Ok who wants to swap £2500 a month in benefits for my husbands MS and my epilepsy, narcolepsy and fibromyalgia.

[bluebirdblackbird]

Well according to a lot of people on here we are on a good thing.

the 20 seizures I have in a week, chronic pain and night terrors, losing my memory after a seizure, pissing myself, hallucinations. They are all great fun. Not to mention the amount of times I have been accused of being drunk after a seizure.

or there is my husband. Diagnosed with progressive MS. Cronic Pain, shaking, cronic pins and needles, weakness in limbs plus losing mobility. Had to give up his teaching job 4 months ago after gradually reducing hours.

Not to mention the judgement when we use a blue badge because we look ok in that moment. And apparently labour are going to find us both work. Yippee cant wait to meet the employer who is going to take us both on. I am sure pissing my chair on a reg basis won’t matter to them or the losing counciouness at least a couple of times a day.

i am just fed up of yet another they are on benefits and get money and it’s not fair stamp stamp stamp. The bastards have saved up for a holiday- it’s not fair. The bastards have a mobility car but they look fine, OMG- they have got new carpets or a new sofa.

since I am guessing they none of the moaners would actually swap places with us if they could then STFU.

oh and that pip that is easy to get- my husband gets lower rate for both and that is despite providing all the evidence and appealing so we are off to tribunal. He can’t even dress himself most days and he can’t hold a pan safely or manage his medication plus many other things. If he stays on the points he is on he will lose his pip completely under these new labour proposals.

but most people know someone who’s friends, aunts, nephews, stepdaughters, cousin twice removed who lied and got it. I was taking to a lady in a wheelchair who does not get any mobility component of pip at all.

So you would swap in exchange for permanent ill health? What an odd deal to make. As someone who had a very serious illness (thankfully recovered) I wouldn’t swap good health for anything.

And don’t try and claim now that it was simple budgeting that allowed you to do this- your first post on this literally said it was the benefits that allowed you to replace your car. And when the country is facing the benefits bill it is, can you blame people for questioning whether that is a good use of money?

It wasn’t my post, my car or my benefits.

100% I don’t dispute it is possible and you seem to have had quite a run of bad luck in this area which must be very trying. and it does sound very much like you are exactly who the state should be assisting. No question.

But ultimately, to be able to provide you with assistance, the government has a choice to reduce the amount of claimants so only the most extreme cases get a large enough sum to provide a comfortable life, or they give everyone who had a claim from extreme to not so serious a lesser sum. The healthy working population cannot just keep working and continually taxed until they drop. I’m not sure what someone in your position would think. I think it is such a difficult and emotive issue and there is a reason why I am not in politics as I am not sure I would be able to find the balance.

If that's the case, why are so many appeals against DWP refusals to pay PIP and the health element of UC successful?

I work in welfare rights for a very specific client group (mental health). We do a lot of PIP applications and capability for work forms with people. We also do a lot of appeals, because so many people are wrongly turned down for these benefits.

Our team of six, established 7 years ago, has virtually 100% success rate at appeals (a former colleague, who was a bit useless, lost one appeal, all the others have been successful). If it's so easy to get these benefits, why are we doing appeals at all?

You don't need a diagnosis though, it's all about care needs compared to children of the same age and remember that there's different care rates too so if a child is extremely shy and it is manifesting as anxiety to the point where the care needs are more compared to their peers then it might be possible.

I think my main issue is how inconsistent it is because even with the guidelines, it totally depends on whose desk it comes across and I also don't think waiting 3 months before you can apply for DLA is appropriate in all cases too, some which aren't covered by special circumstances such as your child having cancer.

That did make me laugh. I work full time and genuinely have no paid subscriptions ( free ones only that I cancel before chargeable), free day trips only, no holidays, no beauty treatments, no meals out, no takeaways and I cut my own hair.

I don’t begrudge anyone disability benefits and I claim UC sometimes but not recently as I earn too much but never quite enough for luxuries. Lots of people can only afford the basics despite doing the best they can to earn as much as possible.

I think a massive problem is private rents and high property prices. If the government had invested adequately in social housing then people would be able to afford secure accommodation without the need for massive UC top ups. Low wage workers could have more disposable income and a better standard of living.

Instead there’s been a situation created where the poor and disabled argue over scraps and the rich increase their wealth.

