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

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  • Middleton
    Middleton Online Community Member Posts: 263 Empowering
    edited March 20

    Chiari malformation is one of the investigations theyre looking into for myself. Also, have

    spondylosis+ c5-6-7 spinal stenosis.

    Im not sure how low my cerebellum tonsils drop; from the MRI's ,it doesn't look as jammed down into the spinal column as some other folks, but nonetheless!

    I'm convinced it's what's affecting my vision: bright zipping lights and flashes that are peripheral. Although i have this one zipper, like a grain of rice-coloured electric blue lol that comes in from outfield to quick centre then off again😂.. seems to have a darker centre!

    Had my eyes checked extensively, twice; and got the all-clear for the eyeballs, so!..😎..

    I had read the cerebellum tonsils is where vision is linked?🤷

  • judie
    judie Online Community Member Posts: 336 Empowering
  • Middleton
    Middleton Online Community Member Posts: 263 Empowering
    edited March 20

    I think I heard is mentioned that assessors will be more skilled.

    Even if this is the case; many GPS are'nt necessarily adept at times.

    I have a long convo with a lovely lady from CA who i detected,,as we proceeded to chat; had far more general knowledge of my co-morbid's and symptoms; than many assessors and some gps!

    I had to ask her if she had a medical degree. She mentioned that she had worked in the "field"(she didn't stipulate) in the past. In 7+yrs of interviews, she was hands down the most knowledgeable person I had chatted to concerning my issues. Whereas the assessor who came to my home 6+yrs ago, who was an ex-paramedic; had no general clue concerning my specific ailments.

    So what skills will these new or retrained assessors, have?. They've often given me zeroes, where corroborating evidence was given by an entire team of specialists, that should have given me close to maximum points.

  • Jenwren
    Jenwren Online Community Member Posts: 104 Empowering

    I think they've done one potentially useful thing, maybe. I don't think governments of any type are typically in the business of doing useful things that people ask for. We've had one or two decent goverments historically that've actually helped make things fairer and better but there's a reason places like France are now debating about a wealth tax to pay for their increased defense because they do not tolerate govts treating them like this. I think I read the UN considered our disability and certainly our treatement and attitude (from govt) about mental health to be one (or the) worst in developed nations.

  • Holly_Scope
    Holly_Scope Posts: 4,277 Scope Online Community Coordinator

    Hi @userinfo1 please stay strong and remember you have a community here. I know the past 48 hours have been really intense and difficult but it will ease. I'm going to pop you an email imminently - please keep an eye out for it. 💛

  • Jenwren
    Jenwren Online Community Member Posts: 104 Empowering

    I haven't seen it but I'll check it out, possibly tomorrow. I'm just drained today and have to rest and just take a break from the news - it's been a few weeks of gut churning panic and then the damn green bill…urgh.

    I heard she won a big case but I don't know the details. Do you mean think tanks are saying they need to save £100m or these 'reforms' will cause £100m in 'savings'? With her did you mean Rachel Reeves or Liz Kendall (or both?) They should do but they won't. I don't see it happening. They look like they think they've got some 'holy mission' to get people into work - and unfortuntely that plays well to the media - even the liberal media who've been pathetic about push back and challenging a lot of misconceptions, - and to the public. On Question Time a couple of weeks back one of the actual questions was about lazy people on disability benefits - it wasn't a comment, it was a question. Even people agueing against these cuts in the media, even the MPs fighting with us - you'll notice they're all very careful to say 'oh of course people should be in work as much as possible'. But yes I agree they need to go. Problem is they won't.

  • Pidgy
    Pidgy Online Community Member Posts: 1 Listener

    It does look like those of us who are unable to work and have no way out of that are going to be punished for being disabled (again), while they plan to give more to people who are able to work but don't. It's austerity plus!

  • bench
    bench Online Community Member Posts: 171 Empowering

    Thanks mad question a £50 withdrawal, I withdrew much more that that as I like shopping for a bargain on Facebook marketplace are they going to what prove of what a brought, surly it none of their business

  • Holly_Scope
    Holly_Scope Posts: 4,277 Scope Online Community Coordinator

    Hi @middali I hope you're feeling a bit better today. I know it's been a really intense few days but please stay safe and remember you have a supportive community here that care. I'm going to pop you an email now - please keep an eye out for it. 💜

  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 1,170 Championing
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • secretsquirrel1
    secretsquirrel1 Online Community Member Posts: 2,052 Championing

    well the lot of them need to go but I meant reeves . Think tank reckons that there predicted savings of £5b will actually only amount to £100m . By the time it’s extra resources to the NHS etc . I imagine GPs are feeling this already . Then there’s the tribunal service. When it went from DLA to PIP they had to quickly train staff including judges GPS and disabled people to sit on tribunals. In my case they hadn’t been trained properly and it was unprofessional to where it went to upper tribunal. The DWP even had someone sitting in to question me who thought she was ironside and I’d committed murder . Absolutely shocking. This all costs money and ppl are warning them that from past experience these things don’t work and costs more .

