Official thread: ‘Get Britain Working’ White Paper released Tuesday 26th November

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Comments

  • Amaya_Ringo
    Amaya_Ringo Community Member Posts: 408 Championing

    I've just caught up with this thread. I still am frustrated that there's nothing in government rhetoric at the moment - or from charities and organisations supporting disabled people, Scope included - addressing disabled people who already work, and the lack of job security. The idea of getting disabled people into work is pointless if another slew of disabled people are being made redundant at the same time because we're in temporary contracts or working in local government, where disability accessibility is better but where funding is constantly being cut.

    I can't work full time, but I can work, and I do work. However, for me, the barrier with employment is getting through the interview and being considered for the job. Interviews discriminate SO MUCH against ND candidates and I've suffered from this time and time again. I have to make personal sacrifices and jump through additional hoops just to get to a point where I'm considered for a temporary contract, then potentially the whole rigmarole begins again. But still, all I hear in the media is the narrative of disabled people not working and how wonderful it would be if they all did…

    I feel like if there was more balanced reporting about disabled people already in employment, there might be less negative energy spent on people who can't work, as well. Because right now a lot of people out there think no disabled people are working at all, and that all disability benefits are "compensation" for not having a job. This is so far from the truth its painful - people either work or can't work, some claim benefits and some don't. But it's frustrating that in all of this discussion, literally nobody is interested in those of us already in work and in desperate need of protection and support.

    I also agree that people with invisible disabilities, including mental illness but also neurodiversity and others, are taking the majority of the backlash and that that backlash is here on this forum as well.

  • Kaliwax
    Kaliwax Community Member Posts: 101 Empowering
    edited December 2024

    I just self harmed myself because of some of the comments the people have been making about the disabled online.

    Let's withdraw benefits was some of the comments people was making, others was saying, ration for them, and make everything on benefits vouchers, some really cruel suggestions. It makes me angry these comments.

    I just wanted to respond to every one of them, but resisted my temptation to do so. People think being disabled and on benefits is fun it isn't. I'm in constant pain all day mentally and I can never ever feel comfortable or happy.

  • Andi66
    Andi66 Community Member Posts: 1,416 Championing

    Please don't read or listen to these comments, they are ignorant. They have no understanding of what it's like to be disabled. The media fuels this unfortunately. Take time for yourself and focus on you. Take care

  • Ironside1990
    Ironside1990 Community Member Posts: 393 Pioneering

    Just read on benefitsandwork.co.uk that we won't hear a verdict on the DWP and Ellen Clifford court case until the new year.

  • michael57
    michael57 Community Member Posts: 2,828 Championing
  • Amaya_Ringo
    Amaya_Ringo Community Member Posts: 408 Championing

    Chiarieds, that's it exactly.

    I lost my job during the last government 'push to get disabled into work' under Cameron and I feel like the same is likely again this time because I work for local government and they're already talking about cuts. The fact that disabled people disproportionately work in local government or public sector because accessibility is better understood seems to have been overlooked.

    The lack of understanding in government even about what benefit does what is also staggering. The fact some of the media are talking about PIP then describing ESA shows a complete lack of research going into any of these reports as well.

    Kaliwax, please take care of yourself. The people commenting online are doing so out of spite - not knowledge. Unfortunately some people glean enjoyment from hurting others. Those people are the pitiful ones, though. You are a warrior, stay strong.

  • Kaliwax
    Kaliwax Community Member Posts: 101 Empowering

    Thanks,

    One of the barriers people seem to see this isn't just for disabled people, but in general is buses. Arriva down my way are cutting everything from next year, my last bus is 5pm, compared to 4 years ago where we had 4 buses an hour each way. a sunday service and an evening service. People will struggle to get to work with a service like that

  • Andi66
    Andi66 Community Member Posts: 1,416 Championing
  • Andi66
    Andi66 Community Member Posts: 1,416 Championing

    This is from benefits and work, about Pip, dwp complete disarray

    https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/dwp-meltdown-spreads-to-pip-mrs

  • Amaya_Ringo
    Amaya_Ringo Community Member Posts: 408 Championing

    Kaliwax, you really don't want to get me started complaining about buses! LOL :) We had a great bus years ago but for political reasons it was taken off our neighbourhood and rooted into one more sympathetic to our council at the time. Since then we've had so much trouble with buses. Our current service is running so infrequently that there is one bus I can get to work, and generally am reliant on the last bus to get back. There's one bus all morning for people with passes to get to the local market town.

    When I was in London studying, I had transport and freedom for the first time since I was teenager. But here I have none of that. I am not comfortable in taxis so I basically have a curfew. And since I have to get the last bus home, I can't do anything on work days either. My navigation is too poor, especially in the dark, for me to be able to vary my means of transport much.

    And I have lost so many better job opportunities because I have no transport. This seems to be an area the government white paper isn't even touching on. How do we disabled, non-driving folk get to our places of work? I already have to leave over an hour earlier than I should have to because there is no bus in that direction for 2 and a half hours after mine.

    And this last couple of weeks alone I've waited over an hour in cumulative minutes for it when it's been late.

  • Andi66
    Andi66 Community Member Posts: 1,416 Championing

    Mine the same where I live , that's what I voted our usless uncaring MP for as he was going to sort the buses out. He hasn't. Made out he was for the people ,he's not.

  • Andi66
    Andi66 Community Member Posts: 1,416 Championing

    They are panicking because they now reform will do good in local elections and take their seats.

  • Kaliwax
    Kaliwax Community Member Posts: 101 Empowering

    I think a lot of labour supporters could move to the Lib Dems, Lib Dems are further to the left than Labour are nowadays

  • Andi66
    Andi66 Community Member Posts: 1,416 Championing

    I think email kendell maybe tell her our fears, the dwp backlog. Timms is usless

  • Kaliwax
    Kaliwax Community Member Posts: 101 Empowering

    I'm more worried about the far right getting in 5 years time. I think the far right, will get rid of any welfare all together

  • Ironside1990
    Ironside1990 Community Member Posts: 393 Pioneering

    They say that they want to do that, i don't think they'll be able to legally get away with it. If someone is in between jobs, they need money to heat their homes, buy food to eat and pay bills. To get rid of welfare was cause devastating destitution.

    if there is a policy that is controversial, who is there to reign the government in,if they get too big for their boots?

  • worried33
    worried33 Community Member Posts: 1,054 Championing

    What is not in dispute, however, is that the DWP predicts that around 457,000 people would be affected by the proposals by 2029, while the Office for Budget Responsibility estimates that just 15,400 of them – around one in 30 – will find paid work as a result. 

    And those figures, published in April this year, were not available to people responding to the DWP’s consultation.

    This is very important as it is correctly sourced, if the prediction is that with support 15000 people will find work, then why is there plans to reclassify nearly half a million people?
    Also of interest is that the DWP did this consultation before doing any kind of impact assessment. Whilst I cant see the case getting anywhere, I am glad someone has at least initiated it.

  • Andi66
    Andi66 Community Member Posts: 1,416 Championing

    If it is reform you are talking about they are not far right. Far right is what the nazi party was in Germany. They have not said they would get rid of welfare, they want people who are fit and able to work.

  • Morgan_Alumni
    Morgan_Alumni Posts: 781 Online Community Team

    Good morning @Catherine21. It's important to remember that the media often puts a spin on things or downplays issues. When they call it just 'bad backs and joint issues,' it can make people think that those affected don’t really need support from the DWP. In reality, these conditions can be very painful and limit people's ability to work or increase their support needs, so the help from DWP is really important.

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