The Green Paper Discussion (the document link is here too!)

Hi All

I must say when I start reading from page one it seems more positive for me, but by the time I get to page 34 of comments if feels like I have had it!! I have ptsd , anxiety and depression and emtional dysregulation, I get LCWRA and PIP I scored 10 for journey and 6 for mixing with people do I stand a chance? Or have I lost it all?

Thanks

Anna

Wait where did they say it’s going to be new criteria?

Try writing out a draft in word or on paper before you send it, Maybe just start with your emotions and how you feel and expand from there. I feel the same - where do you begin with this? You can also try to use an AI (chatgpt or claude) and tell it how you are feeling -your emotions etc and ask it to help either draft something for you that you can refine or edit or write something as ask claude/chatgpt to structure it a bit more.

Thank you for your advice. It's much appreciated. I just feel deflated today. I'm not good at doing any of this.

From anyone else reading it, does it read as if the merger situation would only be applicable to new claimants? I was reading previous green papers where something similar (a one benefit thing) has been proposed but has never materialised.
Also, usually with new changes, they ‘honour’ existing claims by keeping them as is and only applying them to new claims.
Any thoughts?

You're welcome, I feel the same. I don't know what's worse actually knowing what the want to do (although ultimately I think it's better to know than guess) or whether people will be able too claw back the worst of this. My hope is that the tories tried do to this (or variations) a lot and weren't able to. It makes no sense legally that you can be disabled or sick - your condition and situation does not change or gets worse - one day you qualify for PIp, the next assesment you don't because they'd changed the numbers. A lot of this going against the Disability Act 2010. Mental health including in young people will not go away because your govt mocks it and refuses to acknowledge it. There are only a finite amount of jobs in this country and most employers will go for a health/non-disabled one over one who is.

I do know a lot of non disabled don't agree with this. It's also going to impact on carers - family/friends and professional ones, it's going to impact disabled people's families, it's going to impact disabled people's employers when they can no longer afford to go to work, its going to massively affect the NHS, GPs, it'll effect the economy when disabled people can no longer purchase goods and services, it'll effect MPs when all these people refuse to vote for them. This isn't the first 'punching down' they've done.

They've gone after pensioners, children (two child cap), international aid (which ironically actually keeps us safer) - and let's not forget the whole Middle East situation. They've upset a lot of people. They need to show they aren't the Tories but are so afraid of Reform and Trump that they are trying to appeal to that demographic that will never vote for them anyway. This wasn't in their manifesto, it's a knee jerk reaction to Trump demanding increased defense spending and a panic that they have a black hole in their finances.

The fact is if they had the courage of their predesors like Clement Attlee who introduced the welfare state, (who'd most likely be disgusted by this Labour) they'd bring in a wealth tax that people are begging on people wealth (not their earnings but their assets) over £10 mil. That'd raise I believe £24 mil - so a bit more than their £5-6 mil saving. But they are cowards. And cowards only know how to punch down. They've also most likely gaurenteed themselves to be a one term governement. Feel free to use any of this in your comments to them or plonk into AI. Try to be kind and patient with yourself, this is a awful shock to all our systems.

Thanks summerlove, so does that mean we are essentially ‘safe’ until 2028? I only receive NS ESA support group, no other benefit.

I agree with everything you've said. I like many others on here are grateful for your supportive responses. We'll all have to stick together and fight this. I'm hoping some of these proposals will be watered down.

Disagree.
The Tories might have TRIED to be worse but it wouldn’t have made it through the courts.
Just like most of this won’t.