PIP CONSULTATION - hopefully an advice/resource thread to filling it out (please read b4 deciding)

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apple85

So back in sept 2023 we had the dwp WCA consultation.

we were given only 7 weeks to respond and less than 1500 ppl/organisations filled it out

However amazingly even with that small number we somehow managed to wangle some concessions (aka dwp/gov conclusions weren’t the worst case scenario, suggesting, shock, these forms are actually read!)

so 8 months later we are about to be back here again (later today by the sounds of things) - this time for pip

its different this time though - last consultation with the wca was about saving money (via minor logic, it was cruel but there was at least 5% logic)

This time with the pip (if the newspaper stories overnight turn out being accurate intent by the gov) is not only cruel but highly stupid in many many ways (the first one being that sunak and stride clearly don’t understand the intended purpose of pip)

so once again I am starting a thread to encourage ppl to take time and fill out this upcoming constitution 

im hoping to post any guides to filling out that I find online and that also members will be able to unstitch the logic behind this (aka why this would be the dwp shotting themselves in the foot if their aim is to get disabled in jobs and to save money) - and if members do want to take part but are just overwhelmed put together a resource that can be copy &pasted(and adapted) from (bottom line is I’m happy to put in hrs on resources if it gets more ppl taking part but at the same time I don’t like wasting time)


I know many of you will not see the point of spending time filling out a form so close to a general election. However:
> the tories clearly want to announce future policy for welfare reform in their pre election manifesto, hence the rush (the disabled+welfare are being used as ‘red meat’ to catch votes from the public)
> An general election may boot out the tories but the vast majority of dwp jobs + manager positions (who aren’t elected mp’s and actually the ones reading the consultation responses) will remain in post
> that in mind if Labour get in then the dwp will report to them in-depth findings and we as the disabled have a responsibility to demonstrate in writing why carrying on with sunak/stride’s (quite frankly desperate and insane) logic would be extremely bad move for a possible Labour gov in it’s infancy 


I hope scope moderators and the more experienced forum members will understand my thinking for this thread and be able to contribute (pleading for helpful posts rather than the ‘this is a waste of everyone’s time’ posts)

thanks in advance

apple85

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn0ry09d50wo

This quote is interesting:

” They are also considering whether people with long-term conditions and disabilities would need to be assessed at all.”

please note the following is just my personal thoughts and I’m sure 90% will disagree with me on this one

but the dwp and publics definition of long term disability/conditions has become foggy over the years (such as the denial of invisible disabilities such as autism & adhd are neither long term nor disability - ignoring the major impact they have to one’s ability to function in everyday life and the fact there’s no cure so long term by default) - if it wasn’t for that I’d be cheering this quote.

the thing I don’t think ppl consider is that even though ‘depression’ and ‘anxiety’ are officially classed as disabilities in the uk (hence the high estimate of uk disabled at 16m) I believe they defined as 2 subgroups - primary disability/condition or secondary disability/condition

by this I mean:

> primary where depression and/or anxiety is the sole disability and there’s no underlying condition or depression/anxiety was the original conditions that may of triggered other conditions (may of been triggered by a non(self) health related event)

> secondary is where depression/anxiety is a consequence or somewhat a predisposition of an earlier disability 
Health conditions which affect mobility, causes daily physical pain and has major impact in functioning successfully in society (some would say disabling) has major impact on one’s mental health as you’re dealing with more limitations and barriers to everyday life than the standard human, and in all frankness it would take a strong person not to be mentally affected by the things that limit being able to live the stereotypical ‘normal’ life

now I’m not a physicist but I imagine it’s significantly harder to ‘cure’ of depression or anxiety has been triggered by lifelong disability/condition with no known cure.
(it personally took me a long time to admit that my own depression/anxiety/stress were side effects of my autism (other conditions too but I count autism as my 1st/primary disability) and realistically I was never going to be cured of depression, more I had to learn to live with it best I can (but the best still impacts daily life))

Now I get politicians arguments that as depression/anxiety or hard to prove they are ‘easy to fake’ (a small number of non disabled do take advantage of this)

But many disabilities (even invisible ones such as autism) has a lengthy testing/diagnoses process that often requires a medical specialist to get an official diagnosis (a family gp is usually enough for a diagnosis or anxiety). Also when was the last time any of us got a pip award for just simply depression and anxiety?

Now I hate the idea of id cards but if after official diagnosis of a lifelong disability or condition you could apply for a ‘disability id card’ that would allow you ‘fast track’ a uc and/or pip claim that would save the dwp time & money and us endless stress 

(this is sort of being done in very small scale in some areas - for example some police have an autism id card scheme if you can send them official proof+details of your diagnosis)

or take it one step further a disability id card could lead to being able to apply for a variety of ‘minimum basic income’ which I think if received many may not apply for pip or uc altogether and would save the dwp countless man hrs and admin money and would have a knock on of more disabled at least trying work or volunteering


as I said many of you may see the above as a truly terrible idea and perhaps it is.

but the reality is that no party in power can afford to leave us alone. The reality is that there are too many rightly or wrongly on long term sickness and it’s getting harder for the country to afford so being 100% left alone is just not an option this moment in time.
Both sides will need to compromise to find a long term solution to this issue (and politicians stop this negative media portrayal of the disabled as that’s going to make it impossible for both disabled ppl & politicians reach their targets/ambitions)

this community needs to figure what price it’s willing to pay in return for a fairer welfare system (and suggest how we can contribute before the gov gets any ‘workhouse’ type ideas they seem prone to) - the current ‘force disabled into non existent jobs’ plan problematically sucks!!