Could Someone Possibly

Nashota

help me with something, please?

I have drafted a letter in response to the local MP who I emailed prior to the recent votes (disability), she took about 2 weeks to get back to me and then acted like she was trying to help people like myself when she in fact voted for.

I have pointed out different things in the letter which I want to make sure are all accurate and factual so she can't try and correct me in her response.

The letter doesn't really have anything too personal in it and obviously I would include mine or my local MPs name.

Thanks in advance.

Rosie_Scope

Hi @Nashota, if the letter doesn't have anything personal in it, would you feel comfortable posting it on the community? Then members could have a look for you and do some checks if that's what you'd like help with ☺️

Nashota

I don't mind doing that. It's a bit long because I'm trying to address everything in one go so I don't need to keep emailing her. I already find emailing, talking on social media, forums etc very stressful.

Ranald

The thing is, i believe they know all this already. They will vote for the government position, or they will abstain/vote no, and scupper their parliamentary career.

Nashota

Oh I know, but I'm responding to an email that she sent to me and I want to make sure that I include everything in it so she can't get out of it or back pedal, as you can see from my letter she voted for which really annoyed me because she has a lot of disabled/sick/elderly constituents where I live. This is Lilian Greenwood that I'm talking about, she told me in a previous email that she cared about disabled people etc. It's a tad hard to trust someone who says otherwise through the way that they vote.

Nashota

What do you think @Rosie_Scope ? Does it sound ok and is it accurate? I'm going to try and get it sent to the MP tomorrow.

crispy63

Hi Chris first post

I did exactly the same with my local MP Michael wheeler,to be fair had a written posted reply within 2 days saying he would vote against without major changes to the bill which later were forced upon the Labour leadership and were enough to swing his vote.as the pip reform would have affected me directly and the bill as passed means I'm ok for now.it leaves me with a terrible sense of guilt for those poor people who will be affected knowing how hard the process to get pip is anyway.

It seems as always that government says benefits are there to help disabled people like us and put every obstacle in place to deter people from applying for them.

Nashota

Both LCWRA and PIP affect me unfortunately. It'll affect those who don't claim PIP as well, what they are doing is harmful and hasn't been properly thought through, they've not listened to disabled people or charities and their consultations and questionnaires and such were a farce.

I've not long had my PIP review and was given it for another 6 years. I'm just hoping they don't start to harass me to have a WCA anytime soon, my last was paper-based as was my PIP review.

chiarieds

Hi @Nashota - I think your email puts things succintly, & think that giving the example of your own difficulties highlights the problems disabled people face.

Perhaps make it clear under point 1 that you receive both components of PIP at the enhanced rate & also are in receipt of the LCWRA element of UC.

Point 2 you illustrate very well, & how are they to align the PIP criteria & this also being the gateway to the 'health element' of UC, when PIP is about your functional ability & not any diagnosis? PIP eligibility does not depend upon a diagnosis making it fair for those with no diagnosis/as yet undiagnosed/unable to access healthcare, & sometimes it can even take a long time for any Dr to work out what disorder you may have as it may be through a process of deduction.

Point 3 - completely valid. Disability is not conditional upon your age.

Point 4 - I'm not alone in being in complete agreement with you. We need to know that disabled people & the charities that support them will definitely co-produce & their views not simply over ridden by Sir Stephen Timms.

Point 5 - be clear that you're questioning the Govt's Green Paper. Important questions such as the 4 point PIP rule, which was subsequently abandoned, & the abolition of the WCA were simply not open to consultation.

Point 6 - completely valid.

Point 7 - not just misleading, but totally incorrect.

Point 8 - well illustrated

Point 9 - perhaps emphasise how long some disabled claimants may have to do without financial support as it takes so long to go through the process of a MR, then wait for a tribunal.

Overall I think you've put this together incredibly well. The only thing perhaps missing is the query about 'substantial risk' for some of those in the future in regards to UC. How are they going to define this? Should this depend upon a diagnosis when you've highlighted that this may be difficult to 'gain?' If a person may be a harm to themselves or others in the workplace, why is this being defined in strictly 'medical terminology' of a limited nature? Is this open to discussion by your MP?

Thank you for doing so much, & doing it well!

Nashota

Hi @chiarieds thanks for your input I really appreciate it.

I didn't know what to put for substantial risk, even though I fall under that myself, but now you've given me some info, I'll add it in and will look at your other points, thanks for doing it in numbers as well, I have cognitive issues so I don't have a very good attention span or concentration, which is why it's taking me so long to write it up, plus then on top is my added anxiety as I explained in my first post, I get very anxious when communicating with people even responding to posts and such can make me feel very anxious which is why I don't come on here very often.

When I've woken up a bit I'll see if I can address your points.

I'll put the local MPs letter below along with Mr Timms. I'm actually quite annoyed with Lilian Greenwood, when I first emailed her about the rumoured cuts, she told me that she supported disabled people, then voted for, then in the letter below I believe she's saying she has met with disabled people but as I said in her letter, a vote doesn't seem that she supports us at all. I've already let her know that I wouldn't be voting Labour in the next GE (I didn't in the last honestly). I've not even read Mr Timms because as it was I needed to get some help with Lilian's and I'm not much of a fan of Mr Timms. I have no idea if Lilian is open to discussion but it's not something that I can do with her verbally but I will add in what you've suggested. These letters were sent about 2 weeks after the vote.

Nashota

Also, getting a diagnosis is quite difficult for many people, not just because the service is poor but also because people like myself find it very difficult to actually ask for help, mine partly due to traumatic experiences as a child and adult, plus poor experiences with GPs, therapists, OTs etc, these combined have made me dislike and not trust people. Not only that, I find it incredibly difficult to explain about my past traumatic experiences in writing let alone verbally. This is me agreeing with what you've said about diagnosis. It's just not possible for many people to get and they are already moaning about "over diagnosis" so why make people go and get one! It doesn't make any sense to me. Plus when I've asked to be referred to places in the past, I've literally been told by GPs that they'd need a good reason for it, nowadays my health is worse and I very rarely leave my home so I can't even go to somewhere like the hospital for referrals and what not.

Nashota

I've checked my report for ESA and apparently they moved me to SG based on substantial risk to my mental or physical health but the stupid thing about it is the person also said that I "could" be ready for work in the next 18 months which is incorrect, this was at the end of 2021 and it was paper-based. Obviously since then I was forced to moved to UC.

Catherine21

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1050922#Comment_1050922

That's amazing you know all this media stuff definitely worse since labour came in they hire people to go online shock horror you put alit of work into that send to Lords baroness all mps they want it all to die down so they go off on thier jollies no way come back to more emails

Nashota

So I ran the letter through GPTS (yes I know, cheating lol but my cognitive issues and chronic daily headaches plus FM restrict how much I can do both mentally and physically), I also added the paragraph about substantial risk, that's also something that would affect me and I've now sent the letter to Lilian Greenwood. The letter is a bit long but I just wanted to get everything out of the way in one go.