Upcoming changes to benefits

This thread fails to take in reputable reports since last Friday, including Kier Starmer’s meeting with members of the parliamentary Labour Party last night. This was reported and analysed in depth in today’s issue of “The Financial Times”, which has added to my own fears. There was a good deal more about PIP than simply freezing the benefit.

In addition, a key thread has been closed and another to do with taking peaceful action and making our voices heard appears to have been deleted. Hence, I’ll post the thoughts I intended to float there here instead.

Yes. We need to lobby Members of both Houses of parliament but there’s soft power out there too and we need to get those people on side.

Some time ago, there was a thread on the neuro-diversity forum to do with autism and churches. It has been closed. However, it highlighted than many Scope members have a religious faith.

The current government’s proposals are well beyond the teaching of Christianity and Judaism. In Psalm 140, you’ll find the words, “I know that the Lord secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy.” Proverbs 31 instructs us: “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” These texts are common to Christianity and Judaism. I’m sure similar could be found in the teaching of Islam and other faiths.

It’s time we heard more not just from politicians but from faith leaders. I’m urging Scope users to contact every diocesan bishop and assistant/suffrage bishop in the country. Twenty-six Anglican diocesan bishops sit in the House of Lords. Jewish and Islamic faith leaders are also represented.

List of bishops in the Church of England - Wikipedia

Diocesan Bishops of England and Wales - Catholic Bishops' Conference

I’m urging Scope users to contact, say, three faith leaders or as many as they can manage.

Thank you, Zipz

SO what's was the bloody point moving people from ESA to UC? and then in 50% of cases given them more money???

This whole situation is barmy, within a month were now getting told that the extra money shouldn't have happened and they going to cut it?

If I'm honest it's the governments own faults, you can't keep moving people and introducing new scheme and then shafting people down the line. It was them who brought in the premiums, then hid them and then had to pay out.. once again its happen.

When they changed DLA to Pip they got rid of the middle rates but that just seems to have pushed some people on to the higher rates..

I bet there is no way in hell there will ever make that £5bn in cuts unless they really go for it, IE no one gets it. PIP will never got up again…

And another freeze: Remember when IB/ESA never went up for 9 years???

If they had buggered off and left everyone alone, with the new ESA in 2012 none of this would have happened and everyone would know were they were.

I’m in the SW and we utility reductions too .

I came across it by chance with SSW as called them last year when my husband was in hospital asking for a payment hold I had to give up my job to care for him when he was to be discharged and was told they would also put us on a lower payment for a year and since found out they are doing it for a second year but it has gone up slightly . It’s worth calling them

I had a lifetime award of DLA for nearly 25 years, much of that time of the high rate for both components. As a PIP claimant, I have the equivalent rates for an indefinite period (10 years). You are right to say that many DLA claimants went from middle to high rates without a change in their conditions/s when applying for PIP. I wish they'd left DLA alone for those with lifelong awards even if they'd made it taxable income. It was very, very hard to get but it was security.

I suspect that once PIP is frozen it will never "thaw".

Billions have been wasted mucking about.

LCWRA is being cut next month!?

This is the most accurate assessment of what might happen I’ve read. It’s from the ‘Joseph Rowntree foundation’ and shows where cuts to the Low capacity for work/ PIP might fall. The eligibility criteria is also discussed but you have to scroll down. I’m not sure the bulk of these changes can happen quickly.. green paper to white paper etc. Plus disabled people are being targeted first ( easy victims)because they plan to tax everyone eventually. They are softening the blow to universal taxing, layoffs of civil servants and pensions amendments IMO. The ITV leak was planned.. again Starmer / Reeves paving the way.. pen a letter to your MP.

Hi Maggie, no link appeared sadly. My assumption at this point descriptors mentioned in the PIP consultation will be candidates. Since that consultation was already done, they could perhaps do it without a new one.