Millionaire on benefits- rare of course- but is it time for means testing disability benefits

[Flippityflops]

Close friend is a millionaire .
Has not worked since age 40 .
He now has a disability and on his account s advice , he claims non means tested benefits he says .

if this is indeed true- given that such benefits cater for additional expenses of living with a disability, and he absolutely does not need it .. isnt it time that this benefit is means tested in these different times to prioritise the financialy vulnerable.

He for example told me - unsure if its true - that he bought a beautiful 3k painting wirh the money.
it’s gorgeous ive seen it and it dows add value to daily living .

its a bit like the taxpayer is giving him a huge freebie and we cant afford it and those in his income bracket.

I can never understand why it’s ok to claim benefits like DLA for the wealthy yet it’s ok to take assets from the elderly to pay for their care.
I don’t necessarily disagree with either but it seems a bit odd.

YANBU. Even if you are a millionaire, you can claim PIP on a self-assessment form for anxiety.

The examples given of David Cameron’s son are not representative. Instead it is people with ADHD and anxiety who seem surprisingly able to function day-to-day but fill in a form not to represent their typical day but instead an imaginary worst day.

That is blatant fraud.

And young families are taxed through the roof to pay for this. But you can’t object to this madness as people will call you heartless.

I'd claim DLA for my disabled child no matter how much I earned because as pp said, they are often a gateway to support.

I guess they have a point , back in the days when these older people were bringing up their kids there was child benefit only for the first child and no other benefits for raising kids so they struggled.

My parents got the equivalent to child benefit and it wasn't means tested.

YABU
PIP is not means tested so your "friend" is not doing anything wrong.

Here we go again

I was actually just having the same conversation today re disability benefits being a gateway.
if I was a millionaire then obviously I could cope without my PIP, but without PIP I would struggle to get a blue badge, as well as having other access arrangements put in place. Without these then all the money in the world wouldn’t help.

so if they did start to means test disability benefits, I hope they would put other measures in place!

Completely agree with this

He probably pays far far more in tax.

People could surely still be assessed as having disability without being paid the money if they were wealthy or millionaires. There must be some simple way of wealthy disabled people still being able to access a Blue badge and other services without being paid hundreds in benefits that they don't need. It really can't be that difficult ! I appreciate it likely costs more to means teste though so little in savings.

Settling in. 😎

My millionaire multiple property owning friend gets PiP. Otherwise she can't get the disabled badge she needs. She doesn't want the money but the acknowledgement of the awful debilitating pain she lives with. PiP is not means tested. I have three friends on Pip one couldn't survive without it and the third is married, financially very stable and uses it purely for her hobbies. They are all entitled to it imo and I'm glad we live in a country that can do this. Living permanently with pain is awful

Bingo card, anyone?

I think I'll put "winter fuel allowance", "you don't need PIP for ADHD/ASD" and "there are plenty of jobs available" on mine.

Can I add...

You can get a WFH job

All employers are inclusive and flexible nowadays

If you can post on MN you can get an office job

If you can post on MN you can get an office job

Can't believe I forgot this one!

Ooh and inspired by another recent thread:

"The government should fund shoes so you can work on a farm instead"

You know perfectly well that the minute disability benefits are means tested, the bar will be set so low that so many people will end up being excluded.

I wonder if your "close friend" knows how much of a friend you really are. Frankly I wouldn't give you house room.

yes to the bingo card and here's another one.

calling old age pension a "non means tested benefit"

A millionaire is likely paying more in tax than they could ever get back in benefits.

Ha, I saw that one too.

There was one a while back where someone suggested that anyone who was struggling with mobility issues be made to walk 4 miles every day until they were somehow "cured". It came from some weird misguided thought about anyone using a wheelchair or scooter were doing so because they were unfit.

It should be means tested like child benefit is.

Means test PIP and you means test disabilities.

Means testing is a household thing. Being disabled isn't.

Idk, if I’m being completely honest, I’ve paid an absolute fortune in taxes in my working life. Easily 7 figures in income tax alone. Haven’t used the NHS in decades etc etc, the usual. If I was entitled to state help, I’d take it.

What does ‘millionaire’ even mean?

£1m in the bank isn’t much if it has to sustain him til he’s 90.

Loads of people have £1m if you combine house value and pension value.

PIP isn't even an out of work benefit. It has availability nothing to do with someone's employment status.