An Equal Future: unveiling Scope's new 10-year strategy

Adrian_Scope

This week Scope has unveiled its ambitious new strategy to end disability inequality and support greater opportunities for disabled people.

There are 16 million disabled people in the UK. And we want our potential to be recognised. 

We need a transformation in attitudes. We must address the extra costs we face. And we need to be recognised for the value we bring to the workplace.

Our ambitious new strategy ‘An Equal Future’ sets out how we’ll transform society with disabled people at its heart, in the next decade.

It’s based on what disabled people have told us matters most to them:

• Transforming attitudes - we want to see a more inclusive society where attitudes towards disability, and disabled people, and disabled families are improved.
• Ending the disability price tag - we want to see disabled people and their families have an equal standard of living as non-disabled people.
• Closing the disability employment gap - disabled people can get in, stay in and progress in work.

You can read all about our new strategy, An Equal Future, or watch the short video below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9iCOA2XkNc

cymbalfern

Thank you Scope I think the strategy sounds like a brilliant plan. I hope for improvement. 

onebigvoice

I have been with Scope for some time in the back ground and involved with other projects that include the Disabled and long term sick among other groups.
  What i have found over the years, is that employers need as much guidence as the disabled people that they have working for them.
  Its not just a excercise in up holding the laws of the time, about making changes to the work place so that you are seen to be "doing something"  But to VALUE the people, all people, that you have working for you.
  Why should you have to be told to make changes to the work place or adaptions to the work place before you do something?
  Employers I have worked for become front runners, so to speak, since they are always looking to improve working conditions.  Some one on long term sick, not only being told your sick pay scheme has run out and all you will get is SSP or start back to work again?
  It should be, we realise that your sick pay is comming to an end soon, can we offer you reduced hours, say one or two hours a week, or more if you want but no more than 2 hours a day.  This allows people back into the working enviornment SLOWLY, since most who have been on long term sick feel "obligated to go back" even though they are no where near ready, anxiety, stress sets in and most would rather leave employment that face being in a "goldfish bowl" where everyone is looking at you, even if they are not.
  An hour in work next week and just have a coffee and a look round, see what has changed, the employer must value its employees, and the skills that they have over the years, all could be lost in seconds.
  Could be a change of career, like training some one to do your job, not with the intention of replacing you but retaining skills within the company.
  Appreciate the work force that make you money.
  I know this seems like every thing is aimed at the employer, but an employee that feels that they are not just a number, is more valuable to the company that anything.
  If they were just a number then sack them and get a contractor, but remember a contractor will only do what they are told and will not generally think for them selves.  That's the difference, and continual monitoring to see the work is of a standard that you want, plus you have to train them?
  Its not Disabled people who need to prove anything, but you need to ask if a disabled person can do it, what are the abled bodied people proving?    

TheodoreReber

Fantastic initiative! Scope's new strategy, 'An Equal Future,' is a commendable step towards ending disability inequality. Transforming attitudes, eliminating the disability price tag, and closing the employment gap are crucial. Excited to see the positive impact unfold over the next decade.

onebigvoice

  Its not Disabled people who need to prove anything, but you need to ask if a disabled person can do it, what are the abled bodied people proving?    
  This statement made by me in the last post.  It seems strange that either side should be out to prove anything.  If anything, the able bodied people should be looking after the disabled and sick not because they have to or need to make adaptions at work because the government says so.  But to prove that they look after and value their employees by looking after them and appreciating what they contribute to the company.  (Both sides)
  Pensions, sick schemes, pay rises are all tools that will attract workers.  there is also the ability of the Employer to understand that a disability is not a restraint unless you say it is.  You don't need to be able to walk to work as a design engineer, the same as you don't need to learn to Sky dive if your afraid of heights.
  My point being, as I have always said every one has a skill its just you maybe haven't used to to your full potential.
  Money is not the only reason for working, and neither is a posh title.  But if this is what motivates you to be the best you can then OK.  What if a disability or a government action stops you from working.  If you get paid to do a job then the equivelent get taken from your entitlement.
  Pensions being one.  Everyone het a state pension as long as you qualify of course, but why do the government set any applicable amount used for calculation lower than the state pension.
  the state Pension is set by the state, taxes are paid in building up your pension but we now find that pensions are being used by governments to invest so if they loose money or the company has noliquid funds they "plunder" it.  Look at the Coal Industry and miners.
  that said most opted into a private pension scheme which most used SERPS, but now find that whern added to your state pension takes you even further over the top of that applicable amount used so all those years of saving is now a Taxable unearned income?
  Disability and attitudes to Disbility are changing all the time, Scope have been fighting for the disabled community for many years. But have you thought what would this government give the disabled community if Scope and other Charities were not their to look after our right?
  The last satement, "OUR RIGHT" why must we fight for what is rightfully ours?  Every body knows the cost of living for a disabled person is more for us, yet why are we having to sign petitions or get MP's to voice our opinions in parliament and take so long to implement.
  Unless you were financially stable before, did you really have a pension rise or can you state what you actually received of the 10.1% rise?   
  Tomorrow the chancellor will make his autum budget speech.  Do you think there will be anything to help us there if so what?  You have till tomorrow to give a prediction.
  

