About the PM's (Sunak's) speech: Stop demonising us

I know this post will be unpopular, but the common message on here appears to be along the lines of dont worry, they only plans etc, and people are advised to typically ignore it.

Its that mentality which causes multiple governments to continually pick on disabled people, precisely because we just sit here and take it.

If they are doing a consultation it means the wheels are in motion, it might be 1,2,3,4,5 years or whatever but its still in motion.

If we all wait until the policies are enacted before caring, then at that point it is too late to lobby, the time to do it is at time of consultation.

I responded to the consultation, and the questions have a very different vibe about them to the WCA consultation. The pip consultation, asks for proof on every single question why someone would have higher costs, I posted answers such as needing to pay for assistants, housekeepers, taxis and so forth. Not to mention that for many of us PIP covers a shortfall in ESA and housing benefits, but the fact they asking for proof on every answer suggests they have set it up in a way designed to get a certain result, not sure how that proof would be provided either given its just a basic text box.

The amount of changes being consulted on is absolutely huge, it will make the change from DLA to PIP seem like childs play as a comparison. From getting rid of half of the descriptors, removing cash from the majority of who still qualify, my MP actually is in the role of DWP, and she doesnt want to know, not a single response to any query I made, they were all made very polite and non aggressive and she simply chose to not respond.

Some of my answers were a tad aggressive on the form, as I felt the form was an insult, why do people who work for the DWP not understand the circumstances disabled people will fall in to. I feel like having to explain the costs associated with being disabled, was like I am a teacher explaining things to a child, the form in itself suggests there is a very bad cultural problem within the DWP. Ironically some years back the DWP actually did get consulted on, and every single one criticised it with cultural problems and one of them suggested getting rid of the DWP totally as a department as it rotten to the core.

I also pointed out on the form there will be many people with mobility issues that get daily living, but not mobility because the mobility criteria is excessively stringent, e.g. someone who can only mobilise 100 meters very likely still needs taxis, scooter or someone to drive them around as thats still a very short distance. But isnt recognised by PIP as needing support, so their daily living payments would be spent on those sort of things.

Absolutely baffling these things need explaining to the DWP.

If they need to make cuts options such as means testing or just a flat cut to the rate would all be more preferable, but as always its about moving the goal posts disqualifying people and the voucher ideas like people arent trusted with spending.

I plan to write to my new MP as soon as I can after the election, I will make sure they understand the urgency and severity of the situation, especially the UC migration and how the erosion of TP.is going to make us all thousands of pounds a year worse off. My rent goes up by at least £15 a week each year so add that to the freeze in inflation rises and I'm going to be struggling from year one, this is not going to be a gradual process. I simply can't afford to absorb that kind of cut without it severely affecting me.

Don't even get me started on how losing PIP will affect me, my rent rise won't be an issue for starters, because I won't be able afford the bedroom tax or indeed any kind of rent contribution at all...

I can't be the only one who uses my PIP to pay things like tbe bedroom tax, council tax and rent? They just have no idea...

Catherine, I've already advised you this so many times. At first when we migrate across we won't be any worse off. Gradually though the Transitional Protection will erode as other elements increase until eventually there will be no TP, which means our benefits will be frozen until the TP erodes completely.

That's not correct, you can have a lodger because there's no rules against this. However, for legacy benefits such as Income Related income of more than £20/week from a lodger will reduce your ESA. So for example, if you charge a lodger £70/week then your ESA will reduce by £50/week.

If there's at least 1 meal included for the lodger then the deduction for ESA would be 50% on income above £20/week. So if you charged them £100/week which includes at least 1 meal a day then the reduction in your ESA would be £25/week.

You could also lose your Council tax single person discount.

When claiming Universal Credit, rent from a lodger is completely ignored.

Of course you should still inform them because it's a change but it will not reduce your UC.

@worried33

I certainly hope that pip never becomes means tested because I would lose the benefit and how is that even fair because I worked hard for years and saved some money for my old age.

The savings I have don't qualify me for means tested benefits and as such I didn't qualify for the cost of living payments, neither do I qualify for rent rebate and I only get single persons council tax.

I never qualified for free prescriptions or warm home discount.