Get your MP to act against cuts

I am glad that you have had such a reviving and productive break in such a beautiful place @noonebelieves! 🤗

I will look on the relevant threads for the rundown on your break. Don't worry about not providing a link to them. I know that it's not particularly easy to do.

I hope you are recovering well from your journey, that must have been difficult. 😔

I didn't realise that there were disabled people too at your Christian retreat who are fighting these proposals as well. That great that you made some good friends and were all offered counselling. That's quite something in itself, these days.

I'm OK but despite have having some very good news for myself and my partner, we are having a hard time feeling glad about it because of the way we heard about it and all that we have had to go through in the last few weeks.

I will tell you what it is but I want to downplay it because of the feelings of other members like yourself, who cannot escape the reality of these proposals.

You might be aware of the news, a few days ago about Timms announcing that if you are state pension age at your next review, you will be assessed by the current criteria for PIP instead of the future eligibility being decided by getting four points in a descriptor, as it will be for people of working age?

Well, after my partner and I thought that we would lose his standard daily living after his light touch review (it would soon have turned into a full assessment 😡) in 2028 and I would lose my Carer's Allowance for him, which would nearly have wiped out our extra money for the costs of being disabled and would have left us with an reduced income which would have mostly been spent on the rent, food and bills we have discovered that it won't now won't apply to us.

My partner is 71 and I'm 60. As you can see, he will no longer lose his PIP and I will no longer lose Carer's Allowance and it also means I'm completely safe too as my next review (light touch) is in 9 years time, 2 years after I reach state pension age myself. (I have two descriptors of daily living where I score 4 points)

It is wonderful news, for us at least but although we are so relieved 😌 it's the timing of it that has been such a great problem.

Don't get me wrong, I know that hundreds of thousands of disabled people including members of this community are going to lose EVERYTHING. 😢

However, we were going to be put into a position where we would really have had to struggle for about 4 years before my state pension age. It would have taken a long time to hear about my partner's PIP to begin with.

With the circumstances, as you can imagine for processing all this misery and greatly increased numbers of those who will appeal their decision, that could easily take a year or two, I reckon.

We do have the advantage that my partner would able to apply for Attendance Allowance, the eligibility is a lot less strict than for DL PIP and you get a decision a lot sooner. We thought that would be the way to go instead of fighting the PIP decision.

Under these circumstances there would have been no option to get Carer's Allowance back but at least we had the prospect of having housing benefit (instead of the completely inadequate rate of UC housing element) and Severe Disability Premium returned to us, once I reached state pension age and could see the back of UC.

This would have resulted in hardship and a lot of trouble to get some of the money back at a time when my partner is in his mid to late seventies, quite apart from the fact that his health is deteriorating faster as he's getting older and that I am so disabled.

So, thank goodness that we do not have to go through that now but we have had to adjust to that future scenario for ourselves over the last few weeks.

Of course, the government could not do the right thing and make sure that people like us of which I understand my partner and I are amongst about 700,000 others.

Timms said that this was in line with existing policy, which it is, when government have done previous benefit "reforms." If it's in line with what previous governments have done, why couldn't they have said so at the Spring Statement?

This turn of the screw is no doubt deliberate, psychologically scarring 700,000 human beings who thought they were going to lose so much, us included. 😞

You know, I have thought that even if the government backed down on the worst effects of these proposals, that NONE of us would feel the same again after having to go through such a terrifying experience.

I haven't said this before because, like you I try to be optimistic for the benefit of of the members of this community, but whatever happens, even if we succeed in what we are trying to do, we all need to support each other through the PTSD that we will all inevitably get from living through this experience.

That is what is already happening to my partner and I despite the very positive outcome for us.

As I have already said on other threads, already, I have no intention whatsoever of backing away from or even reducing my fight against these cuts. It's impossible to do so.

If other disabled people have a problem, then as far as I'm concerned, it's my problem too. I'm one of a collective and it will remain that way. ✊ So it will continue as business as usual for me.

I do apologise for such a long message when you have only just come back. Please do take as much time as you like to reply to it and don't feel that it has to be a long detailed one! 😊

I shall reply to other parts of your message when I next hear from you, if you don't mind as I could not deal with doing all this at once.

It's great that you've had such a boost from your retreat but it's great to have you back too. 🤗

Please continue to take your time ploughing through the backlog on this community and do take great care of yourself.

You don't know how much your optimism and drive uplift and inspire me. ✊👏💪😃

Hi @jul1aorways,

Thank you, as always, for such a heartfelt, deeply moving message.🤗 You have such a rare gift for writing what so many of us feel but struggle to put into words.

First off, I’m so, so pleased to hear about the positive news for you and your partner regarding PIP post-state pension age! After all the chaos, confusion and strategic silence from the DWP, hearing something concrete and reassuring -feels like spotting a lighthouse in a storm. It’s a victory, and I genuinely celebrate it with you and many who are overjoyed with this news.You and your partner deserve peace, not more bureaucratic terror.

