PIP "Vouchers to replace money"

[QueenAnn]

Just read the latest crazy idea from Rishi in his quest to persecute the mentally ill and disabled and am horrified to learn he wants to replace PIP money with vouchers for therapy or home improvements. This idea hasn't been given the go ahead yet but is going to be discussed in July apparently. My dh has severe mental health issues, psychosis, GAD, depression etc and he's under the care of the local CMHT. He's also been assessed by the council Social Care Assessment team as needing assistance and respite care, however I've been told there isn't the funding locally to cover everything he's been assessed as needing. It's a good thing he has me as his full time carer but I wonder how carers are going to be affected if this voucher scheme goes ahead as I, and many others, rely on carers allowance to compensate for the hours we can't work due to caring for someone. It honestly feels as if there is some terrible news for the disabled and vulnerable coming from Rishi every day now.

It's PIP they are looking at. They won't get rid of carer's allowance, it saves them a fortune.

There is a consultation https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/modernising-support-for-independent-living-the-health-and-disability-green-paper/modernising-support-for-independent-living-the-health-and-disability-green-paper#how-to-respond

Please if you care give feedback.

Sometimes only money will do. My carer makes home made soap that is really good for my psoriasis. At the moment I can give him cash for the ingredients.

@ForFirmBiscuit Having to submit expenses would be an absolute nightmare. Many people wouldn't have the cash to pay out in the first place to get reimbursed for. Then, how long would you have to wait to get your money back? the stress of having to fill in an expense form, justify purchases etc Horrendous idea!

Vouchers are not going to pay people who come in and clean. Wash and bath you. Get food and any other household bills. We all be selling homes ect. Going back to war days here on rations vouchers. People didn't ask to have a disability, but we all payed into the system when worked. Total crap this is. How we suppose to survive. More suicides, poverty. Taking money away to get more teachers, you having a laff, money spent where else, why stripping the pip from vulnerable people😥

Given the current delays with pip, I can't see how this would work at all. It's just going to create more backlogs

I understand that and I didn’t mean it like getting reimbursed. I think the whole point of the voucher system is to make sure that the money is being spent in the right way. But I think submitting expenses every month or so, would be a better idea so that everyone can keep their freedom

But you need the money in the first place. Many of us don't. Unless I want to go without paying bills.

@ForFirmBiscuit Between getting dh up, washed, dressed, toileted, fed, taking him to many medical and therapy appointments every day and every week, I have no "freedom". I certainly don't have time to submit "expenses" for some DWP official to study in 6 months time (if I'm lucky) to decide if what I've spent the PIP on is acceptable to them or not. As for vouchers making sure disabled scroungers are spending our PIP millions on the correct things, that is so insulting, what to you think we are spending it on, champagne and caviar?

I get disability benefits myself and I’m out of work. I personally understand how hard it is to have such a disability as I am living it first hand. But I would still rather submit my expenses, than have my freedom taken away and only be able to spend vouchers, if it were a choice between the two

@ForFirmBiscuit When you say "submit expenses" what exactly do you mean? Do you mean we should have to pay out first and then claim the money back? As a previous poster said, many people don't have the money to pay out first if their PIP cash has been stopped.

No, I mean, receiving the money as usual, but submitting a list of what you spent it on every month or so

No fucking way. No one else has to provide receipts for their living costs.

Madness

Well I agree it isn’t very nice but what else can you suggest as they want to change it?

Sort out the assessment process. That should save a few quid.

Do U think it will happen the voucher or not I'm getting worried

I don't know tbh. There's a lot of scaremongering from the media

There will be plans to re-form the disability benefits whoever gets in. We don’t know if it will be in the form of vouchers because we don’t know who will be elected.

Just hope it don't happen coz be really hard with vouchers

No one knows what’s going to happen yet, but it might be worth making a plan now as to what you will do depending on which way it goes. some say that Rishi likely won’t get in and the voucher thing won’t happen. There will be some kind of Change I think their biggest problem is mental health applicants I don’t think it will be removed completely, so don’t worry about that, but they’ll probably give help in the way of therapy instead of money With a reimbursement for other costs, although I really couldn’t possibly say I’m just Thinking what could happen

I can’t see how it would work at all - So many use their pip for such varying and necessary things to get all of those to accept any kind of voucher would be a logistical nightmare and not worth the admin cost. It’s like when people say to means test pensioners for things like winter fuel payments - the admin cost would massively outweigh any savings. Unless the tories win and get their mates to set up pip support services that accept the vouchers …….

I really hope that don't It will affect me big time

How about not changing it.

Or getting rid of the reassessments. If you have had a leg amputated it is not going to grow back. Why do people have to go to be reassessed every three years?

A couple of weeks ago I had a terribly stressful morning, both physically and mentally. Afterwards I went to the pub with my carer. Can you imagine asking for a voucher for that? The Fail would have a field day.

I have a friend who goes for a weekly massage and a regular spa day (accompanied by her carer) I also think that would be criticised but she has chronic pain and a progressive condition so it helps her but again I doubt they’d issue vouchers to cover things like that

Who is going to decide what is acceptable and what isn’t?
eg my Young adult ds uses his to pay for gym membership ( he goes with a support worker), cinema membership ( I take him to get him out of house) and meal delivery boxes ( which help him learn to be more independent) … who is going to decide what, if any of those are suitable??
Are they going to change UC to food and electric vouchers or is it only people with disabilities who need told what they are/arent allowed?

Labour Manifesto I do not think mentions this in detail. It says

"We believe the Work Capability Assessment is not working and needs to be reformed or replaced, alongside a proper plan to support disabled people
to work."

..."Alongside these changes, we will build consensus for the longerterm
reform needed to create a sustainable National Care Service. We will explore how we best manage and support an ageing population; how integration with
the NHS can be secured; how to best support working age disabled adults; and how to move to a more preventative system."

I think they can see that it’s a (very) long term plan/goal to reduce disability benefits. The tories seem to think cut the cost by just stopping /reducing/ limiting which gives quicker results but with a huge human cost. Labour I hope if they saying about preventative measures can see there’s clearly a cause (?access to camhs being so difficult then causing young people to miss the help and support in early stages / long Covid etc) so if they improve the nhs and help people quicker in 5-10 years that will start to be reflected in less pip payments if people have been supported or treated before they get to a stage where they are severely disabled by MH or long term conditions