Activising my MP...
Hi everyone,
Thought you'd like to know I've had some positive results after emailing my MP. Our's is a Liberal but seems pretty keen, replying quickly and putting in an early day motion to Parliament.
This battle isn't over folks, don't give up and let the Labour front bench walk over us. We are many and can raise a right din they won't forget in a hurry.
Our MP has put in an early day motion to Parliament + written to both Timms and Reeves.
Here is the early day motion (let me know if you can't read it):
Here is Timm's reply to my MP - yep, it's pretty crass:
Now here is my MP's reply to me…
Ok well they seem rather fixated on the PIP voucher proposals at the moment, although maybe they know something we don't. But all in all they seem keen to help.
I've posted Rowntree's report to my MP explaining why benefits should be raised. We need to push this point too folks, Labour have to realise they aren't doing themselves any favours pushing us even further into poverty - it won't force us into work, it'll make it even harder for us to return.
If anyone has missed Rowntree's report, here's the link:
Comments
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I don't think vouchers will happen. As your MP says, the idea of vouchers will undermine our independence and push us into poverty, with no way out. It will also undermine Labour's efforts to get disabled people who are able to work, as many claimants use public transport to get to A to B, including work.
The idea to replace PIP cash with vouchers, was never about promoting our independence, but penny pinching. Plus it was a proposal by the Conservatives. If we have a new government and they resurrect policies from the previous government, then what is the point in having an election in the first place?
Your MP is a good person.
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Just been watching a replay of Starmer's announcement to increase defense spending yesterday.
The bit to watch is when Badenoch stands up to say she welcome's Starmer's announcement they will slash foreign aid. She then challenges Labour to implement the Tories' planned welfare "reforms" IN FULL (ie PIP vouchers et al).
The camera pans to Labour's front bench: Starmer + Raynor have poker faces, but Reeves nods approvingly.
This is crucial:
Reeves shows her intention is to slash welfare just like the Tories. But according to Labour, the increase in defense spending is supposed to come from foreign aid + "creative accounting" in predicted growth + tax receipts.
So Reeves looks like her true intention to slash welfare spending is ideological.
You can see Reeves nodding in the video below (it's about 6 mins in):
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I think what Rachel Reeves wants to happen and what actually happens are two different things. There is obviously a long process to changing benefits.
Many people when doing the last consultation, didn't want vouchers and loads of companies are against it.
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Yes you're right Ironside, lets hope she doesn't get her way
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what the point in having elections…. 😁
As a result, whole-process people's democracy critiques liberal democracy for its excessive focus on procedure.[40]It is clear that the British model of democracy is not perfect. I doubt that anywhere in the world there are pensioners and disabled people freezing at home.
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Pleasantly surprised to receive a quite decent reply from my MP, Satvir Kaur today, a C&P below…
Dear
I hope you are well, and thank you very much for contacting me to share your concerns about the disability benefits system. I understand your concerns and will of course raise them with the relevant department. If you or someone you know is affected by any of the concerns raised, please do let me know, and me and my team will do our best to help.
Disabilities are wide-ranging, complex and each person has their own story about how their disability affects their lives. In my constituency of Southampton Test 17.1% of people are disabled under Equality Act – that’s almost one in five constituents. I want to do my best to listen to the needs and views to everyone.
As Leader of the Council and as a local councillor, I oversaw an welfare reform scrutiny inquiry and followed through on recommendations from it to ensure that those with disabilities have more say over policy-making, and are given the support they need to play an active part in all aspects of society. I have worked closely with the brilliant local charity SARC (Southampton Advice & Representation Centre), and I understand the difficulties in the benefit system for those with disabilities who haven’t been treated fairly, especially when it comes to PIP.
Further to this, I proudly stood on a manifesto which championed the rights of disabled people and to working with them, so that their views and voices will be at the heart of Government policy.
Further details about the Government’s plans will be laid out ahead of the Chancellor’s Spring Statement on 26 March. But let me assure you that I support a different approach to that taken by the previous Conservative Government. As stated in the manifesto I stood on, I am committed to championing the rights of disabled people and to the principle of working with them, so that their views will be at the heart of policy.