But like you, even in the midst of this relief, my heart is heavy. Because this “good news” exposes, more starkly than ever, the deliberate cruelty we’ve all been subjected to.

If, as Timms casually admitted, this exemption for pensioners was already policy since 2019, then why in God’s name was it not made clear from the outset in the Green Paper? Why let 700,000 disabled pensioners spiral into fear, stress and in many cases, serious health decline over something that could have been stated in one simple sentence?

The answer, @jul1aorways, as we both sadly know, is because cruelty wasn’t a side effect -it was the strategy.

This whole situation reminds me of an old colloquial saying: “If you confuse people long enough, they’ll be too exhausted to fight.” Well, they clearly underestimated disabled people, didn’t they?

Like you, my fury with the DWP isn’t just because they almost destroyed lives- it’s because they did it knowingly. No proper Equality Impact Assessment. No open questions for pension-age claimants in the consultation. No basic respect. Just 303 sections of legalistic smoke and mirrors.

I completely share your concern too, that now some people - understandably relieved by this pension-age exemption -might step back from the fight. I don’t blame anyone who’s exhausted. But the government is counting on exactly that: divide and conquer. They threw a bone to pensioners while sharpening the knives for the rest of us -especially younger disabled people and those unable to “move closer to work” under their dystopian new definitions.

The “Pathways to Work” proposals are not just tweaks to benefits. They represent a radical, brutal overhaul of the social contract between the state and disabled citizens. It’s no exaggeration to say our very dignity and survival are on the line.

So like you, no matter what happens, I’m in this for the long haul.

As you said so beautifully -if another disabled person suffers, it’s our problem too. That’s solidarity. And solidarity is our greatest weapon right now.

This government seems to forget that people who’ve been forced to survive the hardest circumstances develop something no amount of policy spin can erase: resilience. It runs in our veins now.

And you’re absolutely right about the PTSD element too. It’s already happening. Even if tomorrow the Green Paper was scrapped entirely (and don’t we wish!), the scars this has caused -the sleepless nights, the panic, the tears, the hopelessness -will stay with us. As if disabled people weren’t battling enough without having to endure psychological warfare from their own supposed government.

Which is why, as you said, it’s crucial that we not only fight -we heal together. After all, fighting for rights and justice is not just about petitions and MPs (though we’ll keep hammering them), it’s about holding each other up in the storm.

And speaking of MP’s-as you rightly say-now is the time for maximum pressure:

   •   Write personally to MPs, Lords, Ministers, Councillors,APPG’s.

   •   Join and amplify DPO (Disabled People’s Organisations) campaigns.

   •   Sign and share every solid petition, campaign, open letters etc to fight the joint cause.

   •   Keep flooding the consultation email with truth -even though it’s clearly designed to discourage us.

Because if we don’t, we risk losing protections that have taken decades of hard, painful struggle to achieve.

Thank you again, @jul1aorways, not just for your powerful words but for your sheer bravery. You have no idea how much it strengthens and motivates people like me -and so many members reading silently -to keep going.

And thank you  and to many others for welcoming me back so warmly -it really means the world.

Take care my friend — I’m so proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with you. ✊

Solidarity Always,

@Amaya_Ringo

Thank you for sharing your actions and thoughts-you’ve shown incredible strength, determination, and strategic thinking, and I deeply respect that. You’ve really highlighted how important it is that disabled people, especially those already in work, make their voices heard about how dangerous and discriminatory these proposals are for disabled people in and out of work.

As I mentioned in my very earlier posts on the Green Paper thread, I too researched, prepared  submitted a detailed and strategic response to the consultation with my personal impact story – but I chose to email it directly to Consultation.pathwaystowork@dwp.gov.uk. I made this choice because I was deeply concerned that responding through their official link (which leads to a Microsoft Forms page) felt like stepping into a trap: the 20 questions were heavily leading, clearly designed to steer people into agreeing with the proposals rather than allowing true disagreement to be expressed.

While many disabled people , including many of my colleagues have understandably used the form and every voice does matters – I strongly feel that the whole consultation process has been made exclusionary from the outset. As you rightly alluded to , it feels like an illusion of engagement. In truth, this rushed and vague Green Paper seems to have been designed not to empower or “Reform” the experiences of disabled people, but to exclude the most vulnerable from meaningful participation, in an effort to push through damaging changes under the guise of saving money.

Although I have heard of the Buckland Report, I must admit I haven’t delved into it as deeply as you have – and it’s clear you have done some impressive research. I share your frustration that the government and even opposition MPs have barely acknowledged it. It’s very telling: the Buckland Report offered meaningful insight into the barriers disabled people with Autism face in employment, yet none of the current proposals reflect its findings. It only reinforces the fact that this Green Paper is not based on evidence or genuine consultation but on political expediency.

