Scope's official press statement regarding the Get Britain Working white paper.

Albus_Scope
Albus_Scope Posts: 8,390 Scope Online Community Coordinator
edited December 22 in Community noticeboard

James Taylor, Director of Strategy at Scope;

“There is much that is positive about this White Paper. The Connect to Work scheme and a desire to enhance the role of employers are both promising developments.“But we still know there’s still a huge amount of anxiety about what changes the government is planning to make to the benefits system.
“Disabled people fear being forced into unsuitable jobs or losing benefits if they engage with employment services. This lack of trust could seriously undermine the government’s plans to boost employment.
“As these plans develop, the government must remove these risks, and work with disabled people to transform employment support and fix our broken benefits system.”

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Comments

  • toby50
    toby50 Online Community Member Posts: 38 Listener

    does anyone know what’s in the white paper . And how will it effect Lcwra? Am a older person 60 how they will target us at my age group , know they are on about the younger generation

  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Online Community Member Posts: 16,673 Championing
  • Wibbles
    Wibbles Online Community Member Posts: 2,254 Championing
    edited November 28

    It's great that the government can say "every young person to have access to an apprenticeship", with whom ?

    I did a apprenticeship - 40 + years ago - which set me up for life, but apprenticeships need employers, willing and able to train apprentices.

    "Connect to Work provides voluntary employment offers to people with disabilities, health conditions or complex barriers to work and will support up to 100,000 people a year at full roll out as the first tranche of money from a new Get Britain Working Fund" - voluntary implies unpaid !

  • Albus_Scope
    Albus_Scope Posts: 8,390 Scope Online Community Coordinator

    I think they mean people will volunteer to work, rather than the DWP forcing people into employment @Wibbles

  • FactionParadox
    FactionParadox Online Community Member Posts: 25 Contributor

    I'm on LCWRA and I'm terrified of losing it if I start working. Work gives me a sense of purpose, it kept me fit because I was on my feet since my neurodivergency doesn't play well with office politics and I'm not very adept socially. I can't lose my benefits, but the income boost from work would change so much.

  • JenF
    JenF Online Community Member Posts: 29 Connected

    I don't like the coercive aspect. They should offer help, real useful help that engages with people where they are, rather than leading with threats to remove benefits. Of course that sanction may be appropriate in a few cases, but it shouldn't be hanging over honest claimants with honest difficulties who experience tremendous barriers to entering the workplace.

    I suspect most of us fear for ourselves or our family member every time government turns its attention to benefits. We shouldn't have reason to, we should be able to trust that anyone who is too ill/disabled to work can rely on adequate support as an unquestioned right. My disabled daughter ought to feel safe in a compassionate society. It isn't, and she doesn't.

  • Wibbles
    Wibbles Online Community Member Posts: 2,254 Championing
  • MadMilan2019
    MadMilan2019 Online Community Member Posts: 10 Contributor
    edited November 29

    A lady above mentioned LCRWA

    Please don't use just abbreviations, as we want to understand you folks.

    The govt plans are worrying, however I have asserted my Right to Life, Article 2 of the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR), which the UK has not left, and which is separate from the European Union. I have also asserted my right to be treated with dignity and respect which is a basic constitutional right, and not to be talked down to, to be bullied or intimidated, and also includes right to respect my views. There are also pertinent laws against bullying, duty of care, health and safety, equal opportunities etc.

    So, I'm asking SCOPE to

    work with National Mind's legal Unit, lead by a barrister

    work with Disability Rights UK and their legal advisors

    All disability organisations in the UK and disability, and mental health groups, and the Disability Alliance

    Labour should be ASHAMED of itself, and shamed by SCOPE and all disability and mental health groups in the media, who need to work out an effective media strategy to abolish these reforms, except when they are only encouraging and facilitating, respecting our humanity and needs.

