The Welfare Reform Bill

[omaoma]

she's called Mrs Pat O'Nions see here

Only 6,000 people have signed her petition because... I don't know why anybody wouldn't sign it, so hoping it's just lack of awareness and am posting here.

The following blog post - Where's the Benefit - by Lisa, about how the government's proposed and imminent welfare reforms are going to affect real, breathing people, is what got my attention:

"The Welfare Reform Bill is only one Lords reading short of Royal Assent. Then that's it, all hope is lost and I have that deadline of 2013 when my life will actually become unliveable. I don't want to die; I may not have grand dreams any more but there are simple things I still want to do in life: I want to learn to sing, I want to go to Comic Con. Things I can't afford to do even now... I've got a feeling of this ominous deadline when I lose my DLA in 2013... It's almost impossible for me to even visualise 2014... I just see darkness.
"The current feeling of sadness is compounded by the fact that it doesn't need to be this way. People could have fought against the Welfare Reform Bill but they chose not to. I've always been acutely aware of how much society hates me because I'm disabled; the disablist-motivated abuse when I was in primary school made sure I had it drummed into me for life that I am a second-class citizen. I had thought things were getting better in recent years with things like the Disability Discrimination Act, but clearly I was a gullible fool.
"This year has seen a cornucopia of anti-cuts activity, but most of it has been geared towards saving libraries and trees. I don't see it as a zero sum game, I've campaigned about issues other than the WRB. But apparently the mainstream left does see it that way: The anti-cuts movement chose to fight to save libraries rather than lives. There's nothing quite like that knowledge to really make you feel despised."

"I beg of you, please don't just read, be horrified and pass on. Please do something."

Provocative? Yes. Worth 2 minutes of your time? Surely.

Point 1. The date of the document you've linked to is 2005, using data collected in 2003-04...not exactly up-to-date now, is it? I notice you failed to mention the £200 million underpaid
This provides the most up-to-date figures(2009, revised in 2011). Fraud and error together are at 1.9%, significantly lower then the report you cherry picked linked to

Point 2. People who lose their DLA will be migrated to JSA or IS. In order to qualify for these benefits they will have to prove that they are capable for work There are cases of claimants who have lost either ESA or DLA, but have been unable to claim JSA (and hence housing benefit, JSA acts as a 'gateway' benefit) as the Jobcentre has deemed them too ill/disabled to work, leaving them with no means of subsistence.

Atos is in charge of assessing DLA claims (and will be organising the migration to PIP) so mention of their chicanery is highly relevant.

Xmas hugs to perception, catapult, sevenfold,debs and everyone else helping man the barricades against the stupid.

Oh, and for the tory sockpuppets, I can't claim DLA, despite having a severely disabling, life-limiting condition (two if you count the Lupus). My son doesn't receive DLA either; he's doubly incontinent, globally developmentally delayed, has EDS hypermobility and is severely autistic. Neither of us are considered disabled enough, and I don't have the spoons to fight through tribunal.

verylittle If you read my post, my first link was to the same document you have linked which agreed that fraud was at 0.5% and error was at 1.4% giving 1.9%. That document uses 2004-5 data (please read what you link). My other document was based on the same data and agreed that the difference between the 1.9% and the 9% was based on people having changes in their conditions that were not picked up and, because it is not the claimants responsibility to tell anyone, the money claimed was legal and not fraud or error. It was, however, not a justifiable claim under DLA. There does not appear to be any government data from a later period I could find.
Please apologies for accusing me of cherry picking as I linked the same data as you did, but just read it first.
Even if there was no change to PIP, ATOS is still involved. If this is the focus of the campaign, then why not a petition against that rather then the welfare bill? That I might support.
Why is it that I am only asking questions yet get insulted every time - if you engaged with me and answered the points I am making, I could easily support you - I want to support better help for disability, but you are not making it easy.

In recent months many of the large charities have had victories in their campaigns against the cuts. I linked the campaigns numerous time in AIBU.
Mencap is one of the leading charities that concentrate on any disability benefit cuts
www.mencap.org.uk

You can join the campaign by clicking on the link on the site. I have had letters back from the House of Commons after doing this (and panic whenever i see the sender, thinking i'm heading off to the tower!), so they are registered.

But not the founder of the big issue may I add

8 years ago we adopted a beautiful boy 5 years old deaf blind/CP. He was in residential care costing £5000 pounds a week. He is now in a family of 5 all with Special Needs all adopted how the f...k are we to manage. If they have all stayed in care £millions would have been wasted. I am beginning to think why did we care----I know just one smile or laugh makes it worth while. See you all who care in the gutter where benefit scroungers belong.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2081673/It-time-radical-rethink-welfare-state-Senior-Labour-MP-calls-dramatic-shake-benefits-system.html

The only ones in denial now are those on benAfits

2old2beamum why are your worried genuine claminets need not be scared sound like your son has severe needs

But those claming bad backs who can seemingly barley move but still manage to have 5 children should be worried and rightly so

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2081673/It-time-radical-rethink-welfare-state-Senior-Labour-MP-calls-dramatic-shake-benefits-system.html

Having a bad back does not usually affect fertility maypole

And you can have five kids while in employment but still develop a bad back which either stops you working or makes it harder.

You DO know that you can get DLA as a worker don't you?