  • Tumilty
    Tumilty Online Community Member Posts: 466 Empowering

    I get esa and pip and just wondered what my situation was. Had a letter last year with a form to fill in to see if I still warrant pip which has continued but not sure if I will be reassessed for both esa and pip. Was wondering if there is a place to ask questions as I posted before.

    Also is it this thread where Scope will post what they have learnt from the proposals or elsewhere?

    Thanks

  • Jenwren
    Jenwren Online Community Member Posts: 104 Empowering
    edited March 20

    It wouldn't suprise me at all if it's "only" £100m - I mean can any of us imagine that amount of money to throw around - I can't imagine £1 mil let alone anything like that! Austerity has pretty much stripped every public service to the bone. There's nothing left to cut. Nothing. It's almost as if sick and disabled people aren't rolling in cash and living the high life…

    One of the best GPs at my local clinic has left due to burnout (everyone wanted to see her because she didn't rush people). The govt has no clue how much ordinary people actually help them out by being unpaid carers, by not claiming benefits they or their loved ones are entitled to.

    I'm sorry you had to go through that. One piece of advice I got about re-assessments was to record it on your phone. I think you have the right to do that. It apprantly does have an effect on how people are treated and also gives a record they can't argue and try to gaslight you about.

    That said money talks at govts far more than people do. If the figures aren't there, maybe they'll abandon it (wishful thinking I know) - if they do they won't do that for another year and do a lot of tough talking about why it's necersary to still do it but quietly and slowly abandon it, but everything's just so uncertain with what they'll do.

  • worried247
    worried247 Online Community Member Posts: 2 Listener

    Hi. What happens if you dont have a camera for the selfies they request? I'm really dreading it when my time comes around.

  • secretsquirrel1
    secretsquirrel1 Online Community Member Posts: 2,052 Championing

    I read something else mentioning more cuts which basically means we are back into austerity. But if psycho starmer says it’s not then I guess it’s not 🤷‍♀️. They seem to be running around with no clear plan as though they were suddenly thrown in at the deep end . Everything they’re bringing in our Tory ideas that they blocked while in opposition. Ppl

    Abroad must be laughing at the mess they’re making in such a short space of time . But thank god ppl like Ellen Clifford are already looking into action to take .

  • Schildpad
    Schildpad Online Community Member Posts: 784 Empowering

    I decided not to think about it. Whatever happens... They want us to be scared. I will not think about it and let the destiny do whatever it wants.

  • rach_90
    rach_90 Online Community Member Posts: 38 Contributor

    I just feel so hopeless. I’ve got an ongoing 10 year award - well actually a bit longer as I’ve just been informed by PIP today that my recommended review date is June 2027. I was originally applied in 2016/award letter received in 2017. So my light touch review will happen, just after these changes happen, I’m so frightened that i will lose my lifeline. I don’t want to be claiming UC LCWRA or PIP I wish I could cure my cerebral palsy.

    I can’t use my left hand or move my left foot. I need help to prepare food, and my sensory awareness is impaired and I can’t recognise when something hot. I just go to touch it. It’s like I can’t process that something is boiling hot! I got 4 points for this and for managing my condition because I have a lot of passive stretches and need someone to do this for me. I also recently started a specialised exercise regime but I need help to use the equipment - so I’m hoping that I should be okay to retain the 4 points here too. A long with the other descriptors I was awarded previously. However, I don’t trust that it will objective at this point because they will want to remove this for as many as possible. I do feel very vulnerable right now and scared I’m going to lose it all, I feel like I’m drowning and my anxiety is through the roof. Might it be worth to end it all here?!

  • secretsquirrel1
    secretsquirrel1 Online Community Member Posts: 2,052 Championing

    next time I’m buying a dictaphone. I don’t know how to record and talk on the phone at the same time and I’m hoping I have phone assessments again.

  • Maggie37
    Maggie37 Online Community Member Posts: 79 Empowering

    I think it’s a good point, if you need mobility to get from A to B for some roles that will seriously compromise you. I think they’ll come back with off the wall example such as’There are amputees that work’ etc. It’s that bizarre. There are folk in heart failure/ COPD who might just about fail the criteria for daily living but cannot walk a distance. Is it going to take extra confirmation from your doctor that working might severely worsen your condition or even kill you for example?

  • evelyncourtney
    evelyncourtney Online Community Member Posts: 104 Empowering

    Guys, I just saw confirmation from a moderator (who works for the DWP) on the Benefits Advice UK subreddit re new descriptors — I saw a few pages back that people were asking if they were looking to change any of them. They are NOT. This is what they said:

    No, they are not changing the descriptors at this stage.

    Thought this might give the tiniest bit of relief to some of us ❤️

This discussion has been closed.