Stop the Abolition of DLA

[Glitterknickaz]

The government are proposing to get rid of DLA in favour of PIP. full consultation here

Riven started a fantastic thread in Chat with the very pertinent point that this applies to everyone, that every one of us could be just one step from disability themselves.

There is NOTHING in the media about this. These proposals could mean poverty for the disabled and their families in this country. It could leave some in residential care completely isolated from their families and support networks through the removal of the mobility component.

My family has already been hit three times through the NHS, education and aiming high, via the cuts, if they now remove the money from our pockets we are going to be in a heat or eat situation.

Please MNHQ do something, as many are oblivious to these proposals and what they will mean, including those who themselves already claim DLA.

oh and btw, i set up the site for her to get a bit of extra cash and use a computer, bit of fun realy, if someone has cash to spare great, if not ah well, she loves looking at the stats if nothing else

I am glad that you do that for your neighbour Bill, it's a very kind thing to do and I'm sure your friend is grateful for your help. But we don't all have a friend who will do the things we need them to do, and sometimes you don't want to rely on friends, especially when you have a long term disability and need help all of the time.

Plus most disabled people want to be as independent as possible, and with the help of DLA, respite care and the various other things available to them, they are able to take care of themselves, and work where able. To have the help and money taken away from them will ruin everything, make them more dependent than ever, and ultimately put more pressure on social services and the NHS when things go horribly wrong.

and there's the real problem, she is a great example of that in fact she offers me gifts all the time, i smile and decline politely, my help realy costs nothing but time and the rewards are, well i'm sure you can imagine, she also is her own worst enemy sometimes, in that she won't ask for help, write 'sensible' letters of complaint to companies....

You sound like a nice neighbour, Bill, but others in receipt of DLA may well have different needs. What about those in need of help with personal care? Would you be okay with helping your neighbour with toileting should the need arise? Would she?

DLA can mean the difference betweem getting by and being unable to live independently.

Bill
that is really lovely, that you give up your time to help your neighbour not everyone is as fortunate.

Did you read this post earlier:

"I am Mum to a 6 year old boy with complex and severe special needs plus 2 other children. i had to give up my career to care for him 24 hours a day and my husband can only work part time. If we lose our DLA we will be on the breadline. It's hard enough having to care 24 hours a day whilst grieving for the child you almost lost to meningitis, If I have to worry about food and clothing and heat too i will not survive."

Even with the best neighbours in the world, that family is going to suffer if DLA is abolished or reduced.

And most families do not want to rely on the charity of others, many are horrified that they are even forced to apply for DLA

believe me when i say starting a conversation with, 'i wonder if you can help me' goes a long way, try it sometime

So what about "I wonder if you can help me to stop the aboiltion of DLA"? Will that work?

toileting no probs, put myself though uni by working with holiday firm specialising in accompanying disabled people abroad. as for those who may have to adjust with the loss of DLA, well i'm sorry but life is all about change, its not the change that is generaly the problem it is the resistance to change and the management of it

i doubt i can stop the abolition but there are lots of ways to have more for less and while i accept money doesn't grow on trees having travelled i have met some particularly resourful people in exceptional circumstances

But what about your neighbour? Would she be happy for you to help her on and off the toilet, wipe her bottom and help her to change soiled underwear? Seriously?

sure, we all do it, come on

BillBarton

I am very sure that you have been kind to your neighbour. This does not give you moral authority to extrapolate from one case to the variety of needs in society, and to conclude that DLA is not necessary.

actualy scratch that, she would probably not ask but proud does not equal happy

never claimed it bieng necessary or not just not the be all to end all

look i've got work to do, campaign, get the press involved do whatever, but don't expect my support in some of the things i have seen here like winding people up or deliberately putting yourselves in difficult positions, thats all

So she wouldn't ask for help. So then what happens? She gets to the point where she is sore, smells, and is uncomfortable.

So long-term it's likely that she would end up in residential care. Far more expensive than DLA.

DLA is not the be all to end all - who has ever claimed that? But it is important. I am sure you are happy to help your neighbour? Would you offer 24 hour care to the point where it has taken over your life? Thousands of pounds for aids and adaptations?

there will come a point that she needs to go into care, she probably knows that deep down and hates the thought of it, but when that time comes the transition will not be at the point of crisis. i know her well enough now to know when she is bieng proud before comfortable, we laugh about it together

nope i wouldn't offer 24hr care i have my life to lead and she respects that

Fine, but many disabled peopledo need continuous care and expensive adaptations - and loss of DLA would be a disaster for them.

so my advice, aviod disaster and contemplate alternatives as unpalatable as they may initialy seem. there are no prizes for disaster and we all face challenges disability or no. i've been through the pointlessenes of trying to equate the cost of DLA with the cost of residential or contiuous care. who do you think i rely on? as before, my mother died in an accident when i was younger contrary to the statement about my mother bringing a wet blanket into the world, attended a state military boarding school....i'm not looking for prizes here just some unemotional, proactive thought designed to work with the hands we are delt, as before i can't solve you problems and wouldn't begin to try, life for all of us is about creating options, full stop

you can do it, i know you can ;)

BillBarton

To be honest, I think your last post deserves some kind of prize for misguided sentiment.

The whole point is that, for a lot of people, there would be no options without DLA. Before DLA, they were locked away in hospitals and nursing care homes. Without DLA, this will happen again.

here's a thought, how about a website for people to register time to do jobs, like freecycle, just a thought.

FFS, again fear raises its ugly head