Email from Labour MP

lizptsd

Hi,

I received a response to the scope manifesto from our new Labour MP!

Very upbeat but consistently mentioned that the emphasis is getting disabled people into work. Some years ago my Husband who has chronic COPD and type one diabetes plus the after affects of a life shattering RTA and childhood Perthes disease was phoned on a Sunday by the jobcentre told his ESA was stopping and he had to get a job. It was found that he was obviously not fit to work and months later after a costly tribunal to the taxpayers he got his ESA back and LCWRA. What a pointless exercise and I suspect we will have this all over again. Mr Bonavia mentioned people who can or wants to work but who determines that and are they trained medically to find someone a job it is safe or possible to do.

I have chronic osteoarthritis, lumbar and cervical Stenosis. I suffer from incontinence and falls and am losing feeling in many limbs and struggle to leave the house. My Husband is 66 I am 63 and struggled through 18 years in a job up until last November when after the constant bullying I endured I was signed off and then my delightful employer dismissed me as my being there was impeding the smooth flow of his business.

My GP said that due to my conditions and tests for possible heart issues and gastroentirinal problems I should concentrate on my health.

As I have said before our son took his own life last year due to the loss of his job and benifit anxiety and I'm sure he won't be the last.

Will the older disabled be forced into the jobs that the able bodied don't want. The MP said they will reform the welfare system to make work pay so obviously cuts will be made to existing LCWRA claimants or am I wrong in this? My husband retires next year so we will be hit with the mixed age couple malarkey.

What a mess I don't know how to respond to him as he obviously has not got a clue. Being economically inactive seems to be the big term now basically leaving you feeing a drain on everyone.

Sorry for the rant!

Nightcity

This new obsession of theirs is getting too much.

They really need to just leave people alone who's lives are already miserable with their conditions. It's actually evil to put anxiety and stress on the vulnerable.

They need to go after the rich.

They can be as upbeat as they like they're ruining people's peace of mind.

lizptsd

Hi Nightcity he did mention that they would reform PIP but not how he just ranted on again about work.

Where are these jobs coming from?

Remotely is the only way many could work so they can manage symptoms, go to hospital appointments and all the other things we have to deal with. Who will pay for the tech that would need? and where are the jobs again?

Having worked for an idiot who made me go to work in snow and ice with the 'if I can get in you can' attitude what hope do we have.

They just need to leave us alone as you say!

lizptsd

Oh and last rant I promise!

They need to go for the out of work individual who in his early 40s spent everyday for 18 months harassing me a disabled woman who was trying to hold down at that time a poorly paid rubbish job. He received a 12 month suspended sentence. He wasn't going to stop despite being charged 3 times. So the police and council had to rush our being moved. Go for idiots like that!

Nightcity

Don't apologise for ranting it's understandable.

Pip has absolutely nothing to do with working, it's amazing how many mp don't actually realise that. Rather disturbing in itself.

They are in a different world none of these work plans will help because if people could work they already would be or are. Bullying and frightening people won't work and will actually cost them MORE on the resulting exasperation of their health issues.

lizptsd

I completely agree and it's taking far too much of many people's time worrying about this when they have enough to deal with.

Albus_Scope

We need to remember these are just ideas, nothing has happened yet and they're being very good at speaking to various charities and asking for advice. So they are listening at least. To be honest, if there was more help for disabled people to get back into work a few years back, I'd have been leaping at the chance. Ok, leaping is out of the question for me, but I'd be hobbling forward with great enthusiasm.

But I very much understand some people just cannot work, or if they can it can only be very very specific. This is something the new government will need to work out and I'm really hoping they do it with minimal disruption to disabled peoples lives.

And please remember 'economically inactive' isn't aimed purely at disabled people.

lizptsd

I do understand but in much of the press they are saying Liz Kendal is directing this at the Disabled it's pointless trying to fight the press as they are hell bent on frightening the vulnerable.

I'm glad they are engaging with the charities but on past experience and the anxiety my husband went through I can only hope that it will not be handled like that again.

Nightcity

Sadly in my experience every single reform in my lifetime has been handled badly and hit all the wrong people.

They seem to always go for the same lines and the same actions.

You hear nonsense like " a lifestyle choice" in reality nobody would choose our lives.

I am do desperate to get off benefits And away from them I've done everything so far from attempt you know what to buying scratchcards in bulk to selling things to trying to find a way someone with my huge limitations can be self employed at home and make it a success.

This is what they do to people. They don't realise people want their peace and health (to the best it can be) and unlike the governments are not obsessed and motivated by money.

lizptsd

I'm very cynical about any reforms too and I do understand that they are just ideas but a government will do what it want and to what ever happens.

I do hope they listen.

I have many limitations and I would have to work from home and am happy to if that was possible and I could manage my symptoms but I'm waiting for a prognosis for the Stenosis so I don't want to put myself forward for something that could be impossible in the future and be sanctioned for it.

