Benefits explosion- where will it end?

[TheBlueKoala]

"PIP benefits explosion: Anxiety and depression handouts have nearly TRIPLED to £4.3bn since Covid - with autism and ADHD bill hitting £2.2bn and 'back pain' £1.6bn"

Something is not right here. When I have written before on here telling about people I know who claim for anxiety although they have rich social lives (funded by 440£ extra per month from PIP) I've had many people telling me that it's not possible etc. It sure is. How many 16 year olds are claiming PIP for anxiety?

Instead of benefits why not pay for therapy- invest massively in the NHS mental health support so that people with anxiety, adhd and autism can see a therapist regularly to help them. This would make a difference for tje individual and the society. Throwing out money won't.

AINBU- I agree with about
AIBU- No, extra money is always useful

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15510221/PIP-benefits-anxiety-depression-austism-ADHD-pain-Covid-Labour.html

I know a lady with learning disabilities who gets her nails done regularly. It is a treat for her and she loves to have pretty nails. Her carer takes her and her benefits pay for it. Is that allowed?
I am on universal credit and PIP. There is nothing in my journal or anything about what I am allowed to spend it on. I could go clubbing if I want as again there is nothing in my journal about things I am not allowed to do.

Somebody who cannot function at all!! I am fed up with is my relative whose affairs I deal with because he has no mental capacity was cared for by my grandparents with zero help either financially or respite wise whilst they were alive. He is severely disabled cannot be left alone yet the only time we as a family turned to the State was after they died. I am FED UP that he cannot even get a timely care plan review because social services are innundated with people milking the system. It is morally abhorent!!!!

Lcwra doesn't remove the benefit cap. Pip or dla and other benefits do

I can see you are committed to your current level of understanding.

My son is the same but for the umpteenth time it goes off need not diagnosis
Yes plenty of people will put in tenuous claims but that doesnt .can they will get anywhere with them.

So a person with no legs is not disabled because they are still able to function?

I agree the word ‘disabled’ means pretty much anything now. Depression, eczema, whatever, all seems to be ‘disabled’

You really cannot sit and say that the only people who have disabilities are people who are incapable of functioning. Lots of people don't milk the system at all and no - it's not fair that social services are so stretched but it's unfair to blame that on other disabled people

Its too easy to apportion blame to people who aren't at fault.

It is absolutely a broken system because we have allowed a situation to develop where it is being milked by those who should not benefit at the expense of those who truly need it. I do not claim benefits nor need them but I do have a lot of experience of the system through my role as Deputy. It is broken and unsustainable and truly disabled people are currently losing out.

This is interesting... is it that they are actually inundated with people 'milking the system' causing the issue or is it actually the fact that the last lot of governments we've had have intentionally and chronically cut resources to health and social care trusts? Which has resulted in less resources, higher rates of staff turnover and significant difficulty in recruitment and retention? Which obviously then affects waiting lists? Years of austerity and cut backs were already causing significant issues before Covid exacerbated things.

I'm not sure why you're associating this with people fraudulently claiming benefits.

You’ve hit the nail on the head.

And why did your grandparents not claim anything for him ?
Also why did they not ask for a carers assessment for respite ( I realise its very are dependent ) but they coud have bern assessed..

I literally don't give a shit, I'll thankfully be dead long before this becomes my problem (thanks to my poor choices / not having my head screwed on / lack of work ethic, no doubt)

Yes but your definition of truly disabled is limited to people who cannot function at all.

That's simply not factual. Don't let facts get in the way of your opinion though.

Because those are not needs.

But this is all we get when we ask sensible questions. Tantrums, accusations of loving workhouses/eugenics, hysterics about euthanasia.

This is an economic question.

I have suffered from eczema since I was born. I suffer from dermatitis too and I'm currently in the middle of a really horrible outbreak of eczema. I have never considered myself disabled because of it. Why do people always have to put other peoples conditions down to make a point?

But it is, as you say, a net and a net can develop a bloody big hole if too much weight is put in it.

Because of the generation they were from which was not about claiming ANYTHING. Rightly or wrongly that generation had pride and my grandparents would have been filled with shame at claiming. My uncle was their son they cared for him till their dying days and they had a pretty hard life because of it but that's what that generation were like. My grandpa was 80 years old died in 2012 he still cared for my uncle.

Both of those condtions if severe enough csn be disabling
Having a bit of dry and itchy skin or being a bit sad however ,will not entitle anyone to disability benefits.

We have gone from shame to no shame. There needs to be a balance

I don't know what all those things are. However the programme very specifically mentioned a small award for anxiety or depression.

"He is severely disabled cannot be left alone yet the only time we as a family turned to the State was after they died."

Not the best choice on your family's part.

There are plenty of people with mental health issues who work full time. Why shouldn't someone with mental health issues get their nails done? Or are we only talking about people on benefits?

Wonder if TheBlueKoala is Lynton Crosby or John McTernan 😂

Or a McFadden special adviser.