Green Paper Discussion (from 24th March, 2025)

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Comments

  • A_Z1961
    A_Z1961 Online Community Member Posts: 56 Contributor

    Getting a sick/fit note does not automatically stop you going for interviews or job centre appointments. If you sign onto universal credit you are classed as a job seeker and must abide by your work commitments. If you have a sympathetic work coach they may reduce your hours for job searching, they may even turn them off for a period of time,that is down to the discretion your particular work coach. The only way job searching, interviews and face to face in job centre appointments are switched off or altered is if you present a 1 month fit with a view to a WCA which will be activated on day 29 of your fit note. You must supply 3 consecutive fit notes and your returned UC50 form for your wca. However this can take months so you will need to keep getting your fit notes until your assesment. All your health issues must be updated in the health section of your journal. You will still get monthly calls/video calls until you have your wca, fit notes allowing. However, all of it is down to what your work coach decides. Your doctor may sign you off, "not fit for work" but they will decide how they are going to handle it .

    I have recently started this process in Jan/Feb. Have now submitted 2 fit notes, 1 more to go. Have received UC50 form with a view to a WCA. I still get monthly video calls "just to check in with you". I was in hospital last Monday with suspected heart attack on top of all my other health issues. An ambulance was called and was rushed to resuscitation. Although I updated my journal my work coach didn't cancel my video appointment 7 days later and I had that a few days ago. I could have done without it as it added more stress to my system. Also, if after my 3 months worth of fit notes and UC50 form returned she may decide to turn my work commitments back on and my in job centre face to face appointments and I may have to start job searching again while I await my assesment.. I'm 64 so age and circumstances are not taken into full consideration.

    If anyone looses pip or lrwca, they will likely have to start the whole process(as I have just explained at length) again and it is a long drawn out process. As my work coach told me in January (quote) " if you are going to go down the health journey wca route just remember, it doesn't matter what you say/experience. It doesn't matter what we may think or say. It doesn't even matter what your doctor or specialists say. It is all down to the medical assessors and their final outcome as to whether you get lrwca or not. The process of loosing pip would likely result in the same process if you are on universal credit (job seekers) and present fit notes. Fit Notes from your doctor are not as cut and dry as many people think in regards to the DWP.

  • soldcb
    soldcb Online Community Member Posts: 18 Connected

    Did you mean ESA Support Group. Are you on old or new style?

    As far as I’m aware nothing has been decided about the old style claimants yet.

  • alexroda
    alexroda Online Community Member Posts: 112 Empowering

    ESA CB is being merged with JSA CB to an unemployment insurance.

    This will be time limited and after that time you’ll lose the award and have to claim UC if you meet the criteria. If not meet the criteria you’ll lose your pension contributions.

    This has to be challenged and don’t see no charities nor anyone talking about this change.

    One which could easily be challenged in court.

    I’m starting to think that the charities are in cahoots with the government

  • Santosha12
    Santosha12 Online Community Member Posts: 658 Empowering

    Thinking of you @Danny123 and really hoping everything goes well for your mum. Take care of yourself too x

  • Santosha12
    Santosha12 Online Community Member Posts: 658 Empowering

    I agree with you sadly just seen it's going to put 50k more children into poverty. Absolutely appalling. I volunteered years ago for a child poverty group. It's so hard to believe that here we are 30 years later and it's labour creating that. Utterly disgraceful. I hope to get my mojo back at some point soon to start emailing again and fighting this.

  • Santosha12
    Santosha12 Online Community Member Posts: 658 Empowering

    Let's hope they don't continue expressing it so quietly (with a few exceptions). It's abhorrent and if everybody in the HOC weren't quite so busy at The Trough and grew a backbone they'd be some real rebellion. Sadly, I don't expect to see it. And too many of the Cabinet sat nodding their heads in agreement today including Lisa Nandy and Lucy Powell. Shame on them.

  • Durus
    Durus Online Community Member Posts: 25 Contributor
    edited March 26

    I worry this is only the start. What if in time for the next budget they suddenly have to find another 1-2b etc from to fill some sort of gap, welfare is an easy target, and if these cuts go through with minimal backlash they'll be more inclined to go after welfare again in the future.

