Means-testing PIP: frightened to death
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I agree and even the tories didn't means test pip. That would also discriminate against disabled people who work ( and labour say they want disabled to work) these lot are more against the disabled than the tories.
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I agree if they means test pip disabled people who work will give it up. Isn't that against what labour want?
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At the moment the only thing we do know…..is that we don’t know
No amount of speculation or worry will change that so live your life and when we get a clearer picture then we will be able to discuss things
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I don't think they've specifically said they want disabled people to work. They've said those that can work, will work. That can mean anyone and isn't specifically aimed at disabled people.
All this speculation is starting to get a little too much now..
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@Zipz
Try not to worry. I know people on here have mentioned spending down your savings before going back on a means tested PIP IF the laws around PIP were to change. But I wanted to offer some practical advice beyond running down your money.
First, the home you live in has never counted for means tested benefits - so you can use your current savings to buy a more expensive house than the one you own or if you rent privately then use it as a deposit to buy a house if you can. If you are in social housing because you came in to money later having been assessed earlier when you first got the house then you could look in to right to buy. If that's not possible then
Second, you can put your money away in to a pension such as the one run by NEST, a works pension or a SIPP as money saved in pensions does not count towards means tested benefits.
Third, paying down any debts you have including overdrafts, mortgages or a student loan.
If that lists run out of options then I'd personally try and relax and enjoy using my capital or on things like travel but then also more practical things like nice furnishings, car, appliances, things which I knew would be harder to buy later. But which the DWP wouldn't count as assets as they are necessities (e.g. a nice new sofa is generally fine).
Hope this helps and I'm glad if anyone else has advice to add to my post as this isn't the sort of advice I would usually give so may have not got it quite right!
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Many symptoms of severe anxiety and mental distress are 'illogical' - unfortunately they're a diagnostic feature and involuntary. There has been too much blaming of people for being scared. If people are deliberately spreading lies or conspiracy theories then they should be challenged, but scared people seeking reassurance and information should be supported, not dismissed.
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It's hard not to ignore constant scaremongering about PIP being changed, but unfortunately it's in our faces every day.
"there's no news like bad news" is a line from Tomorrow Never Dies, but there is some truth in it. The more dramatic and scary the headline is on an article, the more clicks it gets, making more money. As someone with chronic anxiety, I've been trying to distract myself.
I hope when parliament resumes, there is good news.
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I certainly don't think anyone on this forum is anything but supportive, & it's just because how the tabloids can cause extra/endless worry to anyone if they believe them, & they're particularly harmful to some of those with mental health problems, that the Scope team & members say please try not to read them. They are dismissing the content, certainly not any members.
The speculation is too much, as poppy says…..I don't have mental health problems, but seeing people being so upset by these, when nothing as yet has been said about benefits that might impact disabled people, gets to me.
The countless posts about this make me feel like I don't want to be on the forum; might this also deter newer people from actually joining this great community; that's my concern?
Perhaps the Scope team could make a post about anything that will actually impact on disabled people once that's known, which, if it happens, will be quite some time in the future. I think we'd all trust them rather than the tabloids, don't you think?
Until then everyone, let the community return to supporting all with any help we can, & let's steer clear of politics.
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Most people have been supportive, however I would like to see less throwing up of hands when these threads are started. Less of the 'ridiculous' and more of the support please.
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There’s been plenty of support here. I spend every day supporting people. I do however agree with @chiarieds and it’s got to the point where threads are being started all the time.
There’s far too much speculation on here. People assuming this, that and the other. It’s starting to feel like it’s not a very nice place to be. It contributes even more to people’s anxiety when all they read is this.
We are all entitled to our opinion and I have mine.
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Maybe moderators can streamline threads a little and close down any that are repeat subjects?
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I do agree with @poppy123456. People are very supportive on the whole. Too much speculation does lead to fear however which isn't healthy for anyone - especially a worrier like me!
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Dear Contributors,
I am so sorry if my posts have caused annoyance or distress. I live alone so there’s nobody to talk to about these concerns.
Until April, I was content with my lot. I’ve been physically disabled from childhood. I made it through unii but never worked much after that because of worsening disability. For a few years, I’ve lived with a lesser DWP income than I would if I didn’t have capital. I pay for prescriptions from PIP. I scrape by. Everything goes on paying for support in looking after myself, small house, and minute garden. I also use taxis. There are no treats. I’d don’t have an occupational pension to look forward to. I only just manage and it’s the fear of not being able to scrape by that’s getting to me.
I wrote to my Labour MP in April when the Green Paper was released. I was surprised by the non-committal response from constituency office staff. There has been nothing from the new Labour government to put claimants’ minds at rest. They’ve taken the WFP from most pensioners. (I know this didn’t require a change in legislation but there was no thought to how the supposedly less vulnerable might become the new most vulnerable. There’s also talk of mean-testing the State Pension. I think there’d be a revolution first because so many people would be hit. That would not be the case for PIP claimants if the benefit were means-tested after changes in law. Those on UC would keep their entitlement. I’d lose mine only to end up on the UC merry-go-round as time passes.
I’m not ashamed to say how scared I am. My fears are not irrational. However, I’m sorry if I’ve offended anyone on these forums.
Thanks, Zipz
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@Zipz, please don't feel bad for expressing how you're feeling about things. There will always be differing opinions online and some people might find things spring up anxieties for them while others might appreciate chatting it through.
Emotions are quite high about these subjects and there has been a lot of speculation on the community lately, so it can be difficult to broach the subject at the moment. I can totally understand your fears though, it's not an easy thing to consider when you're scraping by already. We're all here to support each other if we can 😊
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Please don't apologise, we are all different but we are all vulnerable in various ways so understand your fears. My thoughts of impending doom often spiral out of control and there's nothing I can do when it happens. I'm sure you have strengths I can only dream of x
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I most definetely do not support means testing pip.
Why should claimants like me suffer because I worked for years before I had to take early ill health retirement.
I got a lump sum and I managed to save some money for my old age.
I am not entitled to housing benefit or council tax support.
I always had to pay my own nhs prescriptions so I have already been penalised enough.
I was not entitled to any of the cost of living payments.
I have the extra cost of living with disabilty that pip is for so please explain why you think that most of us would agree with it being means tested because if that happens it will be discriminatory and grossly unfair.
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I know it's a cliche but 'you don't have to read it'. Just float over it. It's usually obvious from the thread-title what it's about. People are going to go on being upset until there's something definite. I don't think it necessarily puts newcomers off, if anything the opposite - people feeling lost and alone relieved to find other people in their corner.
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