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.

I need to claim DLA for myself really, my body is deteriorating at a rate of knots but I'm not going to bother, most days I look and move around fine so any assesment I had would be useless. People with invisable 'inside' ilnesses are going to be hit hard.

So at 39 weeks pregnant with an ASD son who is resistant to crowds, noise and walking marching isn't something I see myself doing in the next few weeks however would there be alternative forms of protesting that could be more disability accessible?

I haven't thought this through but something along the lines of if there is a question time type phone in or debate on some other less urgent topic causing disruption by absolutely blocking all the phone lines, and bombarding emails with the same DLA related questions?

I think we need some attention grabbing, non violent and legal form of protest. Can't think of anything. Ideas anyone?

I'm rubbish at doing links but could someone who isn't post this thread again in some others to get even more attention? As Glitters did?
I bet we'd get support from some in the politics and feminism sections for instance.

I agree Riven - we need journos on this, and get as much momentum as possible.

I think marching is good but other forms of peaceful protest like sit ins and news worthy stuff are needed if possible.

This government make me so sick and angry.

Scope, Mencap and Leonard Cheshire are also campaigning against the DLA cuts and changes.

This is a great thing for MN to take on

yes - let's hope all of MN can unite over this one

anything occurring, MNHQ?

A whisper from the opposition on the loss of the mobility allowance to those in care homes. Not nearly loud enough though....

here

yes, please lets all shout louder together

nas page here

NAS want case studies to use as part of their fight against the cuts - link on that page

About the protest.....

here

As I have said before the Guardian is teh only national covering this at all as fas as I can see.

Good to see at least the Guardian mentioning it.

Just read through some more of the One Month Before Heartbreak blog. Brings home the reality of how this will affect so many and literally make many disabled people prisoners in their own homes, rather than being more independent as the proposed ruling would have us believe. :(

Have alr3ady registered my views with the consultation and posted a survey from the NAS on the SN board.

it's awful, we'd be hit far too hard to recover I think. AWould absolutely be a step too far for us, and quite possibly the end of our DLA respite would see ds1 enter foster care.

Count me in

Oh and to reiterate some stats I use a lot (some are in Guardian article)

DLA- Governmenta ssessment is a 0.5% fraud rate

40% underclaimed (again, state figures)

20% cut will = a minimum of 15% odf people losing it being eligible but as they are altering criteria (eg reducing to 2 lvels instead of current 3 for care) these will be invisible. And alrgely those least able to argue for themselves: people with ASD after all hardly known for their tolerance of crowds in a protest!

if you lsoe DLA you also lose carer's Allowance for your carer, which would eman the carer lost their income; they may be registered then as unemployed with a compulsory attendance at schemes, training etc- if they do nto attend they will ahve their benefits stopped. LOSING DLA DOES NOT MEAN YOU LOSE THE DISABILITY, ONLY ACCESS TO HELP TO COPE WITH IT. (Sorry to shout). I foresee many of the famillies who lose it will end up inpenury as there still is virtually no childcare of flexible enough jobs for famillies with a disabled child; ytou could litera;lly end up outside the system quite easily.

I e-mailed my MP (the useless Paul Flynn that even QI laughs at) about this; I got a message saying 'oh it won;t hurt people like you my dear'

he is LABOUR fgs!

Opposition? Where?

"First, they came for the 'scroungers', and I did not speak out, because I had a job.
(People lost their homes and child poverty soared, but I was OK).

Next, they came for the students, and I did not speak out, because I wasn't a student.
(It put lots of people off university and the mountain of debt that they would inherit, but I was OK)

Next, they came for disabled benefits, and I did not speak out, because I was not disabled.
(Poverty/ depression for carers soared, independence was lost, but I was OK)

Next, they came for the bankers

Next, they came for the NHS, and the teachers, and the public sector but I did not speak out, because I earn enough to pay for private education and healthcare.
(Everything imploded in public services, but I was OK)

And then, my husband left me, I lost my job, I lost my house, developed a long-term illness, my child got hurt in an accident, I had a breakdown...and I was not OK. But nor was anybody else.By that stage, who had the energy left to care?"

Saw this elsewhere and liked it.

This thread should be much busier now.

give me that's perect

people think it'ss for otehrs

Well a few eyars ago so did I: 2 diagnoses, one redundancy and a bout of severe illness later not so much.

I receive DLA. Without it I would be screwed. My needs pale into insignificance compared to others I've read about.

What kind of scoiety believes this is an appropriate place to make cuts.

full support from me