    I'll be very suprised if this is the last cuts to welfare in this current parliament. 😫

  • worried33
    worried33 Online Community Member Posts: 846 Championing

    Yes thats almost correct. Except you may have another WCA between now and 2028 when the WCA is scrapped. There will be no based on the health top up exemption, although work coaches will be allowed to do it at discretion on a per case basis regardless of the health top up. Your LCWRA premium will be frozen not cut starting 2026, this year it will increase as normal.

    I personally have an opinion they wont have the capacity to reassess everyone before 2028, which leads either to a potential delay of scrapping the WCA or letting some people have the health top up without the reassessment.

  • worried33
    worried33 Online Community Member Posts: 846 Championing

    So basically usually changes are introduced via statutory instruments which a court can rule illegal. Keir I expect used his previous experience to make sure these are going to be introduced via parliament primary legislation. This supersedes court decisions. A court will not be able to block changes once they have been ratified in parliament. This is why I keep talking about a small time limit for action to be taken, apparently the equality watchdog is now looking into the green paper, but they dont have very long.

    https://www.parliament.uk/about/how/role/sovereignty/

  • alexroda
    alexroda Online Community Member Posts: 112 Empowering

    I think this is right, however this regards to change PIP rule and scrapping WCA

    For the other changes I think we have more time

  • worried33
    worried33 Online Community Member Posts: 846 Championing

    Yes not everything is being rushed, the things being consulted on will take longer.

  • Middleton
    Middleton Online Community Member Posts: 237 Empowering
    edited March 26

    How will UC be able to force someone to look for work (let alone do any) when said person is entirely incapable of working.

    A person who was enhanced on care/Mobility, but no-longer under their new rules

  • worried33
    worried33 Online Community Member Posts: 846 Championing
    edited March 26

    When the WCA is removed (along with LCW/LCWRA), the person will no longer be recognised as unable to work. The WCA is the current protection mechanism.

  • Middleton
    Middleton Online Community Member Posts: 237 Empowering
    edited March 26

    Just as i thought; so in their mind, and on their forms, we now are cured of our illnesses @worried33

  • Middleton
    Middleton Online Community Member Posts: 237 Empowering
    edited March 26

    Will be interesting to see how a previous 4 in care will hold-up in the PIP reassessment.

    If it was given in the last assessment and one's condition hasnt got any better; infact worsened..How on earth could they contest that!

  • worried33
    worried33 Online Community Member Posts: 846 Championing

    They think they are magicians.

    It is also worth noting unsurprisingly Reeve is annoyed that the OBR doesnt agree with her on what happens to the people who are losing support, the OBR has predicted they wont find work.

  • mawempathy
    mawempathy Online Community Member Posts: 75 Empowering

    They can do it by altering the descriptors that apply to your next assessment.

  • LouCie61
    LouCie61 Online Community Member Posts: 69 Empowering

    Apparently they'll be creating colleges to train peoole for the construction industry.

    I can't get to my notebook now, but I remember something like ten per area?

    Tory or New Tory (i.e.Labour) dont they just love their high viz jackets and hard hats.

    They're all merchant bankers (and that's rhyming slang).

  • Danny123
    Danny123 Online Community Member Posts: 39 Connected

    Yeah sorry that's what I ment when I said I'm just focusing on my reassessment because I'm expecting one before 2028 .... It's a good point actually you make they may not be able to reassess everyone by 2028 🤔..... So there will be no work exemption based on the health top up now and work coaches can engage with you about steps to find work 🙄 just something else to worry about I spose

  • steve69
    steve69 Online Community Member Posts: 52 Contributor

    Mmmm! Well I receive PIP lower daily rate made up 4 x 2 points and also higher mobility rate!

    The daily rate given was because I made adaptations to my house and myself!

    If I were to lose this I would be unsure how adaptations could be made in a workplace to cater for my mobility?

    It would be interesting too see what happens…personally I would love to return to work!