Green Paper Discussion - includes accessible formats and consultation event sign up links!

@secretsquirrel1

Haha, the trio-Starmer, Kendall, and Reeves really don’t seem to like being questioned, do they? Sometimes it’s hard not to notice their faces change colour under pressure!

I think they thought there’d be no fight back perhaps. And Timms seems to spend his time hiding in shame

@secretsquirrel1

While the government has clearly got it wrong, it’s possible that anyone within the government -including those currently or previously in the DWP might also get it wrong, perhaps based on information from their colleagues ? (Just my theory.)

As usual all the in person events are in cities that are convenient for the govt to get representatives to but not so easy for people living in the most of the rest of the country, especially those with disabilities.

And online events are never much good…very difficult to balance.

Add me too.Im nearly 64, should have retired at 60. Started full time work still 15 in 1977. Just started on the WCA journey. Sent off UC50 form last week so still early days for me, yet to have assesment with the hope of getting LRWCA. Not tried for pip yet. Still have another 3 and a bit years till state pension at age 67. These extra 7 years, moving the goal posts and age related health issues makes it hard for this age group. I guess the government hope we just drop dead so they don't have to pay state pension/pension credit. I live alone and have no help. This delay in being able to retire and ongoing and worsening conditions (although I've mostly worked all these years) is having a negative impact on me. It is all planned;!!!

@secretsquirrel1, The proposals not legal at all, and that’s exactly why we must keep fighting to stop these proposals from moving forward. We each need to oppose them directly by responding to the Green Paper consultation. It’s a deeply flawed proposal, designed purely to cut government costs by slashing welfare benefits that are rightfully meant for disabled and vulnerable people.

Thank you so very much for taking your time to attach the link @noonebelieves I'm really grateful (and need to learn how to do it!). I am sure there were very significant points about people with learning disabilities, autism and mental health (I do hope I've not imagined that, I'm sure I've not). I'm going to make it my priority to read it thoroughly this week and make notes as I'll write to the Baroness and Sir Michael Marmot of the Institute of Health Equity very soon. I've read most of Sir Michael's previous work and he's a very highly respected figure.

I would imagine he would concur that whilst there should be access and equality for disabled people to be able to work (and of course I shouldn't put words in his mouth 🫠) I can only imagine what he thinks of the government plans given his excellent work spanning years on inequity, poverty and their links to poorer health and mortality.

Sir Michael only came to my mind as I was reading a George Orwell 1937 book, the road to Wigan pier, (recommended by @Ranald 👍) and the abject poverty he writes of but more specifically, the results on lives of unemployment which were wretched (my word not his) I kept feeling that you could change the word unemployment for disabled/sick and it all can be related to today nearly 90 years later.

Anyway, I digress! I do wish you a full recovery from your accident, full healing and as restful a week as is possible especially after your long wait in A and E. I fractured my wrist once just pulling a weed out and although it was funny (the reason) the pain was definitely not so funny. Take good care too and thanks again for the link 🙏 .

PS I have an ink plan with HP fir my printer just changed subscription from 1.99 a month for c 30 pages to 11.99 for I think 300 pages as I need to be able to print the green paper and the attached link above. You don't need to know that sorry gone off on my tangent 🤣

Thank you for the link @MW123 - I've just been catching up on this Commons Liason Committee. Sarah Owen's comments & Keir Starmer's response can be seen here: https://www.rightsnet.org.uk/now/post/62159

You said,

''After hearing Keir Starmer try to respond to questions on the subject today, it’s clear that these policies have not been fully thought through, as he struggled to answer straightforward, relevant questions when asked.''

My MP appears to agree with you, as in a letter I received yesterday he said,

''There is little evidence that the Government's decisions will improve security for the genuinely vulnerable or offer support for those trapped by welfare get into good jobs. More is needed to be done to reform our welfare system and get people back into work, however, this has to happen in a thought out, consulted and open way.''

However, the disabled community is not being consulted on the whole in a meaningful (nor transparent) way, as the Green paper says the Govt is not consulting on their proposals to abolish the WCA, nor on that to add the extra 4 points conditionality for at least one activity for the daily living component of PIP, tho they say they want to hear from disabled people & disability charities!

The knock on effect about this extra PIP conditionality with the daily living component is also illustrated by @noonebelieves 's link to Carers UK - thank you too for the link.

Hi @Santosha12 ,

It’s always so uplifting to hear from you, and thank you so much for your kind words. This forum exists because of people like you who bring warmth, insight, and solidarity. I simply wanted to offer a helping hand in our collective effort to oppose the damaging proposals set out in the March 2025 Pathways to Work Green Paper. Sharing the official document link was just a small gesture, because your knowledge and thoughtful reflections have been incredibly valuable across many discussions here.

