PIP - zero points - how many of us?

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whistles

@Victoriad why were you not entitled to the old Incapacity Benefit, SDA or Income Support when you were signed off work sick? 

Salamka101

@Victoriad We are both agreed that the government cannot go on spending at the current rate. My argument is that far too much of the current spend is a direct consequence of their miscalculations with PiP. However you seem to be implying that giving you £55 for your disability is good use of public money, whilst no longer giving it to me so that I can remain mobile I should accept as a necessary evil. You have been open about your background and circumstances so perhaps I should do the same.

My disability is a result of Polio in infancy. I have paralysis in both legs,100% in my right, 50% in my left. I spent more than 9 years in Hospital abandoned by my parents, my only personal visitor one of the Nurses who, since there were no education facilities in Hospitals then, took it upon herself to visit when she was off duty and she taught me to read. I came out into the care system. I won't bore you with the details  but suffice to say I went through 2 Childrens Homes, one of them twice, 3 foster homes and 5 different primary schools before I turned 12. At every turn I was bullied unmercifully, and was rushed away from my second foster home after midnight following a savage attack by my foster father which prompted neighbours to call in the Police. Whilst at that second home I sat the 11+ and failed it so badly I began my secondary education in Class 1E.

In terms of education I did well, perhaps too well, moving up Class by Class until I reached the top of 2A. In terms of behaviour however I had serious problems, most notably a willingness to fight back when subjected to physical or verbal abuse. I was expelled sent back to the Home for a third time but very quickly got expelled from that local school as well. That earned me a psychiatric examination the main findings of which were that I was far more sinned against than sinner and I had an extremely high IQ, 18 points above Mensa. That earned me a place in a quite expensive special school for highly intelligent boys who had difficulty fitting in normal schools.

That school was a boarding school and changed my life Unfortunately my time there was cut short as at 15 I was to be discharged from care. So back to the Home and then out into the street - homeless, jobless and without qualifications.
Fortunately I was able to contact my third foster parents who not only took me back without hesitation but also persuaded a local businessman to employ me.

Given day-release and evening classes at college and a willing neighbour to take me back and forth I gained my first major qualification, HNC in business studies. But very soon after  I let my cleverness go to my head and got over-confident and , as is the case with many teenagers, too cocky. It beame a case of either he goes or we do. I went.

Fortunately my now ex boss fixed me up with a contact at the local steelworks. Long story short again, I discovered that my colleagues salary was almost 3 times mine. When I questioned this I was told in no uncertain terms that it was not Company Policy to pay disabled employees the same rate as fit workers. As a disabled employee I was lucky to have a job at all. That proved to be very much the case and this was when I became involved with the Disabled Driver's action Group We won the first Mobility allowance, soon followed by the Motability Scheme.

Having my own safe reliable transport changed my life and apart from keeping me in almost continuous employment for 40 years enabled me to marry, buy a home, and raise 3 fabulous children, all of whom are in full time employment. Again I won't bore you with the details but only say that I spent the last 12 years of my working life as much valued senior Manager in a subsidiary of a large multi-national American Corporation. In each year I paid perhaps 3 times as much in Tax and NI than my mobility vehicle cost the taxpayer.

Do you still think your £55 has priority over mine?

Salamka101

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charlene

Hello  S alamka101.  I am in the process of changing over from DLA to PIP. waiting for the result to my assessment.  What an incredible life you have led.  I bet your children are so proud of their father .  

Not sure if I will be awarded high mobility but am grateful that I had high mobility on DLA for  many years.  It must have been an exciting time for you to be there at its conception. 

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Waylay

@Victoriad That may or may not be true. Where'd we suddenly find that money for the DUP? Why aren't we collecting the unpaid taxes of wealthier people and companies? Hell, 1% of their uncollected taxes would be more than all the cuts to inc/dis/sick benefits.

Also, Austerity doesn't work. Most other countries have realised this. We're continuing along a path that isn't just lacking in evidence, it's downright destructive. It slows down the economy, reduces tax take, and makes people rein in their spending. At least if they gave us a bit more money we'd spend it on essentials, quickly. The upper middle class and wealthy put it into a bank or investment, or send it offshore. Either way, it's out of the economy, which shrinks the economy, rather than growing it. 

There haven't actually been any savings from the benefits cuts. The DWP have spent far more setting up their new benefits, hiring ATOS, Capita, etc., and paying for all the MRs and Tribunal stuff. No. Savings. At. All. 

Cutting disability and sickness benefits is purely ideological, as is cutting unemployment benefits. 
How do I know? Well, the benefits bill is split into the following categories: pensions: 42%. Family benefits, income support, tax credits: 18%. Personal social services and other benefits: 13%. Housing benefit: 10%. Unemployment: 1%. That leaves 16% for incapacity, disability and injury benefits. Well. That's not nearly as much as we thought....

So why have almost all the cuts been aimed at us? Why not Family benefits? Tax credits? Housing benefit? Pensions, with their lovely triple lock? Those "other" benefits? And **** is up with the demonisation of unemployed people? 1% of the benefits bill. So worth it.

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whistles

Moving to pip isn't saving any money if they need to recall the 1.6 million people that have been awarded the wrong amount. 

I wonder how many people need to do the MR once or twice them appeal then go to tribunal. This all costs money somewhere to someone.

@Waylay didn't they change family benefits to paying for the first child only and no more?

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Salamka101

@charlene
Many thanks for your comment. Nice to know someone got the point of what I was saying. Everyone on this site has had their problems in life, many have been through greater hardships than me. Unfortunately some are so focussed on themselves that they overlook that fact. Wish you all the best with your PiP and thanks again.

Salamka101

Salamka101

@whistles Just to clarify the 1.6m reviews. These came about because as soon as soon as the government realised that PiP was not saving money they tried to amend the rules to eliminate several mental conditions. The Courts ruled these changes discriminatory and therefore illegal. Fact is any half decent database could identify those who have claimed for those particular conditions in a matter of a few days. the 1.6 million reviews, the 4 years it's going to take and the extra £4 million being paid to Capita and Atos are all just a delaying tactic.

Salamka101

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whistles

DLA did include those with mental illnesses. I know of people with ocd and bipolar who received it.

I think the issue with DLA are the same as with PIP, you need to fill in the forms correctly. You need to have support in some cases in understanding what the questions mean. Above all, you actually need to qualify and satisfy the requirements. 

If you didn't get DLA before and do now, be thankful. Because some of us who did, now don't and that money stopped at a touch of a button. 
For some posters they seem to have an issue if some qualify for any benefits. If you do or did its because you have a low or no income and no savings regardless of whether you had/ have physical or mental health difficulties, if you cannot work then you cannot work.

It's strange how some view obesity as a simple lifestyle change solves all as well. You wouldn't say that to a person with anorexia, change your lifestyle and just eat more.