Scope's official press statement regarding the Get Britain Working white paper.

Hi @toby50 - you can see the Govt's white paper here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/biggest-employment-reforms-in-a-generation-unveiled-to-get-britain-working-again

I don't like the coercive aspect. They should offer help, real useful help that engages with people where they are, rather than leading with threats to remove benefits. Of course that sanction may be appropriate in a few cases, but it shouldn't be hanging over honest claimants with honest difficulties who experience tremendous barriers to entering the workplace.

I suspect most of us fear for ourselves or our family member every time government turns its attention to benefits. We shouldn't have reason to, we should be able to trust that anyone who is too ill/disabled to work can rely on adequate support as an unquestioned right. My disabled daughter ought to feel safe in a compassionate society. It isn't, and she doesn't.

A lady above mentioned LCRWA

Please don't use just abbreviations, as we want to understand you folks.

The govt plans are worrying, however I have asserted my Right to Life, Article 2 of the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR), which the UK has not left, and which is separate from the European Union. I have also asserted my right to be treated with dignity and respect which is a basic constitutional right, and not to be talked down to, to be bullied or intimidated, and also includes right to respect my views. There are also pertinent laws against bullying, duty of care, health and safety, equal opportunities etc.

So, I'm asking SCOPE to

work with National Mind's legal Unit, lead by a barrister

work with Disability Rights UK and their legal advisors

All disability organisations in the UK and disability, and mental health groups, and the Disability Alliance

Labour should be ASHAMED of itself, and shamed by SCOPE and all disability and mental health groups in the media, who need to work out an effective media strategy to abolish these reforms, except when they are only encouraging and facilitating, respecting our humanity and needs.

I f SCOPE wishes me to advise it at it governing body, I am more than willing and able to do that just contact me

[personal information removed by moderator]

Never give up - our lives and health may depend on courageous alliances and persitance. We deserve better.

Milan Ghosh.

Is there a reason Scope aren't revealing minutes of these talks?

I will follow your advice and email that address, as all previous attempts at contact Scope about these sort of things got no response.

This all feels like a "get charities onside, then we can do what we want" sort of thing. The government is not inviting claimants to talk with them and the secretary of state is ignoring her disabled constituents.

I also feel we will get a bunch of people and the right wing press saying "see all these disabled people working, is proof they can all do it". The narrative given needs to be very careful, but fundamentally I do agree that it needs to be explained PIP isnt an out of work benefit, and there is disabled people that have jobs as all the speculation people are coming up with is nonsense.