Like you, I care deeply about justice for disabled people, and the deeper I delved into this Green Paper, the more I realised it’s not about reform – it’s about cost-cutting. It threatens to dismantle or reduce benefits that are rightfully in place to support disabled and vulnerable people, impacting not only individuals but their families and communities as well. It’s especially alarming because the evidence used to justify these sweeping changes is flimsy, unreviewed, and clearly not peer-assessed.
The most powerful way we can challenge this is by directly responding to the consultation. Whether through the online form, by email (details provided on the government’s consultation page), or by attending the recently announced public engagement events, every response matters. It’s crucial that they hear from us – clearly and loudly – that these proposals are harmful, unjustified, and must not proceed.

We must use their own words and evidence to expose the contradictions and flaws. Share your lived experience. Talk about the real-life consequences – not just on you, but on your family and community. This isn’t just policy; it’s people’s lives. If we can flood the consultation with evidence-based opposition and heartfelt testimonies, they will have no choice but to present that feedback transparently as part of the formal review process before any White Paper or policies  can be developed.
At the same time, we should continue supporting every charity, campaign, and grassroots movement that stands for disability rights. Collective action and visible solidarity are vital. If we remain silent, we risk giving consent through inaction. That’s the last thing we can afford now. I truly believe this is a critical moment – one of the most important opportunities we’ve had in years to push back.

And coming back to your message – no need to apologise for going off on a tangent! I absolutely love it when conversations flow organically.As you could see here, I’m known for taking people on a ride too. 😉Thanks for your insights on Orwell’s book-The Road to Wigan Pier.I hadn’t read it myself, but your analogy about swapping the word “unemployment” for “disabled/sick” is powerful and chillingly accurate. It really does feel like history is repeating itself, except this time we’re the ones in the firing line.

I am also glad to hear that you’re planning to write to Sir Michael Marmot and the Baroness. I think that’s a brilliant idea. Sir Michael’s work on inequality, health, and poverty is well respected, and I can only imagine his thoughts on this Green Paper- I doubt they’d be anything but critical. I haven’t followed all of his publications, so I’ll be doing some reading too. If you come across anything particularly striking, please do share – every angle we can use to challenge these proposals is important.

Thank you as well for your kind wishes after my fall – that really meant a lot. The A&E team worked flat out under intense pressure and appalling conditions. It was boiling hot, no working ventilation, no open windows, and packed with patients. I finished an entire 1.5 litre bottle of water, and my son had to bring me another just to cope.Honestly, hats off to the nurses and all the staff -they’re true heroes. I know you’re one of them, so a big salute to you.🫡Btw – how on earth did you manage to fracture your wrist pulling out a weed?!🤔 That sounds so painful, Hopefully not osteoporosis, eh? Regardless, I hope you’ve recovered well since then.

You also mentioned your new HP ink plan – I found that really interesting! I’ve never heard of those subscription models before. I’ve got a Brother printer myself, mainly used for PIP and UC forms. The cartridges are absurdly expensive – £60 each for colour. In regards to the green paper proposals,It’s shocking that we even have to pay for accessible formats like large print, braille, or audio CDs. It’s yet another example of how this government profits off the backs of the very people it should be protecting. They create business for third-party providers while stripping us of our support. It’s so wrong.

Back to the matter at hand – I want to also mention that I’ve been engaging with other users and started sharing some posts in previous threads that debunk many of the falsehoods in the Green Paper. I know @Holly_Scope kindly pinned the main consultation link on the homepage, but I struggled to find it again amongst the multiple pages of valuable discussion. There’s been so much personal stories shared, and it’s all worth reading if anyone has the time.

Please don’t underestimate how valuable your input is, especially now. I encourage you – and everyone here – to respond to the consultation, even if you don’t feel confident. Just write in your own words how these changes would affect you. If it helps, think of it like submitting 10 or 15 PIP applications all at once. It’s effortful, but it’s worth it. This is our only real chance before the proposals are formalised into legislation. And once it reaches that point, it will be even harder to stop.We do not want that to happen,

They think we’ve been sleeping through all of this, but we’ve just been hibernating. Now, we’re awake. And we’re not going to take this lying down.
As someone else on the forum recently said – it feels like we’ve been dragged back into the dark ages, where disabled people are expected to stay quiet and obey. That struck a chord with me. Are we really living in a democracy when the cries of millions are so blatantly ignored by a ruling party ? I’m beginning to doubt it. Still, we must not let that doubt turn into despair.

There are people out there, not on forums like this, who are suffering in silence. Many vulnerable people don’t even know this consultation is happening. Others feel it’s already too late, that there’s no point responding. I want to be a voice that says – it’s not too late. We can fight this. We must fight this.

A close healthcare colleague of mine, who works part-time and claims PIP due to serious mental health challenges, broke down during a recent call. She told me she had everything in place to end her life if these cuts went ahead. She believed she had no future. I had to talk her down and almost contacted the police for a welfare check due to the vulnerable state she was in . That’s how deep the trauma is running. It broke my heart, but it also lit a fire in me to keep going – for her, and for everyone else in the same position.

So yes, let’s do this. Let’s speak out. Let’s challenge. Let’s share our stories, our facts, and our humanity. Together we will make a difference.

Thank you again, @santosha12, for your thoughtful reflections, your activism, and your empathy. We need more people like you in this world.
Catch up again soon.Peace and strength to you,

(Apologies for the long post)