This is sheer ignorance- the amount of evidence needed for any claim is staggering. Not to mention the invasive and humiliating interviews they put people through.

You cannot simply claim an invisible illness and money lands into your account. This is the Daily Mail standard of ignorance they push on the gullible.

I personally do not begrudge anyone disability benefits. I don’t feel the same regarding MPs bogus and extravagant expenses though!

You forgot the middle class taxes are so high! My wage has increased over a decade by a fair bit but my take home ( single parent) is the same as my much lower starter wage because of the massive tax take and marginal. Rates.

if you have kids inconvenience and loss of earnings comes. You need really expensive childcare just to work. I don’t think society should make up for the inconvenience of divergent kids. Severe cases and childhood serious illness should be covered.

fibromyalgia is a trigger word for me because it is a diagnosis of exclusion of anything else. Also you need to ask your doctor why you are have 20 seizures a week?

Rage bait?

The extra amount is for pads, fuel to appointments . Transport to appointments . Carers . The list goes on .
That’s why the amount is what it is. .
Able bodied people can re train for more money or work extra hours . Anyone with disabilities can’t . Obviously

But I don’t have good health, I have a lung disease for the rest of my life, I also have other slight medical conditions that I take tablets for, yet there not deemed enough to get any additional help. So again, I’d swap. It’s not a race to the bottom, it is also dilapidation for low wage workers with dependants. And before I get stereotyped, I do work hard and I do have a “higher education” not that it done me any good!

You get pittance on UC. People thinking otherwise have been taken in by the media lies.

I'm sorry you have to read so much bile OP. Please know not everyone hates people on benefits. I believe everyone deserves a living wage and to live with compassion and dignity. I also believe people on benefits deserve nice things, which is apparently controversial nowadays.

Also, campaign for a higher wage. Take it up with the government. Not disabled people, who deserve a living wage, nice things, and shouldn't have to worry about money.

You forgot the middle class taxes are so high! My wage has increased over a decade by a fair bit but my take home ( single parent) is the same as my much lower starter wage because of the massive tax take and marginal. Rates.

Unless you’re earning £100k plus - when loss of childcare and personal allowance kick in you should see an increase in take home against a lower first salary. Even paying Scottish taxes (the £43k-£50k marginal is a killer) I see an increase in pay - not much because tax and NI combined are around 50% but still something.

So sorry OP. Depressing the 36% of the vote on here who think you're being unreasonable. Depressing that this government is once again punching down at the most vulnerable in society. Empathy bypass seems to be a pre-requisite for politics.

I have epilepsy. I used to claim DLA back in the day before it changed to PIP. When it came up for renewal I decided not to claim. Purely because I felt people judged me . I remember the woman who worked in the chemist saying I saw you run for the bus. Yeah because when I was fitter epilepsy didn’t stop me running.

And on the subject of chemist. We are not lucky to get free prescriptions. I bet everyone would rather have perfect health than rely on medication.

The mobility cars are not free. I have a disabled daughter who gets the highest rate for care and mobility. We pay several thousand £ towards a new car, yes it’s still very much cheaper than a brand new Audio but it’s not free. The car takes the mobility element of her PIP. The car is registered to me but I can’t drive it because of epilepsy. So when my husband is at work she still has to use her bus pass or taxi.

And employment. Daughter was lucky to get a part time job. She works 8 hours per week. She didn’t disclose her disability although I am 💯 sure her employer has worked it out by now. She would like a second job as her current employer can not up her hours. When she discloses her disabilities she does not get an interview . She would be entitled to Universal Credit but won’t claim it because she would not cope with the stress of being constantly asked what is she doing to reduce the amount of UC she would get. She is not by any means rolling in money.

I know this wasn't your post, so ignore this.

Why can't people with benefits have cars?? It allows them to get to appointments easier, when disabled people often struggle with public transport. And if someone is looking for work, having a car helps massively.

Able bodied people can re train for more money or work extra hours . Anyone with disabilities can’t . Obvious

Thats not the case for all disabled people, many do manage to train, retrain and have professional careers. They may need additional support and have additional expenses but a narrative that all disabled people can’t train, be educated and be successful helps no one. Yes there are people who will never be able to work due to the severity of their condition, but it’s wrong to say anyone with disabilities obviously can’t do x. Disability covers a very broad range of ability and capacity.

