How many of us are scared of the dwp?

245

Comments

  • Kittylees53
    Kittylees53 Community member Posts: 10 Listener
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/942509#Comment_942509

    I am actually taking about PIP rather than LCWRA (which I do get thankfully). It was when I reported an extra three conditions and how they had made my life deteriorate, that my PIP changed from Enhanced to 0 points ! I had been claiming PIP for approximately 5 years previously, had two previous assessment and both times awarded PIP. I actually wished after that I had not reported the “change of circumstances” (the new conditions and affects additional to those I had previously) 😞.

  • michael57
    michael57 Community member Posts: 804 Trailblazing
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/942553#Comment_942553

    if you were on enhanced why did you notify them of more conditions enhanced is the maximum you can get on pip unless you were on enhanced for one and not the other

  • Kittylees53
    Kittylees53 Community member Posts: 10 Listener
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/942558#Comment_942558

    Apologies I meant Enhanced on Daily Living only and my new conditions where affecting my mobility

  • michael57
    michael57 Community member Posts: 804 Trailblazing
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/942560#Comment_942560

    no need to apologise

  • Catherine21
    Catherine21 Posts: 2,676 Championing
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/942535#Comment_942535

    Me to I'm worried deprivation of assessts now and before that ic and before that I write to Stephen timms I thought I'd get arrested I hate this part of me but DWP is the only thing that has ne on my knees

  • griff62
    griff62 Community member Posts: 19 Listener

    whistles

    I was terrified about moving from working tax to universal credit. I was on £22 a month on wt so thought I would get zilch on uc. How wrong was i? From £22 to £370 a month. I wish I’d done it sooner but I waited until they migrated me. I can finally afford my bills & weekly shop now.

  • JW77
    JW77 Community member Posts: 115 Empowering

    Scared of the DWP - no, disgusted by the department yes.
    But have I had anxiety through the roof, suicidal thoughts, feelings of worthlessness, being a fraud, & being in some very dark places when filling in my earlier PIP form. then yes.

    I now don't do any forms/paperwork etc directed to the DPW without support and seeking advice/advocacy.

  • Nightcity
    Nightcity Community member, Scope Member Posts: 2,528 Championing

    Scared? no!

    think they are vile? yes

    wish they'd just **** off yes

    They gave me two breakdowns years ago kept going on at me, in the end my GP and psychiatrist both sent them strong letters which effectively said back off with my psychiatrist even threatening to sue then on my behalf.

    I decided after those breakdowns to keep worrying to a minimum and certainly not to be scared of them.

    I am fortunate enough to have an appointee, amazing GP and amazing welfare officer who won't even let them get directly to me as they legally have to go through them, I stay out of it and personally ignore anything and everything to do with the DWP and they shake them off between them.

    I'm stubborn and defiant anyway where the dwp are concerned and won't ever play their games and put my peace of mind at risk and my wonderful support won't either.

  • Jimm_Scope
    Jimm_Scope Posts: 5,410 Scope Online Community Specialist

    Some people have been made better off with Universal Credit, some have unfortunately also been made worse off. I think the goal of simplifying the benefits system is an important one as often it's the complexity that means people miss out on what they are eligible for, or don't even know if they are eligible for anything at all. But it certainly could have been done better…

  • Ironside1990
    Ironside1990 Community member Posts: 204 Empowering

    UC is built on coercion and threats. Someone could be sanctioned for being late to an appointment, even though sometimes it's through no fault of their own.

  • Catherine21
    Catherine21 Posts: 2,676 Championing
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/942693#Comment_942693

    Spot on light been sent to The gallows impending doom

  • whistles
    whistles Community member Posts: 1,852 Championing
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/942711#Comment_942711

    When I lost the daily living and sdp, nobody suggested I apply for uc with the lcwra element. Maybe it didn't exist five years ago.

    It will simplify the system, but I still haven't grasped why uc is involved with the rent. That's going to impact how much the council gets to spend surely?