As you rightly said, it’s disheartening when our efforts seem to be ignored -I too have not received any reply to my communications from MP’s and parliamentarians . However, under UK law, government consultations must be genuine, conducted when proposals are still at a formative stage, provide sufficient information to allow an informed response, and conscientiously consider the feedback received. These are known as the Gunning Principles (and also adhere to Consultation Principles and guidance , GOV.UK 2012). By ignoring these principles, this consultation risks being legally and morally flawed.

That’s why our voices, lived experiences, and personal stories are crucial now more than ever. Each of us brings a different angle, and together, they build an undeniable case against these devastating proposals. Your efforts – contacting MPs, researching, responding robustly – are not wasted. They are part of a collective shield we are building for ourselves and for those who may not have the capacity or opportunity to advocate for themselves.

Solidarity matters. Every petition signed, every story shared, every call made strengthens our stand.

Even when the system tries to silence or sideline us, our determination grows stronger.

 As the parliamentary votes approach, it’s vital that we stay vigilant, stay vocal, and support one another.

Thank you again for your courage and perseverance. What you have done – and continue to do – gives hope and inspiration to so many others.

Together, we are not powerless.

In Solidarity ✊

@WhatThe

Members should also be aware that flooding MPs' email accounts with complaints can suggest an ability to carry out administrative tasks, repeatedly and reliably...

I take your point, but I have never claimed benefits because of an inability to send an email. Moreover, what other options do disabled people have, especially when this issue, if implemented, could threaten our very existence?

Turning up at an MP's office and expecting to be seen just isn't realistic.

I agree with your point  and I hate to see govt officials in person- but I’ve called the MP’s office and was answered by some admin-then been asked to turn up at the public surgery at our local library

Best Wishes!

Hi @jul1aorways,

Thank you so much once again for sharing your brilliant insight. Honestly, as I’ve said before, politics has never been my strong suit .I often feel like a lost tourist without a map! 😳But thanks to you and so many wonderful people here, I’m learning every day. I’m truly grateful.

It’s really uplifting to hear that our collective resistance is making a difference. We mustn’t underestimate how important it is to have a space like this, where we can stand together, support each other, and share vital information — especially when so many others I’ve come to know feel isolated, or avoid public forums altogether because of the discrimination they’ve faced.

I’ve also tagged my MP asking him to attend the DPAC and Coalition for Cuts parliamentary event on 25th of May . When I see him on the 15th to sate my personal story , I’ll be sure to remind him (firmly but politely, of course!). I think I even shared a screenshot of the banner somewhere on this thread -or maybe in the Green Paper discussion -my memory’s not what it used to be! 💨

I just hope my health holds out enough to see this fight through. It’s tough going, but hearing from you really lifts the spirits. Thank you for being such a considerate and motivating voice -it genuinely means a lot.

I’m looking forward to hearing more updates from you when you can.

Take good care,
Best wishes,

Hi @noonebelieves 😊

I have gathered that sharing my political knowledge is helping others on here which I'm glad to do.

You're right, it is very easy to feel like a " lost tourist without a map." with politics.

Despite having this knowledge, I have members here ask me what various things mean and it is SO difficult to explain it in clear terms to them! 😬

It makes me realise what a challenge it is for others to understand all the seemingly endless ins and outs of the political system.

I'm only too glad to help members out though especially as it is so necessary in our our fight against politics worse excesses, as we are having to do. 💪

As you so rightly say, if we all pool our support for each other and our different opinions and perspectives, we can find the BEST possible way of challenging the government. One individual is strong but collective pressure is a force of nature. ✊

Fortunately we are on a community free of discrimination, where members are friendly and supportive, especially to those in real need and there is an actual powerful will to want to change things, instead of apathy and a lack of interest in engaging with other members. We have such a special place to be here. 🤗 I feel so privileged to be a member.

I have had quite a positive reply from my own Conservative (boo!! lol) MP. I'm about to put the relevant part of that email on here on the Get Your MP to act against cuts, Green Paper and Spring Statement Discussions. I am going to give a brief opinion on what I think of it then ask others for their opinions on how they think it resonates with them. That will then form part of my response to him.

It's amazing what other members, including yourself can contribute just by seeing the email's content from a different perspective and commenting on it!! 💪 All points of view will be welcome. 😊 I can then challenge him on what he has said in the most effective way.

I really do hope that your health won't prevent you seeing this through. 🫣 I would miss your wise, upbeat and insightful consul enormously and so would the other members. 😔

Saying that, you must look after yourself and your health conditions first. I do so hope that it doesn't come to you having to step back a lot or step down. 😞

I'm really glad that I help motivate you to keep going, I, of course, will do that in every way I can to help you to keep going forward. ✌️

Please look after yourself and take great care. 👍

With my very best wishes. 😊

In Solidarity ✊