Green Paper Discussion (from 24th March, 2025)

Just what might seem a minor point but could be a tipping point( for the wholeUK actually?)Steven Flynn who is the Westminster SNP leader is planner to leave London and rejoin the Scottish Parliament. He is a very vocal opposing voice to the Benefit cuts. Flynn is undoubtedly a candidate for leadership of the Scottish Parliament. This will happen in the next two years. I’m not an anti unionist but I do believe in SNP policies which are left. Scotland contributes 4/5 times to the national GDP than Wales, twice as much as Northern Ireland.. it’s pretty much next to London? A Scotland who completely opposes these Benefit Reforms is very likely IMO. Starmer will not alienate the Scottish Parliament because given his defence moves.. all the UK’s nuclear deterrent is in Scotland. The King is part Scottish.. all the oil is here. I pray that we set up at rival disability system that challenges the UK whole. We already have ADP rather than PIP. The assessment is different. I’ve been assessed on both systems.. very different. Will they risk an alternative in a year or two under Steven Flynn? I don’t see it.. so many variables, so much hassle. Wales won’t even send the changes to it’s disabled constituents? They disagree with it so fiercely?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4g9pl0gn5ro.amp

Sustainability expert and professor Mike Berners-Lee:

“If somebody deliberately misleads the public, it tells the public immediately, that they are not on their side”

Starmer, Kendall and Reeves, DWP and OBR misleading regarding these changes and impacts, just tells you that NONE of them are on our side.

And everyone else in the cabinet that are aware of these lies who arent challenging these lies aren’t on our side.

I think he’s done. Starmers policies don’t sit well with Scottish culture which is essentially Scandinavian in political bent. I hope Stephen Flynn bests him eventually.

"Side"? Hopefully the truth will be on your side; so that when you renew or apply for PIP, you'll be able to have you bespoke say on your symptoms

Yes there are people who are abusing the benefits but it's more the gov allowing it to happen than a complicated fraud by con artists. Even then it is up to the work coach to decide if you can apply for LCWRA.

Personally I had to go through 2 assessments, one was an unofficial one by the work coach at the job centre and the other by WCA. Both were around an hour long and yes I had to argue and fight for it.

So I feel it unfair if people are just easily conning benefits but in my experience it was not that easy. There are facebook groups and people who actually help people claim PIP successfully and I believe people are using those to con benefits.

Yes there are a lot of people who seem fine that are claiming disability and could be working and probably getting other benefits too, they have now affected genuine people who need help. Also because WCA is point based question, those that can navigate it and understand it will be awarded it and those that find it difficult will not which is unfair. So you get those better of and could be working getting benefits and those that do not understand it do not get it. It is very unfair. Also the reforms can happen without affecting how much people get.

However saying that I believe welfare state is underfunded. Disability is under diagnosed. Government need to fund it.

I was mentally ill from aged 7 , went to a special school , never had any help once I left school, I've had mental illness since and it has not got better. I have a letter from my GP dated in 2014 stating that I have suffered depression and anxiety since 1973, i send this with my pip form, no point in paying for another letter as its the same , no change . I've had agoraphobia since a child , i don't eat solid foods as i have a fear of choking , but this was not accepted in my pip form , but I also need tablets crushed and use a crusher , that will be going on the review too .

It is terrible how we are ignored .

@gamer1

There’s no evidence for what you guys are suggesting.

https://www.bigissue.com/news/social-justice/dwp-disability-benefit-fraud-pip/

I am not going on any research but just going on what I think where the rise from claimants has come and why. I could be wrong and everyone on disability benefits could be genuinely disabled, unable to work, limited capability. I am not going to tell you that people are not taking advantage of it because I think some people are. I could be completely wrong.

That is not to say the gov can reduce peoples money or make it harder to apply for it. Yes, the gov has used this narrative as propaganda to go against welfare. At the same time there are people who seem genuinely fine that claim it. The question is how can you measure disability? You can't. It affects everyone differently.

The thing I am implying here is rather than saying there definitely is benefit fraud, I am saying many people who should be getting disability are not getting it because the gov has made it so hard and are making it harder by using this argument as a narrative and propaganda. It is based on a decades old criteria. We have many disabilities now in this modern age. Modern times mean modern disabilities. The gov need to realize this and not reduce it but fund it.

I know one person who got PIP for being agoraphobic, but he is always out on his own , that's not agoraphobic in my opinion . I am agoraphobic I don't go out of the house without my husband . I'm never left alone either because I am phobic about everything .