Labour doubles down on slashing billions from DWP's disability benefits bill

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Comments

  • carbow32
    carbow32 Online Community Member Posts: 253 Empowering

    I voted for them blind then. Never again if they **** me over.

  • carbow32
    carbow32 Online Community Member Posts: 253 Empowering

    Work and Pensions Secretary says some people on benefits ‘taking the mickey’

    Now we are taking the mickey on top of everything else. What a joke!

  • carbow32
    carbow32 Online Community Member Posts: 253 Empowering
  • Zipz
    Zipz Online Community Member Posts: 1,973 Pioneering

    Has anybody see the Daily Telegraph this morning and has read the above reference to Starmer? Meanwhile, Liz Kendall is suggesting some claimants are "Taking the Mickey".

  • carbow32
    carbow32 Online Community Member Posts: 253 Empowering

    Just seen it in The Daily Mail .. we're taking the mickey I think she is taking the mickey

    How childish!

  • MW123
    MW123 Scope Member Posts: 1,135 Championing

    You raise some interesting questions. Legally, adulthood is defined at 18, marking the end of being considered a minor. However, societal views on when you stop being 'young' are a bit more complex. For example, insurance companies tend to consider drivers under 25 as higher risk, and the benefit system generally assumes that younger individuals need less financial support. This reflects a broader societal perception that those under 25 are still seen as 'young' in terms of maturity and independence. Ultimately, though, when someone stops being 'young' really depends on individual perspective and context.

    As for generational comparisons, I don’t think earlier generations were necessarily 'stronger.' Instead, societal expectations and available support systems were different. In the past, there was less support for people with health conditions or other challenges, so individuals had to rely more on their own resilience and often turned to family and friends for help, rather than expecting external or benefit support. As the world changes, so do our views on what resilience and toughness look like. It’s all about understanding the different challenges faced by each generation.

    I understand your concern about the rise in claimants since 2020, but I don’t think it’s fair to single them out. Many of these claimants are affected by long COVID and mental health issues, which are just as serious as those of long-term claimants prior to 2020. If the DWP imposed different standards based on when someone became unwell, it would be unfair, suggesting that conditions like long COVID or mental health issues are less severe depending on the timing. If mental health issues were redefined, that would need to apply to all claimants, not just those who claimed after 2020. The DWP must ensure all claimants are treated equally.

    Regarding your question about a significant number of people claiming disability benefits who may not be entitled to them, I currently receive enhanced mobility and daily living support but no other benefits. I previously worked full-time but reduced my hours to 30 per week due to the limitations imposed by my health conditions. From your post, I wasn’t sure if you believe that disabled people who work should be excluded from claiming PIP to reduce the benefit bill. However, those working with disabilities face the same additional costs as individuals who are too ill to work, and PIP helps cover those costs, enabling them to remain employed. I strongly believe that if you are of working age and fully capable of contributing to the workforce, you have a responsibility to do so. Countless individuals with disabilities defy expectations every day by working, demonstrating resilience, determination, and a commitment to independence.

  • worried33
    worried33 Online Community Member Posts: 915 Championing

    I think her claims for second home expenses are taking the mickey.

  • WhatThe
    WhatThe Online Community Member, Scope Member Posts: 3,861 Championing

    Nightcity, the rules about who in addition to GP's could issue a 'fit note' - Med 3 Statement of Fitness to work - were changed in 2016 under the Welfare Reform and Work Act. This changed what was permissible under The Medical Evidence regulations.

    Conservative Peer's question asking whether there are plans to reform the 'fit note' (again) has been answered correctly but it's not the whole story, as ever.

  • WhatThe
    WhatThe Online Community Member, Scope Member Posts: 3,861 Championing

    Politics is the 'art' of lying.

  • stressed76
    stressed76 Online Community Member Posts: 70 Empowering

    Just read a bit on sky news about her itv interview, she does say people taking the mickey but in the context of as there always has been in the past people who take the mick, i think most of us know someone, i know i did. I tore a muscle in my spine & had problems walking & other things but was refused dla (going back a bit) a woman i knew who had back problems was out jogging every day & was awarded it & she said it was awarded for her back as she had no other health conditions. The problem is the number of people who take the mick is so small they are tarring us all with the same brush in the name of cost cutting because disabled lives don't matter to those in power

  • stressed76
    stressed76 Online Community Member Posts: 70 Empowering

    Argree, we have to pay for pur meals etc when we have worked (people who have been able too) but they get it paid for on top of the £80,000,

  • Ironside1990
    Ironside1990 Online Community Member Posts: 314 Empowering

    I think she said that being in charge of the DWP is something that she's always wanted to do.

