find the whole thing disgusting we should not be punching down.

Totally agree for the genuine claimants, I don't think any of us 'gleeful' posters are disputing that.

However, people are fed up with those that can work and just choose not too, stating they feel sad, or are anxious about going outside etc.
Less money spent on these layabouts will surely mean more money for support services that actually need it.

Ted27 · 19/03/2025 13:48

@cannaecookrisotto

I am sympathetic to the need for reform, it's clear we can't sustain the rising levels of claimants

But yes currently its a joke.

Good luck with your dad's appeal.

MidnightMeltdown · 19/03/2025 13:49

The logic here is weird. I don’t think that people are ‘gleeful’, I think they are simply sick of paying for the ever increasing numbers. They don’t see other peoples mental health issues as their problem, particularly when everyone has their own problems and struggles with the COL and mortgage increases etc. There are families starving in Afghanistan, but if you haven’t donated money, does that mean that you’re ‘gleeful’ about it?

Differentstarts · 19/03/2025 13:49

Whammyyammy · 19/03/2025 13:47

Totally agree for the genuine claimants, I don't think any of us 'gleeful' posters are disputing that.

However, people are fed up with those that can work and just choose not too, stating they feel sad, or are anxious about going outside etc.
Less money spent on these layabouts will surely mean more money for support services that actually need it.

But a lot of genuinely disabled people will lose out in the cross fire. I have zero trust in the pip system to make the right decision so alot of people will suffer and that isn't right.

Cattery · 19/03/2025 13:49

As I suggested on a different thread; invest in our industrial base. Not everyone is suited to office work or customer-facing jobs. When we actually had factories and manufactured things there were jobs for everyone

Whammyyammy · 19/03/2025 13:51

Differentstarts · 19/03/2025 13:49

But a lot of genuinely disabled people will lose out in the cross fire. I have zero trust in the pip system to make the right decision so alot of people will suffer and that isn't right.

Then that would be wrong and I hope it doesn't happen.
I also have zero trust in that very same pip system at the moment, but not for the same reason as you.

Grammarnut · 19/03/2025 13:51

Replying to Waldrusess, but quote has disappeared!
Well, I bothered to read what @Differentstarts said and I suppose I have skin in the game, having a sister-in-law who suffered an aneurism several years ago and who has short-term memory loss and has lost the ability to read, a DiL with scoliosis and a nephew with GSS syndrome (which is similar to Huntingdon's and hereditary but not on my side of the family). DiL and SiL receive PiP - but DiL thinks she will lose it. I think my DN will continue on all the benefits he gets as he is wheelchair bound and fed through a tube into his stomach (used to be a builder) and also my SiL. They all have gone through the numerous hoops required to get benefits and are all in need of help.
I think the majority of people on PiP require it and we are being spun a yarn about lots of people who are liars and malingerers.
I do think Wes Streeting is right about over-diagnosis of MH issues but I veer towards the rise in neurodiversity, ADHD, autism spectrum etc - this is where I think the over diagnosis lies. Personally I suffer from depression and have anti-depressants that enable me to sleep but hey, no problem, my DB hanged himself and my DH of 30 years and my DM both died last year - oh, and my DN has GSS and brother and sisters and all their children are in line to inherit it. No reason to be depressed, really! I don't get PiP, of course (nor do I need it).
If the economy was run for the people we could afford to support those who need it - but since the 80s the people have had to be subserviant to a neo-liberal capitalist economy that espouses wealth for those at the top and trickle down and austerity for the rest of us (and neither trickle down nor austerity work) at the expense of the Welfare State. We need Keynesianism and the social contract back.

MythosK · 19/03/2025 13:51

Somethingthecatdraggedin7 · 19/03/2025 09:39

Given the amount of ableisism I see on MN I think the likelihood of people welcoming people with serious mental health conditions into their workplace is pretty low.
And yes, these people will very likely now be forced to try to work even though their condition makes it impossible. We are not just talking about some lazy twenty year old who expects to sit at home gaming due to his “anxiety” as many people seem to believe is the case. It will be people with significant impairments to social functioning.
Even if they get support to apply for jobs, and even if they then get the position (doubtful) how accommodating will colleagues or customers be if the person seems a bit odd, or gets adjustments workmates deem unfair?
This is going to be a total shit show.

There are already lots of people with serious mental health issues that work and whose colleagues wouldn't even know about them. Why are you putting people in boxes? Your attitude is part of the problem.