onebigvoice

  Its not Disabled people who need to prove anything, but you need to ask if a disabled person can do it, what are the abled bodied people proving?    
  This statement made by me in the last post. 

  I have received another post from SCOPE and wanted to post this:
  

We're here to help, David View this email in your browser Hi David, Yesterday, with the Autumn Statement, was a busy day with lots of new information emerging. We're here to help disabled people navigate the changes the Government announced.  We all make mistakes sometimes, but we always want to be honest with you. We want to say sorry. We got some information wrong about how tougher measures for Universal Credit claimants will take place.  We're sending this email to correct that. And to give you the most up-to-date information as we have it.  Tougher measures for Universal Credit (UC) claimants The Government announced tougher measures for people who receive the UC standard allowance (not those who also receive the health element of UC). They will come into effect in 2024.  Here's how the Government's changes will work from 2024: Phase 1: Unemployed claimants get offered more regular support.  Phase 2: If after 6 months, a claimant hasn't found a job they will be referred to the Restart programme. Restart is a 12-month intensive job search programme providing support to tackle barriers.  Phase 3: If, after 12 months on Restart, an individual has not found work, they will have a review with their Work Coach. This is to determine what future conditions might look like. If no suitable job exists locally, a claimant will be made to take on a time-limited mandatory work placement. If they refuse to accept this placement, their claim will be stopped. This will also end their access to additional benefits such as free prescriptions and legal aid. No one in the Limited Capability for Work Related Activity (LCWRA) or Limited Capability for Work (LCW) groups will face benefit sanctions and all support offered will be voluntary. The Government say they want to 'incentivise' people to find work. But we're worried that these changes will do the opposite. You can find more information on our website.   Thank you for replying, I would just like to say that its more about getting the work that you do in the back ground and the results you get KNOWN IN THE WIDER COMMUNITY that gets results.   Keeping people informed and being leaders in the fight indtead of being a fire fighter and trying to stop panic after things have been imposed is what is needed. Looking at the pahses above. Phase 1.  What has the government done to support people who are unemployed so far? They have cut benefits to the minimum believing that if you will excuse the pum, by starving the unemployed or making it so you only have enough money to pay rent, council tax and any other council bills FIRST, you will be forced back into work. Phase 2. People who claim Benefits on the Dole are supposed to already be on the re-start program from day one or are unable to sign on? If after 12 months will be placed onto a Intensive Job Search programme to provide support.  Tell me what the Work Coach has been paid to do?  They are supposed to be having you in and chatting to you, improving your C V, asking you if while out of work whether you want a change of career, and would you benefit from any of the courses that are available FREE from Unions-WULFE Welsh employment agency, from the Welsh Employment agency that run courses in H & E, Taster courses in apprenterships in Electrical and Mechanical engineering. to name some. Phase 3.  After 12 months of that you will be placed on to a MANDATORY placement? Two things here it says LOCALLY, who decides what is local?  Since if transport is required to get to and from your placement then this has to be added to the amount you will earn.  After all if you are out of pocket in going to work then this must some where be covered in Duty of Care by forcing people into further debt or reducing their spending power at the end of the week?   If you may or may not remember, in Cardiff, an employer in a Barry Island outlet was using the Labour exchange for cheap Labour, employing them for 3 or 6 months then stating  they were not suitable and send me another 6.  What he was doing was claiming the "Grant" supplied with each person they employed then not completely forefilling the contract with the Job Centre, not giving correct breaks, not supplying food for teh main break, asking them to work over the hours unpaid to name some.  AS I HAVE ALREADY STATED:  I welcome these phases since it is the Work Coaches job to assist you the government are turning it around by saying you have to look for work your self?  If these jobs were available then why are the work coaches not calling people in to go for interviews arranged by them?   Why is the service industry being hit so hard, Resturants and pubs don't want the staff now since there is less to spend at these venues.   Let's get back to pre-pandemic status an danswer the phone when rang within 3 rings and not left on hold for 3/4 hour before being placed into another queue to be answered.  Hire staff as they said they were going to do insteady of nhiring Solicitors to fight peoples claims in court only to have the case overturned and then not mentioned anywhere that the mistake was there's by not up dating their files on information supplied 9 months before.

onebigvoice

  It's not Disabled people who need to prove anything, but you need to ask if a disabled person can do it, what are the abled-bodied people proving?    

