Spring Statement Discussion (link to documents here)

worried33

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1022015#Comment_1022015

If you mean to lose the vote, neither number is enough, remember Tories will vote for it.
But the hope is that there is enough to rebel to make Keir worried about his leadership and then back out.
If that fails the next best thing would be to try to either get some form of TP for those who will lose PIP or a lower rate daily living on the old criteria, which will be better than nothing. Of course that would be a bit nonsensical you could have someone with 14 points on low rate and someone with 12 on high rate all because an idiot thinks a single 4 points must mean they are more disabled.

Amaya_Ringo

I wonder about the meaning of transitional protection when there is no actual transition taking place, rather a removal of support. It's not transferring from one benefit to another, for some people it's absolutely shutting down access to all kinds of services :/ How do you transitionally protect that?

It seems like something thrown in to try and soften the blow because they've already decided that Reeves's rules are more important than protecting disabled people.

I also wonder why there are still people considering the Tories would be better right now given that the Tories have unequivocally said that the reforms don't go far enough, and that they will vote in favour of them without hesitation.

If Labour MPs do stage a rebellion, it will be the Tories who condemn us to the reforms. There are very likely as many Labour MPs having doubts about this bill as there are Tories (and probably Reform MPs) waiting to vote it through.

Food for thought.

worried33

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1022406#Comment_1022406

Yep, I only mentioned it, as its mentioned in the green paper as something they going to consider in the future. But I got no idea how it could work practically. I assume would either be a temporary extension, or a gradual reduction each year until it is gone.

Both the Tories and Labour support cuts, hence Labour being able to come in with some brutal one's knowing there wont be any sizeable opposition to it.

For UC, Labour is a bit softer than Tories plans in that they add a second pathway to the health topup after the WCA is gone, but Tory were softer in that were not going to reassess again on LCWRA.
For PIP Labour is being absolutely brutal and cruel, whilst the Tories never actually released their plan yet, but we know the ideas in the consultation were extremely cruel.

One thing is I think whatever this way ends, I think the Tories would have done similar, I think the parties are just way too similar now, even potentially some hidden figure manipulating them to do the same things.
Reform have nothing in their manifesto for this, but the size of the tax cuts they want to do, can only mean a massive destruction of the social security system would be unleashed.

Its all ideological, in 3-4 years when election is coming up Labour will be giving lots of tax give away's funded by whatever surplus they build up.

Basically the country has pretty much decided that lower taxes for people working is preferable to looking after the vulnerable, a country of selfishness as horrible as it sounds. When a party gets in power, they are then drowning in it, and will do whatever keeps them in power for longer.

WhatThe

Amaya_Ringo, Neil Couling has admitted that the payment is compensation.

sarah_lea12

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1022403#Comment_1022403

The assessors are not professional enough , back in 2016 I applied for pip and didn't get it , one of the descriptors I got 4 points for having to wear dark glasses , on my PIP award in 2023 I put the same thing down and scored 2 , I should have taken the 2016 pip refusal to tribunal , but I never knew I could , so i suffered without help until I got cancer in 2022 and macMillan helped me apply and I was awarded . I believe now I should have got enhanced daily living , but never , but this time I really hope I get enhanced on both I did get enhanced mobility as I am agoraphobic, I hope they don't change that either , my conditions cannot be cured , so fingers crossed they won't even want a phone call assessment , my last was paper based but I still got a random call , it caught me off guard which is intended , she even twisted my answer to one of the questions . She asked me if I could drive , I told her no because I don't , but she asked me why i don't drive , I told her because i have severe anxiety and driving would heighten it . Sneaky questions .

sarah_lea12

Maybe the transition from daily living is to prevent carers allowance being claimed which means still losing £333 a month .

I honesty cannot see how it can pass , most disabled pip claimants who lose daily living because of the 4 points stand to lose over £1000 a month , nobody can justify this , well anyone with a heart anyway .

Anniebeau

new petition on the DPAC website

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/723991

noonebelieves

ONLINE PROTEST by Disability Rebellion (a new DPO) on 1 May 2025 -Please join!(See the excerpt from X and further details about the group, including campaigning material, below.)

I’m a member of this group, and they are very welcoming to all our thoughts and ideas.

“On May 1st, Disability Rebellion will hold an online protest - to support the groups who are attending the May Day protests that day, online.We will ask members to post as much as they can on social media that day in support of Disability rights. When writing posts that day, please add the hashtags: #MayDay, #TaxTheRich, #WelfareNotWarfare and #DisabilityRebellion.For campaign materials, if you wish, you may download these to share that day with the hashtags.CAMPAIGN MATERIALS “

You can find full details on how to get in touch with Disability Rebellion here .

In Solidarity ✊

noonebelieves

Please take a moment to read the attached response from the Disability Activism Society, which follows the Government’s official reply. Let’s all do our bit -sign and share this parliamentary petitionwidely. Reaching 100,000 signatures will help trigger a vital debate in Parliament.

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(You can find the full Government response just below the petition link.)

Protect Disabled people who cannot work from planned cuts to benefits

jul1aorways

Hi Everyone 😊

Due to having had some very difficult external circumstances affecting my life and that of my partner in recent months I have made the decision that I contribute less to this community.

It certainly means that I will be around just not as much as I was. I have ME/CFS, an anxiety disorder and depression and the events that have happened have all made my health conditions a lot worse.

You may have read the good news that my partner (who is also disabled) and I had. With him being pension age and the fact that I am not having my next PIP review until pension age, myself means we are exempt from the cuts.

Although we are really relieved, we still had to go through the same scenario as you are all doing until Timms announced that exemption a week ago.

Knowing that was an act of calculated cruelty is nothing I take personally but it is still having a very negative effect on me, despite doing all I can to not think about it.

That has bought everything to a head unfortunately so I am doing my best to make my life easier. However, I do not want you to think that I won't be here to help you fight these appalling decisions because I will, just not as much. ✊

I do hope that normal service will resume shortly on the forum. Things seem to be improving.👍

I send you all my very best wishes especially @noonebelieves @pinkrose and @secretsquirrel 😊

noonebelieves

Please stand in solidarity against the proposed Disability Benefit Cuts

Sign these petitions and Share it widely. Back all these petitions calling out this injustice. Let’s send a powerful, united message: We will not be ignored.

Do not scrap the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) -Parliamentary Petition 

Halt Government Cuts to Disability and Low-Income Benefits -Change.Org

Halt Further Limitations on Disability Benefits by Labour -Change.Org

Halt the Proposed Benefit Cuts -Change.Org

STOP THE DWP’S WAR ON DISABLED PEOPLE -Change.Org 

In Solidarity ✊