ThymeScent · 19/03/2025 13:53

MidnightMeltdown · 19/03/2025 13:49

The logic here is weird. I don’t think that people are ‘gleeful’, I think they are simply sick of paying for the ever increasing numbers. They don’t see other peoples mental health issues as their problem, particularly when everyone has their own problems and struggles with the COL and mortgage increases etc. There are families starving in Afghanistan, but if you haven’t donated money, does that mean that you’re ‘gleeful’ about it?

Completely agree. Totally disingenuous (at best) to claim that people are gleeful. People are fed up with being mugs working when there is so much freeloading for trivial reasons.

Mischance · 19/03/2025 13:53

I am not sure anyone is "gleeful about PIP cuts" but simply recognise that the system is not working and needs looking at. That will mean some will get less, and some more.

Differentstarts · 19/03/2025 13:55

Grammarnut · 19/03/2025 13:51

Replying to Waldrusess, but quote has disappeared!
Well, I bothered to read what @Differentstarts said and I suppose I have skin in the game, having a sister-in-law who suffered an aneurism several years ago and who has short-term memory loss and has lost the ability to read, a DiL with scoliosis and a nephew with GSS syndrome (which is similar to Huntingdon's and hereditary but not on my side of the family). DiL and SiL receive PiP - but DiL thinks she will lose it. I think my DN will continue on all the benefits he gets as he is wheelchair bound and fed through a tube into his stomach (used to be a builder) and also my SiL. They all have gone through the numerous hoops required to get benefits and are all in need of help.
I think the majority of people on PiP require it and we are being spun a yarn about lots of people who are liars and malingerers.
I do think Wes Streeting is right about over-diagnosis of MH issues but I veer towards the rise in neurodiversity, ADHD, autism spectrum etc - this is where I think the over diagnosis lies. Personally I suffer from depression and have anti-depressants that enable me to sleep but hey, no problem, my DB hanged himself and my DH of 30 years and my DM both died last year - oh, and my DN has GSS and brother and sisters and all their children are in line to inherit it. No reason to be depressed, really! I don't get PiP, of course (nor do I need it).
If the economy was run for the people we could afford to support those who need it - but since the 80s the people have had to be subserviant to a neo-liberal capitalist economy that espouses wealth for those at the top and trickle down and austerity for the rest of us (and neither trickle down nor austerity work) at the expense of the Welfare State. We need Keynesianism and the social contract back.

Edited

Thankyou for reading my post and I'm sorry for everything you and your family has been through its scary how quickly life can change for anyone.

Differentstarts · 19/03/2025 13:59

The interesting thing about disability is it can effect anyone at anytime. Nobody thinks they will become disabled or have a disabled child until they do. So anyone who is agreeing with the government on this be mindful of what your agreeing with as this isn't just about disabled people now this is everyone's future being changed

CentralLimit · 19/03/2025 14:02

Herstmonceux · 19/03/2025 13:30

If you genuinely can't understand how assets are mobile then I suggest you think outside the box....

Did you watch the video?

Many assets are non mobile (land, property) and for the rest there's exit taxes.

Flossflower · 19/03/2025 14:05

Somethingthecatdraggedin7 · 19/03/2025 09:55

Tax the richest more. Simples. We must pay in to the system proportionally to our wealth to ensure a more equitable society and look after all citizens.

We can’t just tax the very rich. A surprising large proportion of all the tax revenue comes from very few people. Some of these people can easily move to another country.

528htz · 19/03/2025 14:11

Cattery · 19/03/2025 13:49

As I suggested on a different thread; invest in our industrial base. Not everyone is suited to office work or customer-facing jobs. When we actually had factories and manufactured things there were jobs for everyone

Manufacturing is too expensive for us when there are other countries which can do it so much more cheaply.

TheWombatleague · 19/03/2025 14:12

Iloveshoes123 · 19/03/2025 13:47

Except it's not simple is it. Who exactly are you talking about here? The 'rich' people who already pay 60% of income tax despite earning 10% of the income or some other rich people that you are going to come up with another magical way to tax them that means they can't just leave the country and go elsewhere. Good luck with that. 25% of the working age population don't work all you will succeed in doing is increasing that % and there will be no money to pay for anything.

No, tax work less and wealth more. It really is pretty simple.