    I f SCOPE wishes me to advise it at it governing body, I am more than willing and able to do that just contact me

    [personal information removed by moderator]

    Never give up - our lives and health may depend on courageous alliances and persitance. We deserve better.

    Milan Ghosh.

  • Albus_Scope
    Albus_Scope Posts: 8,390 Scope Online Community Coordinator

    Hi there @MadMilan2019 thanks for your feedback, it's most appreciated.

    Scope is already in talks with the new government and has been since they came into power, they actually sound like they're interested in what we have to say too, so it's sounding promising!


    I've had to remove your email address as posting personal details is against our house rules.
    If you wish to speak to anyone at Scope, please email Community@scope.org.uk and we can forward your email onto the relevant people in the charity.

  • Catherine21
    Catherine21 Posts: 2,813 Championing

    We have been left dangling on a string started from tories last year awful psychologically bullied every minute used like lepers might as well parade us in chains to months of don't worry labour will help labour will be kinder many might state they have but silence is Golden now having to wait till spring I don't believe it's till they talk to charities oh and then the famous pip no mention my question is can ellen clifford still taking them to judical court if they haven't laid out plans??? I have no hope or trust in them at all

  • MW123
    MW123 Scope Member Posts: 863 Championing

    @Catherine21

    Ellen Clifford's legal challenge is still ongoing. It is important to note, Catherine, that the case does not question the content of the reforms but rather whether the government followed proper legal procedures during the consultation.

    The Office for Budget Responsibility has acknowledged that the judicial review "could cause delays" in rolling out the WCA reforms. However, the case focuses solely on the consultation process, and the reforms themselves are still expected to move forward.

  • Catherine21
    Catherine21 Posts: 2,813 Championing

    Also I thought it would be challenging cutting people's money can I ask will they still do MR when it's all changed

  • Catherine21
    Catherine21 Posts: 2,813 Championing

    OOh No ah OK thankyou fir explaining so just a matter of time then I'm not as anxious as I was but this is terrible the way we been left hanging mine started last year with sunak budget what a merry go round I hope you are well

  • worried33
    worried33 Online Community Member Posts: 599 Pioneering

    Is there a reason Scope aren't revealing minutes of these talks?

    I will follow your advice and email that address, as all previous attempts at contact Scope about these sort of things got no response.

    This all feels like a "get charities onside, then we can do what we want" sort of thing. The government is not inviting claimants to talk with them and the secretary of state is ignoring her disabled constituents.

  • Catherine21
    Catherine21 Posts: 2,813 Championing

    Exactly in a perfect world DWP don't play fair already let's get realistic dressing it up like a fairy tale No more like a nightmare what they say is words

  • Catherine21
    Catherine21 Posts: 2,813 Championing

    Honestly agree so sick of it o

  • Amaya_Ringo
    Amaya_Ringo Online Community Member Posts: 231 Empowering

    I am still hoping Scope will mention and speak up for disabled people already in work. Right now it sounds like you are either disabled or in work, rather than both. The more this narrative is fed, the worse the backlash in the right wing papers.

    I feel like those who can't work will be less targeted once there's wider media awareness that actually a lot of disabled people can work and are working, and the ones who have the ESA etc benefits are those who can't work, not those who have chosen not to.

  • worried33
    worried33 Online Community Member Posts: 599 Pioneering

    I also feel we will get a bunch of people and the right wing press saying "see all these disabled people working, is proof they can all do it". The narrative given needs to be very careful, but fundamentally I do agree that it needs to be explained PIP isnt an out of work benefit, and there is disabled people that have jobs as all the speculation people are coming up with is nonsense.

  • Wibbles
    Wibbles Online Community Member Posts: 2,254 Championing

    I agree about the fact that many people believe that PIP cannot be claimed when you are working !

    Unfortunately, 25 years ago - when I was claiming DLA - I was not employed for a while and when I finally got a job - the DWP Employment adviser told me "Oh you've got a job - that means that you won't be claiming DLA any longer"