  • malvinmulch
    malvinmulch Community member Posts: 68 Empowering
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/942524#Comment_942524

    DANGER - LCWRA WILL erode your transitional protection and in my case left me £200 a month worse off than if I had not claimed LCWRA (my wife and I are each others carers)

  • JF7891
    JF7891 Scope Member Posts: 72 Contributor
    edited November 18
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/942815#Comment_942815

    I think you are confusing contributory with income-based ESA and LCWRA, after the credits run out, you'll get income-related i.e. means tested, and all is a mute point on both ends, as everyone will be on UC soon. I agree with scope's guidance and stance in applying sooner than later, at this moment in time its all easily done online when done voluntarily, albeit with one hiccup of having to tell them a couple of times that I was already approved for support group and that nothing changed. And then it was a smooth transition.

    However it is obviously not enough money at all. But really the crux of the matter is that shrinkflation and inflation we are squeezed into at the same time. Any healthy food has now quadrupled in price, literally. Hence we depend on cheaper fast food and we overrun the ailing NHS.

    I think all of us vulnerable people and minorities shouldn't just complain to the government and press them for money, the money would come naturally if the bloody corrupt industry watchdogs if we demand it and the word gets out e.g. with the water companies, and fashion as well as food companies etc. get held accountable. The companies are taking the government hostage, especially in the last 2 decades of austerity, and promise new investment and more money and jobs for people, which never happened (see stagnating GDP growth). These promises were never fulfilled, in fact these new 'mafias' are just squeezing even more out of the system and our benefits. These watchdogs have become a farse, they were all employed by the corrupt tory government from the last 14 years, just like with trump and his cronies in the supreme court judges of the USA, and need replacing with sharp-toothed bulldogs that go after these rampant economic criminals.

  • Catherine21
    Catherine21 Posts: 2,676 Championing
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/942815#Comment_942815

    Oh really god it all sucks

  • Dendoo
    Dendoo Community member Posts: 124 Empowering
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/942815#Comment_942815

    oh wow ! That’s bad

  • whistles
    whistles Community member Posts: 1,852 Championing

    The tp gets eroded so you are left with the amount, it shouldn't be less than when you applied.

  • Catherine21
    Catherine21 Posts: 2,676 Championing
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/942883#Comment_942883

    I Just can't get my head around this do you get less over time

  • JF7891
    JF7891 Scope Member Posts: 72 Contributor
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/942884#Comment_942884

    https://www.gov.uk/guidance/transitional-protection-if-you-receive-a-migration-notice-letter

    "Changes that can decrease your transitional protection payments 

    Your transitional protection payments can decrease over time following a change in your circumstances. Changes can include:

    • having a child
    • starting to care for a child or disabled person
    • an increase in housing costs (rent)
    • a worsening health condition
    • changes to government benefit rates

    This is because these changes are likely to increase your Universal Credit amount."

    "How your Universal Credit entitlement affects your transitional protection payments

    If your Universal Credit entitlement increases, your transitional protection payment will decrease by the same amount. Childcare costs are the only exception.

    Further increases to your Universal Credit amount can eventually end your transitional protection payments. This will only happen if your entitlement is the same or more on Universal Credit."

    In effect this means, that smaller add-on benefits due to smaller changes in circumstances will be gated behind the UC amount, resulting in higher requirements for additional benefits such as a PIP component for e.g. depression or anxiety. It basically gives the government a card blanche to officially acknowledge your additional requirements and disabilities, but not giving you more based on the smaller amount itemized per additional need.
    On the one hand it makes guesswork and subjectivity behind things such as PIP points a little less offensive, on the other it basically puts a price on your life itself both in quantity as well as quality. It will basically turn into a market value of your health, your genes, your body, and in my opinion this will be ethically intolerable.

  • JF7891
    JF7891 Scope Member Posts: 72 Contributor

    That's basically the long-term effect of that, in short term it all stays the same. It's not a law to plug a legal hole in the new benefits system, they are already protected, we would neither be worse or better off as we are not the decision-makers. The fact is, this will make us all worse off in the long run, because there is no other reason than to use this transitional protection for 'gating' certain benefits in the future.

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