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

The government is “consulting on delaying access to the health element of Universal Credit until someone is aged 22 and reinvesting savings into work support and training opportunities through the Youth Guarantee.”

I do not see it as ethically correct to deny or delay access to financial support. What happens to a child transitioning into adulthood with a long-term disability? Do they starve until they turn 22? I truly fail to understand what the government is trying to save here.

thanks @Summerlove useful videos to promote wider awareness. I am a novice in terms of political debates, so very helpful 👍

What about a 20 year old mother who has just given birth and has post partum psychoses.. or a young person who has been severely injured in an industrial accident.. the list goes on and on. How can they withdraw disability. Who even suggested that crock in the first place?

I think it's likely there will be some conditions that will automatically qualify e.g 'progressive' and 'terminal'.

Having several health issues myself, I have found (through being on targeted FB support Groups) that not everyone with 'a specific condition' suffers in the same way. If someone is suffering with just the one condition, they're still suffering but, maybe not as much as someone else who has additional conditions - that aggravate or have a knock on effect.

I'd like to think that they will now look more at the 'overall" impact of how people's ability is affected by their condition(s). But.....in order to do this 'competently' the DWP Assessors need to be more medically qualified (a lot are not) and have a better knowledge of the criteria: Musculoskeletal, Cardiology, Neurological, Vestibular(hardly ever mentioned but also extremely debilitating) etc.

In my case I have 3 Vestibular issues. This impacts on my ability to function 'normally' on a day to day basis. I also have Musculoskeletal issues which, without the Vestibular issues, I could probably function/cope much easier.

I can only 'hope' that a better understanding is implemented for future claimants.

We can only wait to find out more - and take each day as it comes. Personally, I find worrying about is makes my conditions far worse, so I definitely practice mindful thinking. Not easy, but at the end of the day I have to focus on keeping myself as stable as possible (both mentally and physically) so as not to end up on a gurney in a hospital corridor😫🤮

That said: I have managed to submit

my 'health story' to my MP in the hope it will 'trigger' some element of 'understanding' but heard nothing back 🤔.....

I wish you all the very best going forward.

Unfortunately, the UK has a serious shortage of doctors right now. I don't see how they could do this.

I agree . I have several conditions ME and Fibromyalgia which both set off each other . Fibromyalgia pain eases with an exercise ( walking a bit around the house example) but that the makes the fatigue from ME worse. That then sets off migraines, stomach problems flu like symptoms. This all leads to pains from cervical spondylitis and sciatica among the other usual pain that is constant. The only treatments are painkillers and muscle relaxers. They in turn can trigger another condition I have now been diagnosed with. I even have a GP letter from years ago stating my prognosis is not good yet I’m assessed every few years and scored zero points with evidence of that letter. Surely I should be now classed under their lifelong condition rule as there’s no cure for fibromyalgia or ME . I’ve had ME over 35 years , diagnosed over 15 years ago so I can’t see it going magically by itself. Sorry for long rant 😩😀