Government Plans

wendy1

Sorry folks my last post should have said that we wish and want to work but due to the health issues we have we can't.
Thank You so much Poppy for explaining that, I've seen and heard that much about the new rules that being proposed, I'm so confused.

wendy1

Can anyone tell me if you can edit a post

Albus_Alumni

Hi @wendy1 you can edit posts when you reach 100 points. But if you need something edited, if you message "Community_scope" we'll be happy to do it for you.

wendy1

Hi Albus, thank you for letting me know 

wendy1

Thank You for explaining that Poppy, I'm so confused with everything that is being proposed 

JasonRA

Vicky Foxcroft the shadow disability minister said this about the changes to the WCA in October of last year. I don't know if Labour still holds that viewpoint but if they were to win the next election they can veto any changes.

https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/labour-would-scrap-harsher-wca,-dns-reports

"If they win power, the Labour party would scrap any attempt by the Conservatives to make the work capability assessment (WCA) harsher, the Disability News Service (DNS) has reported.

The DWP are currently consulting on the Conservative’s plan to make it much harder to get into the limited capability for work-related activity group of universal credit.  Any changes are not planned to be introduced until after the 2025 election and thus could be vetoed by an incoming government.

When asked about Labour’s position on the plan, Vicky Foxcroft, shadow minister for disabled people, told DNS this week in Liverpool: “We won’t be following through on that. No.”

Whilst this will come as a big relief for many claimants, it is probably wise to treat the statement with a degree of caution.

Liz Kendall, shadow work and pensions secretary, has said absolutely nothing on the subject of WCA changes.  In fact, at the moment there is very little official Labour policy on any social security issues and the party has a troubling history of reversing earlier policy statements, even where they exist.

In addition, Foxcroft was much less clear when it came to the Conservative’s plans to abolish the WCA altogether.  Instead, she told DNS that Labour had not yet decided if it would follow the Tories and scrap the WCA and rely on PIP assessments.

So, the signs coming from Labour are, in the short term at least, positive.  But it would probably be unwise to rely on them entirely and conclude that there is no longer any need to campaign against the proposed cuts to the WCA."

poppy123456

Danny123 said:

The tightening of the wca would be for new claimant's only , and if they changed how they assessed people and went down the pip route it wouldn't come into play for existing claimants until at least mid 2029 , that would be another election year by then so much can change between now and then 

Umm no, this is what is being assumed, it's not set in stone because no further details have been announced. They are proposals and not enough of information has been given for anyone to know exactly what MAY happen. 

poppy123456

Danny123 said:

Sorry I actually did mean IF these changes go through then that is the proposed position on plans and timetables , although the more I hear from the labour party I'm not really sure what there stance is on anything 🤷 also poppy I wanted to ask you , as you know I live in the family home and am the only one claiming benefits , just wondered if my mum and dad had a state pension , it would be nothing to do with my claim and couldn't affect it in anyway ? 

Even if they do go through with the changes we do not know whether existing claimants will be affected. It's people assuming this and assuming that but it's quite simple and no one knows for certain. 

Your benefits have nothing to do with their's and vice versa. You are not part of the same household for benefits purposes. 

apples

With the chancellor now promising tax cuts if they win the next election doesn’t look good as the money for tax cuts would come from cutting benefits I fear

kuju2

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/862187#Comment_862187

I am shitting myself. I am on ESA in the support group. If I have to undego a wca when I am migrated, will it be the revised wca? Also at the moment I get old style CB esa with IR top up. I know I would be worse off, but would I be able to get away without migrating to UC and just keep getting the CB portion only or would I lose .y housing benefit from council? Really stressed at the moment that I'll be forced to undergo a WCA if/when I migrate to UC for the top up, and that it will be under the new WCA rules.

poppy123456

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/864580#Comment_864580

When you migrate across you will not need another WCA. As you're in the Support Group you would be entitled to the LCWRA element from the start of your claim.

What makes you think you will be worse off when you claim UC? If your ESA doesn't include the Severe disability Premium then LCWRA for UC pays more than ESA Support Group.

When it's time to migrate across if you don't claim by the deadline the both Income Related ESA and housing benefit will stop. Council Tax reduction isn't part of UC so will continue, same as contributions based ESA.

As for the "new" WCA rules, there isn't any. Everything remains the same until they announce those actual changes, which may never happen.

wendy1

Hi Kuju2,

I'm the same as you, at my wits end. I'm so scared, can't sleep at night for worrying about what's going to happen to me.

kiwicherry8

Hi! Wendy1 I feel the same and it is making me feel ill! 😥

wendy1

The current Government is causing a lot of people so much heartache. I would love to see them try and live in our world.