  As a further link to access Access to benefits, and what we have to prove since attending meetings and asking questions the DWP haver put a part lisr of Complaints (Illnesses) that they except.

THERE IS A LIST OF 56 ILLNESSES THAT WILL GET YOU THE HIGHEST RATE OF £101.

  According to DWP data, there are 56 health conditions and disabilities that Attendance Allowance claimants most commonly claim and these include things such as:

THIS DOCUMENT IS BEING UPDATED AND WAS CORRECT UP TO 1st DECEMBER 2023.

 

1.    Arthritis

2.    Spondylosis

3.    Back Pain Other / Precise Diagnosis Not Specified

4.    Disease of The Muscles, Bones or Joints

5.    Trauma to Limbs

6.    Blindness

7.    Deafness

8.    Heart disease

9.    Chest disease

10. Asthma

11. Cystic Fibrosis

12. Cerebrovascular Disease

13. Peripheral vascular Disease

14. Epilepsy

15. Neurological Diseases

16. Multiple Sclerosis

17. Parkinson's Disease

18. Motor Neurone Disease

19. Chronic Pain Syndromes

20. Diabetes Mellitus

21. Metabolic Disease

22. Traumatic Paraplegia/Tetraplegia

23. Major Trauma Other than Traumatic Paraplegia/Tetraplegia

24. Learning Difficulties

25. Psychosis

26. Psychoneurosis

27. Personality Disorder

28. Dementia

29. Behavioural Disorder

30. Alcohol and Drug Abuse

31. Hyperkinetic syndrome

32. Renal Disorders

33. Inflammatory Bowel Disease

34. Bowel and Stomach Disease

35. Blood Disorders

36. Haemophilia

37. Multi-System Disorders

38. Multiple Allergy Syndrome

39. Skin Disease

40. Malignant Disease

41. Severely Mentally impaired

42. Double Amputee

43. Deaf/Blind

44. Haemodialysis

45. Frailty

46. Total Parenteral Nutrition

47. AIDS

48. Infectious diseases: Viral disease - Coronavirus COVID-19

49. Infectious diseases: Viral disease - precise diagnosis not specified

50. Infectious diseases: Bacterial disease Tuberculosis

51. Infectious diseases: Bacterial disease precise diagnosis not specified

52. Infectious diseases: Protozoal disease Malaria

53. Infectious diseases: Protozoal disease other / precise diagnosis not specified

54. Infectious diseases - other/precise diagnosis not specified

55. Cognitive disorder - other/precise diagnosis not specified

56. Terminal Illness 

  This is not a complete list, BUT, it has given us some hope that at least they recognise those above.

  There is still the assessment process to go through, and there may be the need of an examination but with the other rules that are in place all I have been asking for is a level pllaying field.
  I have never refused an assessment, BUT, if it does not follow the rulees that they set out in Charters and Laws then that is when I stop the assessment and then when the assessor writes his report s/he has to write in it the reason for the suspension of the claim.
  I then use this statement to ask for a supporting statement from the Decision Maker why they still use that report?
  I would not state that access to benefits are getting easier, but there are people like Scope who are working 24/7 to help keep the playing field flat.

  

  We have gone from this to this.

  
  Its anybody's game.......

Adrian_Scope

onebigvoice said:

  THERE IS A LIST OF 56 ILLNESSES THAT WILL GET YOU THE HIGHEST RATE OF £101.

Hello @onebigvoice. I'm wondering where you've seen that these conditions listed will get someone the highest rate? Awards aren't usually based on a diagnosis and many of the conditions you've listed won't impact any two people the same way.

onebigvoice

  This came from the DWP web page.....
  I have not stated that if you get or have had one of these illnesses or complaints you will get the Higher Rate, I stated that the assessment system still is the way to be assessed for a benefit, it is that the new rules that require an assessors report to be used has to follow the new Charter and Laws passed concerning payments and their use.
  The decision Maker has to now verify the assessors report, especially since the idea of the assessment is to give a better understanding of the issues of the claimant that because he is not an "expert" in every thing may need guidence from the Assessment Company.
  The assessment company are now required to have the report vetted by his or her manager before being paid for the assessment to stop the need for a MR or FOI of medical Files sent by the claimant that may not have been sent to the assessment company.
  This is covered under the Duty of Care, since both realise what the report is to be used for and therefore must show supporting evidence, and seperate what is Medical Fact and what is their opinion and out side their remit.

onebigvoice

Adrian_Scope said:

This week Scope has unveiled its ambitious new strategy to end disability inequality and support greater opportunities for disabled people.

