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 couldn't care less what you are fed up with. Your posts speak for themselves

I would doubt my son’s DLA is higher than any working family’s income.

What people are actually saying is that they (officially, in the eyes of the government, using the system that exists) need the money they receive, not that they deserve it more. What you have or don’t have doesn’t come into our DLA claim, it’s not relevant in any way.

Carers don’t have to deserve their carers allowance, or their UC, or their child’s disability payment - they’re entitled to it.

If for some reason you need more income, either see if you also qualify for support, or earn more. It’s not really the fault of someone claiming a benefit that they’re entitled to, that you have challenges of your own.

I have walked away from commenting here. My DC only gets by in the SE because we, aged boomers, pay the rent on the property occupied. There is no way that an agricultural apprentice on NMW can afford a life in Guildford without family financial help.

But to reduce the debt means growing the economy through cuts in taxation which would have to be funded by cuts in spending which no political party would get elected on.

Sadly it looks like the only solution is a Greek style financial collapse where an outside party such as the IMF or European Central Bank imposes the cuts on public spending whether the voters like it or not.

What makes you think they do? If you are earning below a certain wage you can claim uc. If you are only working part time you can claim uc. If you are physically capable then you also possibly (unless other complex circumstances) have the capacity to work more hours/ do free courses/ work your way up in an organisation/ take a paid internship or apprenticeship to increase your income and earning potential.

People with disabilities/ certain illnesses or injuries do not have the capacity to do this in the same way. Which is why we look at this as an equitable system rather than just an equal system.

https://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/newsroom/welfare-pays-more#:~:text=Scale%20of%20welfare%20crisis%20uncovered,income%20tax%20and%20national%20insurance.

It looks like it is certainly possible to earn more than the National Living Wage through a combination of out of work and health related benefits according to the Centre for Social Justice

@NeverSeenThatColourBlue

Because she has next to no additional costs for her disability. I know why she got DLA to begin with. She had to go private for her diagnosis and treatment and it cost a fortune. I filled out the forms. At 10, prior to being medicated, she was quite expensive, she broke and lost things regularly, she had to be practically man-handled into the bath, she was on a constant mission to get sugar hits and if there was anything sweet in the house she would hunt it down but take about 2 hours to eat a meal. Absolutely lovely kid but she required constant supervision + the costs of treatment. I was still shocked to be told that she was entitled to £350 a month, that was way over the cost of the additional expenses.

You've said she was quite expensive, and then that you don't see how she can need £350 a month?

The iPhone is a good example. It doesn't matter if it was due for replacement. It matters if she lost it because she was careless or she was disabled. Because we have all been careless and lost something, it's tempting to dismiss it as a one off and to equate it to 'normal' carelessness. But it ISN'T. And it happens much more often. ADHD seems to be dismissed as an annoying or fun quirkiness, but the actual statistics are HORRIBLE - for things like suidice, bankruptcy, addition, criminality - studies suggest that up to 80 percent of prisoners may have ADHD or related problems. If they were diagnosed and medicated and the crime rate plummeted, wouldn't we all be better off?

My ADHD has cost me hundred of thousands of pounds. Literally, in financial losses from poor decisions or 'carelessness'. In extra insurances, fuck ups, delays, or things mislaid and I've forgotten I've done. I don't know what a 'normal' error rate is, and of course no life is without some mistakes. But they aren't ALL due to it.

She will have been shamed for her problems. That's hell to grow up with, and you soon learn to hide it. DLA validates her, which is priceless and why she is wearing it so proudly - it's really bloody hard to get, but also is likely paying for a lot of stuff she's already learnt to hide. It takes pressure off - you don't have to keep panicking and checking and re-checking and obsessing over details if you know have some wiggle room. I feel for her - and for you, because its no parenting picnic, either.

I'm not going to apologise or feel guilt or any shame for the benefits I receive because my son is disabled.

Sorry to disappoint.

Life is hard for a lot of people. I'm sorry you are in that situation. But it's hard for people like me too. I'm not a freeloader

That report and its recommendations sound actually very sensible to me.

