benefit change could breach law

[borderslass]

here

Drove, I appreciate what you mean by your dd 'only' having autism/gdd etc, but don't underestimate the effects it has on your lives. She may not be paraplegic, or have something like severe cerebral palsy, but it's six of one and half a dozen of another. My dd has severe autism and epilepsy, and I completely understand where the DLA goes, and why it is totally justified for us to claim it. I used to feel guilty because she got the same DLA as a child who couldn't walk, or see and hear, but in the end, her disability affects her life just as much as paraplegia or sensory loss affects others. Our children may be able to walk, but that can bring problems of it's own if they have no sense of danger, for instance.

I'm honestly scared of this government and what they are trying to do to us and praying that the changes they are proposing are illegal and can't be brought in. I can't see how it's not a human rights issue when you deny someone their basic needs.

Thanks DonkeyDerby. I hope that someone is put on the spot for this. The only coverage I have heard so fair is laste night coverage of the commons/ lords on the radio.

And the consutation period is FAR TOO SHORT!

From the Disability Benefits Consortium
here

The DBC welcomes the opportunity for considered debate on the future of DLA. However, despite the significance of the consultation and its potential impact on disabled people, we are very disappointed that the Department for Work and Pensions decided to run such a short ? 9 week ? consultation period, which was also spread over the Christmas holiday. This is 3 weeks short of the recommended time frame outlined in Government guidance and will significantly reduce opportunities for individuals to add their views to the consultation.

Deliberatly too short imo.

Applauds every word acumenin said.

GooseFatRoasties the media coverage is partially driven by government press offices.

I've mentioned this before, but last Sept I complained to the BBC about this disability fraud story, because it implied the guy's crime was working while receiving DLA, muddying the fact that he actually failed to inform about a material change.

The reporter did take the trouble to reply in detail, but this was his answer:

"I was the reporter who filed the story on the man sentenced for fraud. It was a few weeks ago now and I can't remember the precise details but I do recall that I had at least two conversations with the head of the press office for the relevant government dept. Your comments had been passed to me on the road and in one of the calls I put your view to them and they were happy with my final wording."

Item on the Guardian blog about the Silence.

here

niceguy here's a thought...my son gets higher rate dla meaning I can afford to drive him 40 miles per day, 5 days a week to school...the rest of the money goes on paying for the respite/activities etc which the government wont provide for him. He has asd. My husband works all the hours under the sun to make money, yet without dla we would be either stuck in the house (all our money goes on the cost of basic living), or better off on the dole. Why would you want to penalise a 7yr old? What do you suggest he does....have a SHIT life and do nothing???? Idiot.