My son's needs are severe but you'd never know it to look at him.

He is autistic with ADHD, dyspraxia and learning difficulties. He needs supervision night and day as he sleeps poorly, is obsessive about food, able to climb work surfaces in pursuit of said food (3am is no barrier).

But an ATOS assessor would meet a friendly and sociable little boy as long as there were no scary noises or people around. And I work so get stuffed in telling any carer that "genuine claimants have nowt to worry about" because you are evidently clueless about the fears we GENUINELY have. Open your mind and look around before patronising people.

maypole i think 2old2beamum is worried because she has more than 1 disabled dc and up thread there is a link to the govt wanting to limit dla to just 1 person per family,IIRC

Dillydaydreaming - if your in so much pain and do Ill you can't move I very mich doubut you could conceive then carry a baby for nine whole months five or six times

When my sister but her back out she could just about get out of bed let alone have sex then carry Abby full term

Also I my self have a disabled child who has cp and is in a wheel chair thanks so my mind is very open

Children who are autistic may be. Fine to look at by eye but are usually not always identied with a few minutes of a conversation

My uncle has aurtism and dose not look disabled if you can look disabled but talk to him for five minutes and you can tell he's is not ok

He won't look any one in the eye, repeats back what your saying like a parrot and and rubs strangers faces
Not your normal behaviour for a 20 year old so why would my aunt have any thing to worry about

Those who can work bout won't , who have faked illness or clamined it's worse than it is are the only ones sweating because they know their time is up

My aunts not worried my friend at work who fused bones in her hips not worried
Genuine people who have the hospital and medical records have nothing to fear

Those who seen the GP once in the 90s for a bad back and been claiming ever since with out seeing a soul should be bricking it .

...and if your back went AFTER you had children?
You didn't answer that one Maypole! What about those already falling foul of ATOS assessors unable to see no further than the bonus for every person they sign as "fit for work" despite any written evidence.

You absolutely DO NOT come across as knowing the realities.

What about those with more than one disabled child who will see their income fall?

You back the Bill because a very small number of people MIGHT be getting a few pennies they are not entitled to while conveniently ignoring the fact that it WILL penalise GENUINE claimants.

Me - I think this sums up the smug sad and selfish Tory belief that anyone claiming any kind of benefit is a worthless scrounger - an attitude which sickens me.

Taking money from those who are disabled - it beggars belief. And don't tell me about "assessments" there are already many accounts which show they are crap. It's about saving money and stuffing those least able to fight - horrible.

Tory scumbags - why am I not surprised.

Can I ask a probably dumb question? Isn't it likely that some of the 20 percent cut will be by remobing from hrt (like cb) or means testing?

I've signed. Have read the proposals in the bill and the fact even the Lib Dem conference has voted against changes and the Lib Dem ministers have ignored them beggars belief.

I only claim child benefit and still think the proposals are not good enough. It's not just those who are losing money who think this is not good enough.

Dillydaydreaming to be honest I very much doubut it's you whos dose not know the realities of looking after a child who is in a wheelchair and had the mental age of a a 4 year old when 7 as my dd has

But don't let me get in the way of your assumptions

I just don't feel the same just because I have a child who is disabled must I sing from the same song sheet

I believe it's the abuse of those fakers hwho stop geuine claimants getting their money or even being believed

See enough people claiming bad backs and depression who are clearly trying on the if wears on people and on the public

The system is not working if it were people wouldn't be able to claim for claymida for pettys sake

How about we stop paying for the prime minister etc, to fly privately etc, and put him on economy flights instead? Maybe we should cut back on mp's wages etc. Some of them get unreal pay and also cut back the bankers wages, not the normal staff but those getting 6 figures a year? and 5 figures bonuses? Maybe we should cut back on those that dont need the money and give it to those that do? x

I am amazed that ANYONE with experience of caring for a disabled child backs this Bill. Still takes all kinds I suppose . Bye - am out of here to cope with real life which comes with bigger all practical support and the threat of reduced financial support. Cheers Dave!

Maypole perhaps you will feel differently in years to come, when you have a adult child that still needs 24/7 care and you can't work,

Maypole have a look at these blog posts. I think you'll find them interesting.

toomanycuts.blogspot.com/2011/12/benefit-scroungers-what-can-we-do.html

blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/2011/12/14/disabled-people-media-attacks/

saltandcaramel.com/index.php/2012/01/03/a-sense-of-entitlement-the-british-and-the-welfare-state/

Sorry hit post too soon.

...I don't know if they'll change your mind but at least you will have some accurate information. The second blog is by the London School of Economics.

Like I said its the fakers who make it diffcult for geuine people to get the help they really need

Dill have a just because I have a disabled child is it automatic that I must agree with benefits being given out without check

I say again if your genuine you should not be worried

And FYI if I get old die and alll my family die we have made provison

Maypole DWP themselves say the number of fraudulent DLA claims is 0.05%. NAO says 0.3% and yet they are being cut by 20%. That means some who are genuine will have theirs cut.

That's just simple maths.

Sorry Office for National Statistics, not national audit office says 0.03%

you know where that biscuit can be shoved.
even if it wasn't given to me.
the thickness of people who read the dm and believe the spin dave scam spouts is tragic.
that is why the cuts will target the most vulnerable and they will go ahead and people will die.
because people believe this crap