There are 16 million disabled people in the UK. And we want our potential to be recognised. 

We need a transformation in attitudes. We must address the extra costs we face. And we need to be recognised for the value we bring to the workplace.

Our ambitious new strategy ‘An Equal Future’ sets out how we’ll transform society with disabled people at its heart, in the next decade.

It’s based on what disabled people have told us matters most to them:

• Transforming attitudes - we want to see a more inclusive society where attitudes towards disability, and disabled people, and disabled families are improved.
• Ending the disability price tag - we want to see disabled people and their families have an equal standard of living as non-disabled people.
• Closing the disability employment gap - disabled people can get in, stay in and progress in work.

You can read all about our new strategy, An Equal Future, or watch the short video below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9iCOA2XkNc

Adrian_Scope@Adrian_Scope
  I have been looking at the "new deal" that we are going to be put under in 2024.
And because I like every thing in plain English, I re-read the satement below.
  At first read ( the whole document) it looks to some that don't deal with Benefits every day, a crushing blow of how to take more from those that need it the most.
  But fear not, just take a look at these headings and at the bottom my comments...

Hi David, Yesterday, with the Autumn Statement, was a busy day with lots of new information emerging. We're here to help disabled people navigate the changes the Government announced.  We all make mistakes sometimes, but we always want to be honest with you. We want to say sorry. We got some information wrong about how tougher measures for Universal Credit claimants will take place.  We're sending this email to correct that. And to give you the most up-to-date information as we have it.

Tougher measures for Universal Credit (UC) claimants The Government announced tougher measures for people who receive the UC standard allowance (not those who also receive the health element of UC). They will come into effect in 2024.  Here's how the Government's changes will work from 2024: Phase 1: Unemployed claimants get offered more regular support.  Phase 2: If after 6 months, a claimant hasn't found a job they will be referred to the Restart programme. Restart is a 12-month intensive job search programme providing support to tackle barriers.  Phase 3: If, after 12 months on Restart, an individual has not found work, they will have a review with their Work Coach. This is to determine what future conditions might look like. If no suitable job exists locally, a claimant will be made to take on a time-limited mandatory work placement. If they refuse to accept this placement, their claim will be stopped. This will also end their access to additional benefits such as free prescriptions and legal aid.

Looking at the three phases shown,  Don't we need more regular support?  This is the idea of having a journal, so that you can talk to your work coach direct or the DWP and notify them of changes either in your status for work or to add sick certificates and Medical Appointments. 
Phase 2.  How many have been out of work that can work and "choose not to?"  The Restart program was already part of the Job Seekers program and was suspended or stopped many years ago when they started closing down Job Centers and Job Center Plus sites around the country.  Again the use of the journal was paramount from both sides.
 Phase 3.  The work coach at the start is supposed to spend time with you and re-write or compose a CV based on what you want to do.  It could be that you were made redundent, or that you have come from school and never had a job so it is both your interests to see and list what your aspirations are.
  You don't have to be a rocket scientist to drive a truck, or you do need maths and science to become a computer programmer.

  My point being that I welcome these changes and those that come from the White paper, yet what we don't get is some one actually doing what is says on the box.
  What we also get is someones interpretation of the rules which involve sick and disabled.
  Show me anywhere in the post above which states that we are involve in this?  Looking at the bottom of Phase 2: "Restart programme will have a 12-months intensive job search programme providing support to tackle Barriers.?"

  Isn't that what the Coach is supposed to do any way by steering you to courses and programs available by the Welsh Government, (in Wales), and UNITE the Union, (For union members) which I use and get group's together and run classes in all sorts of things like First Aid Courses, for companies that need First Aiders but to run the course is not cost effective, but inserting employees that require training or refreshing their licences for first aid as soon as 10/20/and some 30 employees from different companies are on the list the course goes ahead.  Win Win, or becoming a Security Guard, Joining the Fire Service, this is nothing new, people my age would have had all of this from companies attached to the Job Center Plus site, also closed by the government, "to save costs"  My opinion is that 2024 is going to be a good year for all, employed or not.   

  My thanks to Scope in sending up dates to other issues.
Dave.   

poppy123456

onebigvoice said:

  The assessment company are now required to have the report vetted by his or her manager before being paid for the assessment to stop the need for a MR or FOI of medical Files sent by the claimant that may not have been sent to the assessment company.
  This is covered under the Duty of Care, since both realise what the report is to be used for and therefore must show supporting evidence, and seperate what is Medical Fact and what is their opinion and out side their remit.

I've never heard of any of that happening before. Do you have a link to verify this information?