How soon will the changes happen?

Ross1975
Ross1975 Community member Posts: 9 Connected

It seems like there'll definitely be changes for the long term disabled, sick and mentally ill on benefits, and hopefully the changes wont be terrible.

Once Labour have decided what's going to happen. How long before it happens? Could it happen very soon, or is that unlikely?

Is it very likely it will take at least few years for it to happen? At least that would take some pressure off and enable us to get more prepared for it.

Comments

  • Ross1975
    Ross1975 Community member Posts: 9 Connected

    I wanted to put this into my original post but I'm unable to edit it for some reason.

    I'm absolutely worried sick about what they may do. I suffer from anxiety, depression, and possibly ADHD and I'm on LCWRA. I'm just unable to cope with living a regular life, or having to work or go on some training course. Certain things can cause me unbelievable distress and when this happens I will feel suicidal.

    I'm so worried that I will have to start going to the job centre and have a work coach wanting me to do things that I genuinley wouldn't even be able to force myself to do because of things like anxiety, and then for my money to be stopped because of not being able to do them. I'm so worried about having to go onto some training course or to take job.

    There's just no way I can do these things, and if my money is stopped or it's cut a lot I will become housebound because of not being able to afford to run the car any more, I wont be able to pay the bills which will mean I wont have any electricity or gas, there will be the worry of being taken to court because of not being able to pay the council tax, and I will starve to death.

    All this on top of having to deal with noisy neighbours almost 24 hours a day every day, so life is barely tolerable as it is.

  • Rachel_Scope
    Rachel_Scope Posts: 1,059 Online Community Coordinator

    Hi @Ross1975. It's hard to know when changes will happen and what those changes might be. I imagine it will take some time so there will be time to adjust.

  • Numan
    Numan Community member Posts: 15 Connected

    Hi Rachel….i am unsure what you mean by "adjusting" ?

  • Numan
    Numan Community member Posts: 15 Connected

    Because at the moment i am terrified between having to choose between medication,specialist medical care ,transport to medical appointments etc.The green paper makes you put a priority on these essentials plus other less important things like food…oh dear :-( .Without any of the above,personally,im done.

  • WhatThe
    WhatThe Community member, Scope Member Posts: 1,816 Championing
    edited July 12

    woodbine, we do know. It was debated in 2015 and written into the 2016 Welfare Reform and Work Act.

    The information is out there and always has been.

  • Numan
    Numan Community member Posts: 15 Connected

    Thanks for replying woodbine.I have been trying to fill in the Green paper and i find some of the questions absurd and grotesque to even ask such things.Its all very leading also.The brief relief i had when the tories were voted out has personally eroded and the silence from labour has killed all my hope.So much that maybe i should have voted for the devil i knew !! I appreciate your reply though.

  • WhatThe
    WhatThe Community member, Scope Member Posts: 1,816 Championing

    Labour's 2015 manifesto for disabled people is worth a read

  • WhatThe
    WhatThe Community member, Scope Member Posts: 1,816 Championing

    Labour's manifesto for disabled people was written before Sir Keir was elected MP. Not his fault, none of it - he voted against the welfare cuts and changes debated in 2015 which became law in 2016.

    The snake in the Labour Party is Stephen Timms, a disability minister once again. Chair of the Work and Pensions Select Committee but he's not on our side. We need to target the right people and hold them to account.

  • apple85
    apple85 Community member Posts: 574 Pioneering

    I’m curious to hear your reasons to why Stephen Timms is a snake (I’m genuinely interested as I don’t know massive amounts about him)

    I mean I’ve been reading up about him and there seems to be pros and cons - what I will say is that those members of both the disabled community and lbgqt2+ community may not be the happiest with that appointment

    I think I would of preferred foxcroft to have stayed in the role but honestly I need more time to mull on what this could mean going forward

  • WhatThe
    WhatThe Community member, Scope Member Posts: 1,816 Championing

    Look up his parliamentary career - 20+ years in social security.

    He signed off the WCA in 2008 then supported the 2015 reforms knowing the harm these would cause vulnerable and disabled people.