    I think she has ideas above her station and she needs reining in. Not everyone who lives on benefits is taking the mickey. She is not a very nice person at all, especially when it comes to disabled people. I bet she responds to residents of her constituency who aren't disabled. People who are disabled, she doesn't give the time of day!

  • WhatThe
    WhatThe Online Community Member, Scope Member Posts: 3,861 Championing

    stressed, bear in mind that this PM has taken a massive pay cut to do the job! He is not doing it for the money.

  • WhatThe
    WhatThe Online Community Member, Scope Member Posts: 3,861 Championing

    Maybe we should pick our next PM from the current lot?

    Any suggestions? 🤔

  • WhatThe
    WhatThe Online Community Member, Scope Member Posts: 3,861 Championing

    I don't think it's anyone's fault that I've struggled and had to manage with very little money.

    "The world doesn't owe you a living" I was always told.

  • Zipz
    Zipz Online Community Member Posts: 1,973 Pioneering

    @WhatThe Over the years, I haven't minded not having the things my peer group takes for granted. I got used to the terrible hurt caused by the loss of career goals and my hopes for a good future. I have always and continue to mind politicians' hate speech and the fear of what is to come to make life harder.

  • apple85
    apple85 Online Community Member Posts: 892 Championing

    I’ll respond in depth later if that’s okay

    For now id like to clarify that I am very very very against the idea of PIP going means tested and I think if anything award amounts should be raised (or an in work element added on top of care and mobility elements) giving those disabled in work or just a decent pip award the option to ditch their uc award altogether

    It’s certainly not my intent to throw the younger generation under the bus - I’m well aware they have the new pressures of social media and pressures from both the far right and far left (I wouldn’t want to go back to being a teenager today) - a couple of family members have worked in sixth form edition for over 20 years and I have a sibling who is over 10 years younger then myself so I’m very familiar with that generation in my pocket of the country but obviously my personal observations aren’t covering a far enough cross section - there are some of the Millennials & Generation Z that blow me away with their maturity and insight beyond their years, but there are also those that seem rather ‘delicate’ when compared to my own generation (where it seems very little pushes some of them ‘over the edge’ and life goals seem more ambitious but they don’t realise you need to start at the bottom)

    also I had no intent throwing new 2020-2025 claimants under the bus. Covid disabled a huge amount of ppl (because Boris and co made mistakes over pandemic) and the nhs is in such a mess and mental health services so under funded that the last Tory government are the huge reason behind the hike in disabled claimants (also the cost of living forced many disabled in having to claim for the first time - as let’s be honest, if we could financially afford it what sane disabled person would chose to put themselves at the dwp mercy)

    I don’t have time to finish my train of thought now (family has just come over) but have any of the new 2020-2025 ever had a f2f assessment? - it’s much easier to control the narrative over the phone as body language/facial expressions can’t be taken into account and f2f assessments may actually aid some disabled argument - when I say the dwp should focus on the newbies I mean that everyone who’s never had a face to face assessment should have one and those of us with incurable lifelong conditions & disabilities that have had multiple assessments (f2f, phone and paper based) should be put on the back burner by the dwp imo

  • Catherine21
    Catherine21 Posts: 5,577 Championing

    If they cut money but still ruled as not working because left to myself i wouldnt be able to work and crumble

  • JasonRA
    JasonRA Online Community Member Posts: 201 Trailblazing

    Thing is Liz Kendall says one thing then puts out a more compassionate piece on the same coin. Labour have to stop this dog whistling to the more Conservative orientated News sites but they're doing this because their support is going to the Reform Party who are becoming a clear electoral threat to Labour.

  • worried33
    worried33 Online Community Member Posts: 915 Championing

    Remember her claims pre election about how disabled people would no longer be treated with disdain, since elected, she had to scrap a plan to send job centre staff to hospital wards, and now making claims like in that article.