In its White Paper, Get Britain Working, the Government outlines its ambition to reform the broken Work Capability Assessment. The goal is to create a system that is trusted by its users, while being simpler to navigate and empowering disabled people. The White Paper is clear that disabled voices will form the basis of these reforms and that any changes will work to reduce poverty for disabled people.
More widely, I want to see a social security system that gets decisions right the first time. I welcomed the commitment, in the October 2024 Budget, to fund more than £800 million in disability employment support and I also favour reforms that can give practical help and support to people when it comes to getting a job and staying in work, for those where this is an option.
Please let me know if you have any questions or further concerns. I hope this reassures you that I’ll continue to do all I can to support disabled people. I’m committed to prioritising and listening to disabled voices, as the Government shares more details on its plans for reforming the social security system in the coming months.
Thank you again for writing to me about this important issue.Best,
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I'd qualify your last sentence egister with "anywhere else in the developed world" - there are of course plenty of countries with no support at all for pensioners or disabled. But we don't want to align living standards in the "6th richest country" with those scraping a living or with autocratic regimes…
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She sounds a really genuine MP Jessie - yes pleasantly surprised! Although it remains to be seen whether those like her will have much influence on the policies formulated by Reeves & Co. Watched a pretty brief news item to on BBC, they say they're planning to make deep cuts to allowances to support the disabled in work - the last thing they should be doing if they want to encourage more disabled into work - something you might want to bring up with Satvir as she invited you to write back…
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It's nice to be surprised in that way, @FeistyPigeon, I didn't really think I'd get a reply. Plus, I hadn't realised she'd worked with SARC when leader & councillor, they are the local charity that helped me, a great little team there.
Well if they're going to use a stick instead of a carrot, they aren't going to get far & that will be a sure way to a public outcry with maybe a lot more support for us in quashing it. There seems to be many stories going around & TBH, I don't watch any news, as it's never good & just makes my head explode. If it is, I'm soon told. The beauty of here really, I know that many of you update us when anything real comes up, for which I'm grateful. Yes, I can contact her again & the door is open for me to spread her word & get folks I know to write to her too, which is great. Not sure she could do anything, but the more like minded MPs there are that have been contacted, the bigger the swell.
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@Ironside1990 I had an idea about vouchers this morning (I'm not being facetious saying this). Its been germinating in my mind since 0330hrs. IF PIP is changed to vouchers I will have to start paying my energy/water bills etc by voucher too (and some of my rent to HA), I'll create my own in the same design, cancel my direct debits (not out of spite but because there just won't be the money there). I eat every other day, have had to cancel my Wiltshire Foods delivery 'cos of £s. Can only hope that if vouchers replace the PIP payments that they're allowed to be used towards rent etc. I've been racking my brains to work out a better way but haven't found one yet.
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I was only talking about heating houses, the high cost of which is really killing people in the UK only.
If we consider the countries of the former USSR to be tyrannies, then there are definitely no problems with heating the houses of pensioners and the disabled.
Since the times of the USSR, they have had discounts on heating, electricity, water, and so on - 50%. In Russian-controlled Abkhazia, electricity is generally free for all households.
Thank you very much, Google Translate!1 -
Not a long-term solution Santosha but have you tried applying for household support? I know it varies around the country but you could be lucky, they want to know if you're short of money for food and if your energy account is really low and in danger of going into the red. You don't need to be signing on, anyone struggling can apply, benefits or not. I tried first time after Xmas + they gave me £70 x 4 food vouchers, quite frankly I was amazed…
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Just picturing your head exploding Jessie - eek!!
Here's a bit of news so hold onto your head! Was watching Peston last night, he's quite right-wing but his side-kick Anushka is really good. She said the latest is they're going to "reform" the medical assessment and proposing to make PIP means tested (or "mean" tested). She challenged the Labour MP (Rupa Huq) and said Sunak had come up with the idea of means testing PIP but they rejected it as they thought it too cruel. She said Huq didn't seem at all fazed by the proposal, and there was the usual "we have to get people off benefits" waffle…
So anyway, I think we can probably assume they will do these things. The green paper is being announced in Parliament 26th this month.