Could you just explain to me how you, as a lone parent, would provide for a child who needed full time care due to long term severe disability please? What job are you getting that doesn't require you to be there or work? Please, please do that maths for me?

"If you are physically capable then you also possibly (unless other complex circumstances) have the capacity to work more hours/ do free courses/ work your way up in an organisation/ take a paid internship or apprenticeship to increase your income and earning potential.
People with disabilities/ certain illnesses or injuries do not have the capacity to do this in the same way."

Disabled people can work in high paid jobs. Non disabled people can work in low paid jobs.

Both can be unemployed.

There is very little value in getting more experience and qualifications when there is massive underemployment in this country and with wage compression - high educated, highly skilled and experienced people are struggling to find any work at the moment.

Thats one likely scenario.

Another scenario (which I do think is probable now) is managed decline for the next few years followed by Reform (or Reform coalition) being elected in 2029.

They (Reform) have been watching (and talking to) the GOP in the US and they will try to copy their spending cuts (DOGE) in the UK. That will mean they will slash and burn public spending in a very chaotic way, with PIP and welfare being one of the first things on the chopping block.

Thats why I keep telling people that public welfare spending needs to be put on a sustainable footing within the next few years. If it is not, you are opening the doors for Reform, which would be disastrous for the UK.

If we're living a life of luxury on benefits and it's so easy to get them and they throw money and houses and free goats at you for saying you've got a bad back or had a nightmare last night... Why aren't the people on this thread who are complaining about it doing that? Why not start a claim, say your back hurts?

It's nothing to do with "self respect" or "pride" because if you had that, you wouldn't be whingeing on here about what other people are getting for being disabled. So why not do it?

@Lavender14 Parents come in pairs. Where is the other parent?

Ooh ooh ooh I'm going to predict their response..

It's between silence and deflection 🤔

Ooh I definitely didn't predict "totally fucking thick", nice surprise

I still don’t think it’s the for the state to financially mitigate that. I just don’t.

So fucking what, it costs more to live as a disabled person. What do you want, to wipe out 'useless eaters'? Aktion T4 would be right up your street. Look it up and then hang your head in shame. I fucking despise people who fall for the Hate Mail bullshit about social security, as it should properly be named. Benefits are extras, not survival rations.

You won’t be popular. Most people seem to think it’s almost impossible to get benefits. At school we have an ever increasing number of parents claiming benefits for teenagers with medical conditions.Parents can still work full time, have huge salaries and afford luxury holidays, but they are within their rights to claim the benefits. Meanwhile there are plenty of pupils who can never have a holiday as their parents are only just about managing and they are kindly subsidising those rich families.

And that's entirely your right to have that point of view. But don't come complaining to me when you don't want to live here when you see on your doorstep the impact that increased poverty has on the society you are living in and the impact of the increased demand on all the resources you want/ need to use.

And definitely don't come complaining if your circumstances suddenly and dramatically change tomorrow and you find yourself needing help from others who shut their door in your face and say - but that's not my responsibility.

You don't get to be in any society or any community and reap all the benefits of being part of a well functioning community without contributing to it as well. That's just how the world works. It's social science and its been well proven over and over again.

No they don't. More shaming of people. My mum and dad divorced and he had nothing to do with me after that - and he has another family. At this point you are just flaming

We really really have to get away from the idea that being awarded a disability benefit ‘validates’ someone. Especially such a young person. The fact that she mentions the diagnosis and the award so much (according to her step mum anyway, pinch of salt duly added) is a worry. She seems to have so many other things going for her. Why is she being brought up to think that having ADHD is the most important thing about her? If she wasn’t found to be entitled to PIP and she was my DC I’d frame it as a huge positive that she has improved so much with medication and strategies. Theres disabled students allowance that she would get and that seems a whole lot more appropriate than PIP for validation.

Again. I was refused disability benefits when I was suicidal but you prefer to take the narrative from people who think claimants are scroungers

Not always. Many single parents exist as you well know.