The "golden years" in both the UK and the USA were when we had a much higher top rate of tax than either do now, so I imagine thats also perfectly doable.

Lolypoly14 · 19/03/2025 14:12

pucelleauxblanchesmains · 19/03/2025 13:35

I was served in a charity shop recently by a young man with learning difficulties - it took him quite a while to serve each customer and he got angry and frustrated and started yelling each time the card machine was slow. I was perfectly happy to wait - but it's made me think, that's all very well for volunteering, but would someone with those difficulties ever qualify for paid retail employment? Would people be frustrated by him?

Work and volunteering are good for people, but this often conflicts with a business's need to keep afloat and make money, and no amount of "well, we can't afford all those disability benefits" will make that reality go away.

Edited

Yes!

My daughter has Tourette’s rather than learning disabilities and she has also volunteered in a charity shop, but in the world of work - no chance. She tics, says random stuff, chucks stuff around, she has coprolalia so swearing and inappropriate/slurs.

She’s at college (with an EHCP) but has had part time jobs (usually seasonal summer stuff in restaurants/cafes/local arcades, etc) but has never managed to last longer than a couple of weeks - customers complain so she gets let go.

She’s currently working part time at a local doggy day care - it’s great, she loves it, it’s good for her (shocking) mental health and her employer is supportive up to a point, but customers are again complaining, some have threatened to go elsewhere so when he starts losing business she’ll be let go again.

And then we add in the other issues she has:

FND - she has non-epileptic seizures (so as a result isn’t allowed to drive), dystonia where her certain muscles seize up so she can’t walk or use her hands as well as memory issues, brain fog and extreme fatigue.

Autism and the related issues she struggles with.

She wants to work, when she’s correctly supported she enjoys working, but does need adjustments, she’s frequently off sick and most employers won’t look past her tics to give her a chance anyway.

In reality, who is going to employ her?

PersephoneSmith · 19/03/2025 14:12

DancefloorAcrobatics · 19/03/2025 10:16

I'm against the cuts.
I am currently in a team with 2 people who have significant health issues. They are lovely people BUT picking up their work due to adjustments & increased sick days is having a departmental impact on my own health. I have voted with my feet and will start a new position within my organisation soon. For me, carrying others to that extent is unsuitable. There needs to be a shift, where the wellbeing of ALL employees is considered, not just the ones that come under protected characteristics . Plus, I can see why my employer doesn't employ an extra person to cover for my lovely but frequently to ill to work colleagues.

The work then falls onto the other (healthy) colleagues same as AL and everyone else sick days. We rarely have a week when the full team is actually in.

Yes, because white lives matter too eh? 😑

Whammyyammy · 19/03/2025 14:13

Somethingthecatdraggedin7 · 19/03/2025 09:55

Tax the richest more. Simples. We must pay in to the system proportionally to our wealth to ensure a more equitable society and look after all citizens.

Yes. Let's tax the people that have worked all their lives to achieve a higher income, that already pay more into the system even further, so anyone that feels a little down can just stay at home.
Great plan.

JenniferBooth · 19/03/2025 14:13

Unpaidviewer · 19/03/2025 10:08

Well of course they don't want them as colleagues. They will have to take on the shit jobs that someone else does. You know, like fruit picking that all the foreigners used to do.

Lets hope they dont live in social housing then. Because you arent allowed to take live in friuit picking jobs. With SH you actually have to live in it or risk your tenancy

Lastgig · 19/03/2025 14:15

Frowningprovidence · 19/03/2025 13:41

There isn't as much choice for adapted cars on the open market. Things like being able to put your wheelchair in the back means a lot of cheap run around the non disabled would buy on a budget are no good and anything more specialist like hand controls is expensive option.

I know you mean just a completely ordinary car with no adaptions which probably some will be, but many aren't.

People don't realise the cost of any monthly shortfall is met by a charity not the government?
People have to give up £300+ from their £700. It's not free! PIP is for care and disabled adaptions.
I've paid 45% tax for over 30 years. I don't resent it. I'm now disabled and currently bedbound. Can I have some of my tax back please, can I f*ck.

Ph3 · 19/03/2025 14:15

I think we should never be gleeful about something that is detrimental to others in whatever shape. So whilst I welcome changes to the benefits system I don’t think anyone that has a heart want people who truly need it to be cut off and have their payments reduced. And this is coming from someone who has never had any benefit. Benefits have a purpose we just need to all work together so they are used adequately