I'm sorry to be glum about this. I agree with you about the lifestyle choice comment there is no way I'd have chosen this.

deelee

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/894524#Comment_894524

Hi, I just wanted to say I share your sentiments as do many others I am sure. I agree that Liz Kendal is directing this at disabled - I mean just look at what she is now doing to pensioners who are not going to get help in winter and many will chose to eat or heat. This is very much more a Tory style labour party and she said more pain will follow…tax rises for the working and what for PIP and the disabled? Will they say they dont have enough money and that's it? Now it makes sense why before the election Labour were quiet about their plans…

On one had it is fantastic that they will help those who are disabled who want to work and can but if youre over 55 and have many ailments that are only going to become worse due to old age. They change the retirement age over the years and that didnt magically mean that people were able to keep working.

Many of us have done labour jobs since 16 yrs old and now are too unwell to work. Your age is not a number when it comes to health.

I also want to say that I am sure that there are many who are younger than 55+ who cant work either - I dont mean to sounds like I am excluding them either.

In my case, I was trying to find work and manage cancer and other health problems back in 2019 and my Work Coach said to me that she didnt think I should be looking for work as no one wanted to hire someone going through surgery and chemo as well as other health issues. She advised me told me to get a letter from my GP. I was awarded LCWRA via UC. My work coach told me that she was happy with the outcome and then advised me to apply for PIP as I need a carer and needed extra help with costs etc..which I did and got that with the help of many on Scope advising me along the way. Then the lockdowns happened and of course it seems now covid is over everything seems to have changed and care and compassion have gone now that the country is in debt.

All I can say is that I hope that the government will listen to the charities advice but am not holding my breath. The language they use seems very telling. They will no doubt chose not to put up benefits or PIP or rename and change the amount of money for those who are able to get anything, which seems like would be a miracle because it is like they are choosing to ignore those that are older that cant work.

If our worst fears are realised then perhaps we would need to find out if there was any legal way we could challenge the government for harming our basic human rights.

anyway sorry for my rant - it all just keeps me up at night and the last thing I need is this stress as I am sure many others do. xxxxx

lizptsd

Hi it keeps me up at night too. They seem quite ruthless and really directing everything at the disabled.

After trying to cope in a job for 18yrs in a job with deformed feet, chronic Osteoarthritis and Foramimal Stenosis and after the new boss started bullying me and making it impossible for me to stay there and then dismissing me at 63 my GP said that I needed to concentrate on my health and the progression of my conditions.

I don't know what to reply to him with, trying to explain how we feel in a sensible way without losing it is going to be hard.

lizptsd

I don't think I'm going to continue with this anymore.

lizptsd

I'm an intelligent woman who would not be that stupid and irresponsible to gob off at an MP!

I'm just trying to stand up for the Disabled community.

Rachel_Scope

Hi @lizptsd.

I'm wondering if there's been a misunderstanding here as I can't see any comments that are directed as an attack at you. I think maybe you have read a comment that has now been edited and has been explained as a misunderstanding. Please let us know if that's not the case though.

lizptsd

It's a shame that I was able to see the beginning of it before it was edited.

I'm ok.

Rachel_Scope

I'm glad you're ok @lizptsd. Sorry about the misunderstanding.

Schildpad

Hi @lizptsd . I doubt they will harass you as you are very closed to retirement age . Some of the benefits change after retirement age. I heard.

The problem comes with the lockdown . When covid happened people were able to work from home . I doubt it was the ideal scenario but people did work from home.

From my point of view what the government is doing is inhumane. They harass old people or not so old . And what .I feel younger people might be healthier or maybe not. But the target is on the people in their 50s. Why?.. politicians are all the same. Labour will do the same that the Tories did. And I hope not worse. But the agenda seems to be you work you are ready or not. But again I feel you will be left alone. I feel there is too much harassment on the sick . I am not sure. If there is a job I can do at home with a handsome salary. I might . But I feel I won't be able to cope. But they don't Care.

stay_positive

Bottom line , the country is bankrupt .

lizptsd

Hi,

It's hard to know what they are up to as the press are not being stopped and their misinformation and scare mongering is targeted at the worried and vulnerable.

I'm hoping that any approach to work will be done gently and with the support of a GP or hospital.

Bullying will only cause more distress. I wonder whether proof will be needed for the inability to work due to limitations.

Unfortunately as we know the inability to work due to disabilities affects all ages.

My idiot ex employer said in my dismissal letter that I get flustered around tech!

So I fear my ability to do a high salary job from home doubtful! 🙄

Rachel_Scope

I completely agree @lizptsd that the media are spreading misinformation and scaremongering. It's so unfair that they are allowed to do it. I'm looking forward to finding out what is really going to change, if anything, so we can deal with it. A positive is that it may take years for changes to occur so we'll have time to get our head around it.