Green Paper Related Discussions

TP only makes sense if someone is transferring from one benefit (eg ESA) to another (jobseeking UC). Ie there's something to transition into. (I am not endorsing this transition if it is forced, just using it as illustrative of what TP should mean and it's complete nonsense with PIP).

For the record, there was no TP offered for people with lifetime DLA awards being forced to shift onto PIP. My DLA was cut completely for a year, and while yes, I did get backpay, I was forced to get help from family until I had that backpay reinstated post tribunal. The problem is there isn't another option for PIP claimants who work. People who are scraping by on a combined income of work salary and PIP and nothing else are really in the firing line here, which is contrary to government's rhetoric about getting people into work. Again, I am not endorsing people being made to get work when they can't - just illustrating the futility, or cynicism, of this particular falsehood.

On the food PIP criteria. This was a real battle for me too. I didn't get the 4 points (which was correct) until my review three years after my PIP migration. This was largely because of the so called autism expert in my tribunal. She decided that my parents had just not made enough effort to teach me (my mother has spent 30 years trying to teach me to boil an egg) and I could do it if I really wanted to. My mother took exception to this and asked for her credentials, at which point we learned she had none at all. She had worked in a care facility for people with learning disabilities but had no qualifications in autism whatsoever. But she still knew with absolute certainty that I could cook if I tried, because I was fully verbal and not intellectually impaired.

This is where the PIP system falls down, because people who don't know anything about the disability are making personal judgements instead of reading the evidence and listening to the testimony of those who have the qualifications or personal knowledge of the claimant.

Even if this goes through, I'm expecting the DWP to be inundated with tribunals and appeals from people who previously were not given the right points but let it go because they qualified overall and didn't want the trauma of the fight. I'm also expecting there to be individual legal challenges over what a severe disability is, as it has no meaning in law - and especially if the outcome discriminates against particular disabilities more than others.

Thank you Charlie ❤️

I was saying the same thing yesterday about appealing more and DWP getting swamped with MR and tribunals. I too just accepted my last award because I got enough points for standard and was scared of losing entirely. When I looked again at my awards letter I realised I should have gotten at least 4 points in 2 descriptors but didn't appeal. Like you say more people are just going to appeal in future, just getting what they should have in the first place!!

I'm getting overwhelmed with information.

Do I understand it right that by the looks of it, conditions like Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/ME and fibromyalgia and POTS will be at risk of losing LCWRA because they won't consider them 'severe'?

From what I've read they seem to want to allow only disabilities where people struggle to move much at all.

Where did you read that ? I have fibromyalgia and ME and there’s no cure and it states it on the NHS guidelines. .

I do Catherine and I must be lacking in iron even though blood tests prove different.

It was something somebody posted yesterday I think, with a link to what they've said the kind of conditions are that people will continue to get support and never be reassessed. Let me see if I can find it. But I might be completely misunderstanding.

Also on the benefits and work site from that earlier post:

"The level of function would always meet LCWRA.

  So, conditions that vary in severity may not meet this requirement."

Yes I read that and thought the same . But with fibromyalgia and ME we are like it every day . I think maybe they mean some conditions settle then have flare ups ?

Oh good hopefully they find a cure for F.N.D too then thats 3 down 🤦‍♂️ what a bunch of clowns they are.

They think their fine after winning that seat in scotland not realising its down to 2 things 1) how bad SNP fucked up & 2) they dont trust reform as much in my opinion.

@secretsquirrel1 im probably same as you im bad everyday (infact feels like getting worse) as i think my m.e & fibro like to take turns plus you bung in my fnd & its a hell of a party. Which condition set of the other, all 3 cause brain fog its to the point i call all my daughters bab so they dont notice when i forget their names 🤣