PIP & disability benefits white paper put back to 2025

kiny333
kiny333 Online Community Member Posts: 19 Connected

This article is informative regarding the date of the white paper on PIP & disability benefits which was scheduled for publication this month now being delayed until "spring 2025" A little respite from worry for a few months at least. I thought sharing it may be of benefit to anyone who is anxious right now 😊

https://www.environmentportal.in/dwp-pip-reforms-vouchers-plan/

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Comments

  • Amaya_Ringo
    Amaya_Ringo Online Community Member Posts: 228 Empowering

    Honestly, the kicking the can down the road is more stressful. I don't know about anyone else, but I'm autistic, and I like certainty about things like this. I'm also fed up with being constantly reminded and gaslit about being disabled by stupid articles and comments in the press/or from govt about getting disabled people into work, or changing PIP.

    It's really exhausting constantly having to confront that while trying to live a relatively normal life. I have a job. I struggle with getting anywhere because they won't fund better transport. My job is temporary because they won't invest in services to ensure contracts like mine are held onto. There's no opportunity to get into work if you have autism and have serious anxiety in interviews because everywhere interviews, despite it being known to discriminate against ND people. It's also extremely hard to make any headway, especially because my disability impacts my money management and my organisation and practical skills. So that rules out any jobs that require budget managing, and requires a team that's willing to be flexible while I learn the rules. (Mine is awesome, by the way, but as I said, it's not a permanent position).

    I have always managed all of this on my own, often at the expense of my wellbeing, because there is no support. The narrative is always 'lazy disabled people'. At the very least, I want to know what they plan to do to PIP so that I can try and prepare for it. If they want to put disabled people at the heart of everything, they could begin by leaving us alone, not give the DWP more powers to harass us, or pushing decisions down the road so we are left in constant expectation.

  • luvpink
    luvpink Online Community Member Posts: 548 Empowering

    So we are still no further forward in knowing what Labour have in store for us other than an agonising delayed wait before the announce their plans regarding pip reform.

  • mangomungo
    mangomungo Online Community Member Posts: 67 Empowering

    thank you for letting us know ☺️
    That has put my mind at ease for a little while as I’m due to migrate from ESA to UC next week and I was super worried that it would coincide with benefit reforms - but now looks like it’s going to be the best part of the year before they’re close to getting anywhere.

  • Meg24
    Meg24 Online Community Member Posts: 366 Trailblazing

    I haven't clicked on this link but the fact that they have headed it as 'PIP Voucher reform' as if that's a done deal and we're just waiting another few months for it, makes me wonder about the source.

    It's widely assumed by many that of all the proposals contained in the Tory white paper, some kind of voucher scheme would be the least likely proposal to be implemented because it would cost more to administrate than it would save. We won't know what Labour will propose till next year, O doubt they'll suggest vouchers though.

  • Dianaf
    Dianaf Online Community Member Posts: 54 Contributor

    Hi everyone What is all this in the news that pip claiments are all going to receive a survey to explain exactly what they spend their pip allowance on? Some are suggesting that claiments will only receive money for their individual spenditure for being disabled. Does anyone know about this?

  • durhamjaide2001
    durhamjaide2001 Scope Member Posts: 12,377 Championing

    hi @Dianaf we will cross that bridge when we get there for now we don't need to worry about it. Poppy will correct me if I'm wrong but personally I don't see how this will work because I certainly wouldn't be able to hand receipts in myself with my eyesight being really bad.

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 62,398 Championing

    I haven’t heard about any surveys. The vouchers that were mentioned by the previous Government are no longer going ahead.

  • luvpink
    luvpink Online Community Member Posts: 548 Empowering

    Maybe you are thinking of the green paper consultation where people could respond to the idea of pip being replaced by vouchers.

    That consultation ended a while ago.

  • Jimm_Scope
    Jimm_Scope Posts: 5,409 Scope Online Community Specialist

    The consultation ended and the current government said they were going to come up with their own plans. We don't know what they are at this time however.

  • Catherine21
    Catherine21 Posts: 2,769 Championing

    Maybe don't want to do two double wammys first lwcra that's what I'm worried for I can't work like loads of us rather live on little this is torturous I know we will find out I'm so scared I won't watch

  • Catherine21
    Catherine21 Posts: 2,769 Championing

    I read that also

  • Amaya_Ringo
    Amaya_Ringo Online Community Member Posts: 228 Empowering

    Many local papers have been reporting that Labour intends to survey PIP claimants on costs of their disability. How this information will be used is unclear, but I believe Scope is also somewhere on the panel of experts mediating or some such thing? I don't know all the details of that, but it is being reported in several papers.

    It worries me too.

  • Albus_Scope
    Albus_Scope Posts: 8,327 Scope Online Community Coordinator

    Hey @Amaya_Ringo Scope have been in regular contact with the DWP and various ministers, so fingers crossed they listen. 😊

  • Amaya_Ringo
    Amaya_Ringo Online Community Member Posts: 228 Empowering

    Listening would mean reforming the DWP and changing the onus to make employment accessible for disabled people, rather than trying to push disabled people into existing holes to make the numbers better. It would also mean an end to all this talk about monitoring disability benefits and reforming PIP, and would mean actual clear information being given instead of uncertainty and dodging questions.

    I am sure Scope are doing everything they can. But some things require miracles :/