This.
Since the NMW was introduced, companies have been falling over themselves to drive down wages to match it.
My salary is less than half now of what it would have been if pay had kept up with increasing costs of living since the late 1990’s.
Oh, and had my salary kept up, there would be more money (from tax) for the government to fund the people who need it - but it doesn’t excuse the government for their bad behaviour in trying to disprove claims: any government employee caught lying about a claimant in an effort to save paying them the benefits they are entitled to should be disciplined, and those pressuring them to do this should be expelled from public office IMO

Only 27% of disabled people work I believe. There are very few vacancies which truly support reasonable adjustments. I've walked with a stick for years and in my last position a member of the SLT complained I hadn't declared my disability on my application (I did). Able bodied people have no idea. I've been home for a year and I hate it. I've cost the tax payer bugger all against my life time of tax receipts. I will never recover.

OP, you are brilliant and we need to hear more positive reports in the media about how benefits help people.

Let’s zoom out and see what’s really going on.

Public health is poor because people are struggling to afford to live in decent circumstances, to have time and headspace to eat well, exercise, socialise or even rest properly.

We are constantly encouraged by advertising and addictive social media to eat shit, buy shit and stay on screens to watch more shit ads. The people who are doing well are a small percentage at the top who benefit from selling all the shit.

Meanwhile, we are encouraged by the shit stirrers in the billionaire owned right wing media to hit down at the poorest who and fight amongst ourselves, not looking at the bigger picture.

The burden of dealing with poor public health is very expensive-if we could have a more fair society the population would be more healthier, therefore productive and happier and the NHS would be able to deal with the remaining illnesses that aren’t due to poor living conditions.

People with disabilities, physical or mental deserve a dignified and full life, as we all do. We need to stick together and vote against the parties who are driving this shitstorm.

I have a long term condition and find many people unable to understand that I will never be ‘cured’. People prefer stories where people are ill and ‘beat’ the disease, and get bored with people who they see as ‘flaky’ and won’t employ them, or suspect they’re ok because they look ok.

Lets stop beating each other up online and vote, volunteer, lobby and campaign to get the shit out of our lives

Why can't people with benefits have cars?? It allows them to get to appointments easier, when disabled people often struggle with public transport. And if someone is looking for work, having a car helps massively.

More importantly for some people it’s literally the only way they can go about daily life. Trying to do food shopping by bus with a wheelchair, or having to walk to the train station when your mobility is severely limited, getting the kids to school when you cannot walk… things that able bodied people take for granted. People would end up institutionalised in their own homes.

If you are able to tell the level of a stranger's disability just by looking at them then you should really offer your services to the DWP, I'm sure they could use someone with your super power, much quicker and cheaper than the rigorous current PIP assessment which involves collecting extensive medical evidence on claimants from relevant professionals. No need to bother with all that when there's a random person on the internet who reckons they know better than all those so-called experts who are apparently handing out benefits to bogus claimants willy-nilly!
I'm lucky enough to have had an easily visible severe physical disability since birth so I don't tend to get questioned about whether I'm entitled to PIP, blue badge, etc. I suppose there's an upside to everything!

I know you don't technically need a diagnosis but it certainly helps. To pretend otherwise is disingenuous. Once you have a diagnosis then applying for DLA is often seen as a natural next step. This is what I take issue with alongside the idea that it is somehow possible to benchmark a disabled child's needs versus a 'typical' child when my experience has taught me that very few kids actually fit into the latter category.

Care needs are sometimes quite subjective. For example, it's more common than not that teenage boys will need prompting regarding personal hygiene, often outright refuse to take a shower when needed and can need assistance to get up on time but these are all DLA qualifiers. They also will often be fussy with food, need to be encouraged to make good food choices and forget to drink enough water in the day. Also they can have all sorts of communication issues and have problems with having no filter etc. I'm not saying that these are enough to get DLA on their own but the fact they're included in a DLA assessment means that they are part of the body of evidence that parents can submit about their child's needs even though they are arguably pretty standard for lots of kids.

I basically think the threshold needs to be higher so that the resources we do have available are correctly targeted. We need to accept that some people and parents are dealt are more difficult hands than others but this doesn't necessarily mean that the state needs to step in to equalise everything. We simply don't have the money or resources to do this.

Completely agree with you OP.

You only have to look at some of the ill-informed replies this thread to realise what we are up against...