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Labour are following through with Tory plans in regards of reforming the WCA

JasonRA

https://www.removepaywall.com/search?url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/10/17/benefits-bill-cut-3bn-budget/

Labour will cut £3 billion from the welfare bill by reforming the WCA, they're pushing through the Tories' reform and the 3 billion over 4 years is baked into treasury statistics/plans already.

I don't know what to say, I was expecting this one though as it was already baked. This isn't hyperbole or meant to sensationalize, it's an expected change.

To quote from the Telegraph whom for once didn't salivate at the prospect.

"Ms Reeves has agreed to honour the £3bn savings, although Ms Kendall will decide exactly how the system will be changed to save the same amount.

A Government spokesman said: “We have always said that the Work Capability Assessment is not working and needs to be reformed or replaced alongside a proper plan to support disabled people to work.“We will deliver savings through our own reforms, including genuine support to help disabled people into work.”

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JasonRA

I should add that these changes are not the same as Mel Stride's unless Liz Kendall decides to use Mel Stride's intended changes, Liz Kendall intends to show her "Great Britain Working" or something like that White Paper close to the budged.

The intended WCA changes come into force next April or May but I remember the previous government saying that those on LCWRA would not be subject to reassessments after that change, anyone remember that?

carbow32

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/925065#Comment_925065

yes I do remember that and wonder if they will stick to it

Meg24

I'm afraid I remember it differently, I remember that at the time many news sources reported that it would not affect existing claimants but the government quickly corrected that to "unless they have a change of circumstances or a reassessment" which of course happens to all of us eventually. I will try to find the sources for my recollection tomorrow.

Urbenmyth

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/925902#Comment_925902

These changes will mean that almost all people who are currently assessed as having LCWRA will never face a WCA reassessment again. Reassessments will only take place under very limited circumstances, which are:

When a claimant reports a change of circumstances in their health condition;
If a claimant has been awarded LCWRA for pregnancy risk, or cancer treatment where the prognosis for recovery is expected to be short-term;
If a claimant has been declared as having LCWRA under the new risk provisions; and
In cases of suspected fraud.”

That's the official statement. The concerning part is "under the new risk provisions", which seems like they're going to try to reassess the people who are under LCWRA for substantial risk (although it's not entirely clear).

Although it is worth noting that Labour have said that they're not going ahead with the Tory plans exactly (as always, they refuse to give details) so whether or not they'll stick to that is unknown.

JonnycJonny

Thank you for reposting the Tory policy intention regarding the WCA - useful fact checking.

We will all, unfortunately, have to wait for Budget day and the Get Britain Working White Paper to know exactly the way forward.

Media sources claim Reeves will go ahead with the what were meant to be interim changes to the WCA ( I believe they are already baked into Treasury figures) before a replacement process is introduced in the longer term - other reforms such as the nonsense Job advisor's in hospital settings and giving local authorities greater say on employment strategies will be tacked on for good measure by Kendall in an attempt to distance Labour from Hunt and Stride's initiatives.

We wait with baited breath.

Best wishes

Meg24

I've found this posted by the Resolution Foundation. It states clearly that all claimants are expected to fall under the new rules by 2028/29 in order to deliver the projected budget savings already baked in by the OBR forecasts. It will immediately affect new claimants and then gradually encompass all claimants as their benefits come up for review. No escape I'm afraid, unless Labour commit to scrapping the changes, which seems unlikely because they would have to increase benefit spending/borrowing in order to do it as it's already baked in.

The new rules proposed for MH will be that the only people awarded LCWRA will be those in crisis or with active psychosis.

Here's the link:

https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications/cutbacks-ahead/

Kimi87

Every post is still speculation.

Until Labour themselves announce specific plans, we are all in the dark.

Meg24

Crucially, there no longer seems to be any mention of linking having a PIP award to passporting you to the LCWRA element. This was a terrible idea, but would have at least prevented many of us from being thrown into the LCW group with not just a halving of income, but of having to meet the obligations of the work prep group under threat of sanctions. For example I get PIP under the descriptors for social engagement, that it is always precluded, I get maximum points, so how does it make sense for them to expect me to attend work coach meetings and group work sessions?!