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@FeistyPigeon thanks so much for your suggestion I had forgotten about that. I tried to apply around october time but kept being told to ring back next week which I did every week, every week they told me it's not opened yet. Then we got to Christmas and I got pneumonia was ill with that for 7 or 8 weeks as it ended up being double pneumonia and have lost 30% of my kidney function which is permanent ive just found out last night 🙄. I'll ring my council tomorrow to see if they are running the scheme again I'll probably have to ask for a food voucher. Very many thanks again I am grateful, can't believe I forgot about that!
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Oh dear Santosha so sorry to hear what you've been through : (
Hope you're feeling more yourself now. I've had pneumonia, I know it can be grim / frightening. Take things easy if you can, you might start feeling more perky in a couple of months when the weather improves. At least you didn't lose you kidney completely, it comes on so quick doesn't it?
Yes it is easy to forget about Household Support, they don't publicise it, probably to save money. I'll put up a new post to remind everyone. Best of luck, let us know if you get somewhere with them x
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The voucher system would take millions to administer its now being "leaked" to the press
expect job losses at the DWP and other Depts with more focus on AI, etc.
Said in another post, If the situation was now so dire the 1st thing they would talk about is Brexit and the huge amount of money being thrown down the toilet on a yearly basis.
My sisters company is near collapse owing to the huge amount of red tape as 80% of the trade is with the EU, Drivers actually pick straws to see who's going to "hell" that's what they call Dover, when its peak season they can spend days down there and everywhere is a toilet.
Reeves then has the nerve to talk about Growth, Disabled people pay VAT, Disabled people and those on low incomes are the ones who have to spend the money they have just to live.
So that money is going straight back to them, Its like all the outrage over mobility cars, Right wing Press suggesting they are free.. does that include the fuel? The UN report is spot on.
If anyone wonders what Reeves and Kendall are thinking months before the last GE Blair gave a speech, suggesting nearly everything could be done via AI at the DWP, and NHS, Saving billions on Wages, Its been largely ignored but when he won in 1997 he wanted to scrap DLA then and Prescott made it plain he went near it and there would be hell this was downgraded to a "chat" with Claimants to see if they were on the right money. Reeves and Kendall are following the blueprint Blair laid out last year, I've been trying to find a link to the speech but so far all the leaks are nearly word for word what Blair spoke about.
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I'm pretty sure he's still operating behind the scenes Vulcress.
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😆 It would be an improvement really! 😉
OFGS, it's just a constant! If it was thought cruel before, then that's not changed, only the colour has. I think it's a case of waiting until the words come out of the horse's mouth, then we will have the full picture. Far better then any things that have been coming out & nobody knows if they're a leak, Chinese whispers or what some would like to happen. The press in all forms can be a danger to health, at the moment it seems it has gone into overdrive from the snippets I see on here. 🤯 There, it happened! 😶
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AAw Thanks @FeistyPigeon I will. I definitely feel better than I did it was very scary! My oxygen kept dropping to 81/82 when I'd moved around for just 5mins. Now it's only going down to 88 so still breathless but because I have some emphysema (COOD) too, that's considered normal. A new steroid inhaler is helping.
The scary thing is my blood pressure is too high which can also damage the kidneys I'm on high meds for that being tweaked at the moment (taking at night instead of morning) so I'm hoping that will make a difference. I probably need to stop watching the news 🤭😅😪.
I'll go on the council website today and see how the land lies but will update on here. Thanks again @FeistyPigeon - you're very kind 😊
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@FeistyPigeon meant to say they found a lot of scarring in my left lung but that's from when i caught Covid x 3 in 2020 to 2022 but I've been uncomfortable with left lung since last April. I suggested a CT scan which GP refused and said when I get ill again if antibiotics don't work again I'll be sent then. I can't be bothered to argue about it anymore. It took them 2 years to be referred to bowel consultant and that's knackered (excuse the language!) now and 4 diagnoses which look like can't get fixed. I've got appt on April 8th with consultant but don't want to get my hopes up that they can do something as it's a steep fall down (mentally) if I learn they can't. Sorry state of affairs really. I'm looking forward to Spring though it's supposed to be nice weather next week although mostly stuck indoors as roof being replaced by council so a complete racket as well 🙃 🤣🤣
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