The Universal Credit Bill becomes law. Here are the changes to disability benefits you need to know

Hello.

I took a week off from reading anything to do with this or any news.

The key to all of this is evidence, make sure you have evidence, concrete, watertight evidence of your disabilities/incapacities and they cannot do a damn thing about it.

They cannot dispute facts, if they try to then seek legal action. I'm tired of disabled/incapacitated people being treated like criminals, always under suspicion for lying, it's a terrible inditement on this country.

I agree with you, @JasonRA, it's a sad state of affairs.

I agree with it keeping it to one thread, and the thread itself needs to be not too out of date, otherwise the community just becomes politics dominated, and scope is about much more then that. The mods have done a good job of cleaning up, if it was left alone we would have dozens of political threads all dominating the recent discussions, with often duplicated discussions and questions.

In terms of the ongoing political upheaval, I was part of a discussion with a outer family member at the weekend and was very disappointed to hear of his view, it seems he had previously hid it out of respect for me, but the view is basically not only to cut support for mentally disabled people (he has no issue with physically disabled and because of that says he has no issue with me), but the bit that really shocked me, was that he doesnt even support having social support circles in place, no social workers, mental health care etc. just the view, force into poverty to force a recovery. A reason wasnt even given to give rationale to the point of view, just the view given.

Whether its relevant or not he does come from a wealthy family who do support each other, e.g. he in effect has been gifted his home, never had to really worry about much because his parents will make sure he is ok, and this perhaps has led to assumptions that this kind of support is available to everyone, I dont know as the conversation didnt really carry on, no reason was given, and we moved on to something else.

I have also come across multiple people who refuse to believe the NHS and social care is hard to access, they think if the treatment hasnt been offered then it must mean the patient has not been seeing the doctor or not being truthful with their doctor. They even fail to accept it can be close to impossible to just get a GP appointment, because their own surgery is ok.

There is so much misunderstanding and misinterpretation in the country right now.

Can't even have that here. Appointments need to be made online between 9.30 and 1pm but the online form will become unavailable earlier if they fill up their quota for instructions that day. Receptionists can't make any appointments anymore unless for nurse.
You also have to use the same online form to request repeat meds or a fit note.

I was supposed to be supplying fit notes but I couldn't get access to the form because they had always maxed out for that day so my fit note expired and I couldn't provide a new one.

Yes they can. Any gaps in fit notes move the new award start date forward. That means potentially a longer wait to start receiving the new award, or potentially less backpay, depending on how quickly the WCA decision is made.

But if you can't get a fit note, what then? Getting an appointment in say, London, it must happen often enough.

I couldn't go forward with the wca. So they said i now had to look for a job but I reminded them that I am a carer.

I may try again though since they are cutting the lcwra rate in half next year.

I think you may be refering to where, they are piloting an idea where the doctor gives you support to work instead of a fit note?.