Seven medals but now they want my benefits.

[carernotasaint]

blacktrianglecampaign.org/2012/08/28/seven-medals-but-now-the-tories-want-my-benefits-british-paralympic-gold-medalist-tara-flood-speaks-out/

Oh I don't imagine Novack actually thinks that.

I've never seen a "real" post from her - she appears to post what she thinks will stir most on a given thread, regardless of topic. Not worth attention.

Although thanks, Novack, you've usefully propagated a disability-myth, so I can educate as MN encourages us to do.

DLA isn't about "ah dear give them some money" poor things or any of that crap.

It's about living in world designed for people who can walk, see, hear, etc, when you can't do some of those things. If all cars were hand controlled, for example, it wouldn't cost extra money to get a hand-controlled car. DLA is about practicalities - not pity money for the poor, poor disabled people.

That is just nonsense. And lets not start on how Motobility and the heavily subsidised BMW's for some is fair on the hard working of the country who can only dream of a 6 year old focus and not a new car ever other year at a fraction of the real cost

Those who genuinely need the help are still being given it and those who are inconvenienced a little by being reassessed to ensure that there is no unnecessary cost to the state through fraud etc. seem to be missing the point.

I am sure people with mobility cars would happily give them to you, aslong as you take the disability.

No it's not about pity money at all. It's about arithmetic.

Currently there are 3.1million DLA claimants at the cost of £12 billion pounds annually. source

The projection is that by 2015 this number will go up to 3.5 million meaning if there is no reform/increases and not accounting for inflation, DLA will cost us £13.5 billion.

Given the government is spending £150 billion or so more than it is taking in tax, we simply cannot support 3.1 million people, let along another 400k!

So...we now have to make some crap choices. We either find/borrow another £1.5billion a year from elsewhere or we have to say to some people who currently get DLA "Sorry, we can no longer support you".

That conversation is basically inevitable.

What I don't agree with is the current process which is flawed.

But it doesn't change the fact that we cannot support the same number of people as we do. In fact we never could. The only reason we 'could' is because we took out huge loans and continue to do so.

so you think it is ok to tell a disabled person that they will get no money< even though they might not be able to work due to their disability,
that won't cure them they will still be disabled.
there are other ways of saving money, hitting the most vulnerable is just the easiest for this government.
as this thread proves they have sucked in enough people to believe that taking money from vulnerable people is ok.
I cannot be arsed to argue with people who are that blinkered, just remember we are all just a car crash away from disability.

Or they could take the a more modest model that is replaced at a greater age. Modern cars properly serviced can go on without needing a roadside recovery for years now. Since few people buy second hand motobility cars when they can get a new one anyway it seems logical to make the pot go further by replacing on a longer timescale and saying a ford fiesta these days is as big as the old ford escort so that is quiet sufficient for most since those who need wheelchair access cars are not the ones with the BWM's etc.

A new Polo is as big as the original Golf and the Golf was seen as a luxury model when it first arrived but now people turn their noses up at a polo.

Those who genuinely cannot work are not loosing their allowances.

Maria Miller is fond of saying that the bill for DLA is the same as the bill for the Dept of Transport (which doesn't do most road repairs, btw).

You could as legitimately say, "So...we now have to make some crap choices. We either find/borrow another £1.5billion a year from elsewhere or we have to say to the Dept of Transport 'Sorry, we can no longer afford you'. That conversation is basically inevitable."

Oh, but you wouldn't choose to have that conversation with the DoT, would you, niceguy? You have chosen disabled people for an "inevitable" outcome. Oh dear shame.

Actually DLA provides employment and therefore tax revenue, through all the carers it pays for.

"Those who genuinely cannot work are not loosing their allowances."

Not true.

Sorry, that^^ was another myth-buster.

A third one: motability car leases are 3 years extendable to 5. The "subsidy" is in fact DLA-sacrifice. Upgrades to better models have to be paid for by the user. The cars also have mileage restrictions and restrictions on who can use them and for what. (Motability)

Writing not true and claiming you have busted a myth is quite frankly nonsense. The reply to you could easily be "Oh yes it is".

@Serial. No that's not the same conversation. Noone is proposing scrapping the DLA.

The same conversation with the DoT would be "We cannot build/repair all the roads you want. Pick which roads need doing the most"

@Socknick. Undoubtedly things will be financially more challenging for those who no longer get DLA. But the key thing is that what we want to achieve is for those who need it the least and most able to support themselves to lose support. Those who cannot work or need it the most for whatever reason to continue to get support.

I have said repeatedly that I think the current testing procedures are flawed and not fit for purpose. But I'm trying to draw a distinction between a flawed testing which is one thing and the need for reform which is unavoidable.

NOvack I regularly see very sick people who have been found fit for work, often because they have mental health issues so severe they can't complete the work capability assessments, so believe me genuinely sick people do lose their benefit income.

We can't afford the current system no argument from me there, but 3 billion a year on winter fuel allowance for all pensioners some who live overseas slash that spending not benefits for the sick and disabled

Exactly as nonsense as making a bald, unevidenced "Oh yes it is" assertion that "Those who genuinely cannot work are not loosing their allowances." in the first place.

The difference is I can evidence my statement, and may do below if I can be arsed.

But since you started, tis only polite to let you evidence your assertion first. Off you go.

niceguy DLA is not an out of work benefit, how many times do you need to be told that befor it sinks in.

the only people who recive it are those in need of it,you can not get it if your need is not very high and thats just to hit the minimum requirement for low rate care and low rate mobility.

nicholasteakozy who might that be?

Sometimes I like to think Care In The Community wasn't the cynical money-saving idea we all thought it was and there are still dedicated and kindly souls with big nets out there saying: 'Come in xxxxxx x xxxx, your time is up.'

Given the government is spending £150 billion or so more than it is taking in tax, we simply cannot support 3.1 million people, let along another 400k!

niceguy or you could turn it on its head and use the money the government is pouring into the maw of companies such as Atos, Reed, A4E, Maximus, Ageus etc who have no expertise except for a skill at swallowing taxpayers' money and spend it on private or public schemes that create jobs or training opportunities for the long-term rather than massaging the horrifying unemployment figures and nil growth plans for the short term of this government.

Nicholas i think the plan is to inflame so that the thread gets deleted.

Novack - do you understand how motability cars work? You hand the car back after three years so the car still has a certain resale value. Often people want to keep their cars for longer - especially if they need adaptations or a certain model because they can't afford to pay the excess every three years. As adaptations cost you can usually extend to five years for an adapted car, but it's hard to argue for an extension without a strong reason.

Cars are changed every three years for the benefit of the scheme - NOT to benefit the disabled person.

Niceguy DLA is being replaced - by PIP for everyone aged 16-65

You sound a little ignorant about disability support tbh.