I wish I could say that I believe that the damage done to us will be so severe that they will never be allowed to do this, but there still has been no inquiry into the thousands who have already died because of the DWP, Labour won't commit to holding one either. And it's difficult not to look across the pond at what the government has been able to do there, how many Women would have said 10 years ago that Roe v Wade would have been struck down? They would have thought it impossible. We might think it would be impossible for them to do this, but atm it feels like an unstoppable train.

WhatThe

Work Capability Assessment – the gateway to accessing Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or Universal Credit on the grounds of ill-health – currently planned to begin from September 2025,

Meg, this is from your link but they've got the year wrong 😑

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Meg24

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/926102#Comment_926102

Unfortunately that's not the case for the WCA changes as the projected savings have already been taken into account. In order for Labour to cancel them they would have to increase benefit spending, either by borrowing or taxation, and they've committed not to doing that.

mangomungo

if this goes ahead, I will no longer qualify, so I’ll lose my disability premium and be forced into the work search regime?
I’ll no longer be able to pay my basic bills? How could this be true? I’m not going to survive this. Even the smallest social interaction leaves me reeling all day. I don’t want to be here any more I can’t take it 😞

Kimi87

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/926148#Comment_926148

I stand by my post.

These threads are all speculation until Labour formally announce their plans.

Changes may well be still happening due to the projected savings being "baked in", but until Labour make anything public we still won't know exactly what changes they propose to make.

Meg24

The problem is if we all bury our heads and pretend the biggest assault on social security in a generation isn't happening, hasn't already started, then we risk them legitimately being able to say that no-one is raising any objections.

I will continue to voice my objections to the plans that were laid out, that are in the pipeline, that are still in the budget figures, that have not yet been cancelled by the current government. In the hope that somebody hears us before it's too late.

It's all I can do.

WhatThe

Catherine, I can't bear anyone in my home though I initially had your idea of renting out my spare room. I decided to pay the bedroom tax and use food banks to survive.

Disabled people are strong - we've had to be strong and we can manage on less money than we're used to having.

You correctly identified that there will be a single 'health assessment' and award of a 'health element' for PIP/Incapacity claimants. I don't know why people are still saying we haven't been told yet!

WhatThe

Ellen Clifford of DPAC (Disabled People Against Cuts) sadly didn't entirely grasp the 2016 reforms. I know that because we spoke once by telephone.

The UN reported their concerns in 2015/2016 of the potential "human catastrophe" if those proposals went ahead.

The current investigation is ongoing. No idea when it will report. I don't want to research it but anyone can.

WhatThe

No, I mean they warned us then.. We were kept distracted by the 2016 referendum, general elections and more.

My understanding is some but not all past Secretaries of State will be called to give evidence but prosecution is unlikely.

Meg24

There is a judicial review in the pipeline regarding the WCA changes, but it seems to hinge on the allegation that the white paper was not sufficiently clear, not on the changes themselves. I think we would have to rely on the ECHR for that, probably why the Tories were so keen to get beyond their grasp.

Don't get me wrong, I know that things could change, but as they stand, the WCA IS being changed, and Labour have not yet come up with an alternative to the one that's already in the plans.

It's not possible not to worry about this when you might be the one targetted, believe me I try, every flippin day. The days I don't post on here are the days I manage to put it on hold, when I've no defenses and the worry is so bad it's making me feel like the end is coming, then I try to fight back.

It might seem like I'm giving up, or giving in to catastrophising, but actually what I'm doing is trying to do something constructive. If I don't, then I have nowhere to take it, and then I'm doomed.

WhatThe

I began emailing MP's and ministers in 2015 to stop these reforms going ahead. I also phoned every charity and campaign group going. I'm still waiting for everyone to catch up with what happened then but I'm encouraged that we've started!

I have 7 letters from my then MP full of nonsense about the ESA regulations. I have a handwritten letter from a Conservative Secretary of State repeating the lie and one from the shadow minister, Stephen Timms pretending not to know the rules he signed off in March 2008.

Razr

They could save billions if they addressed the problem of people who scam benefits, but it seems that it is too hard for our peers to do

Seems they just want the ones that are vulnerable and are truly entitled to what the benefits were built for in the first place to stick their heads between their knees and kiss their XXX goodbye

It is a dog-eat-dog system, not what it was intended for in the first place and it was supposed to address and help the people in need

I feel they are pushing us to our limits and then see what the outcome is,

They like putting plaster on wounds that have not been treated

Try playing DayZ MP's

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