Upcoming changes to benefits

Yes, I think it was :)

I work in an environment where it's useful to be highly literate and where IT skills are important. But there are also parts of my job that I avoid because of the logistical struggle to complete it, even though they're not considered 'hard' by my colleagues. Fortunately I work in a supportive environment and we all balance each other out - there are other tasks I can do more quickly than some of my colleagues can - but it just shows how blanket assumptions about disabilities are not helpful in working out what someone can do as a job. All workplaces are complex. It's not about 'mild' or 'serious' or 'profound' anything. It's about whether your skills are suited or not.

And if you have a fluctuating condition, even more so. I definitely have days my executive function is worse than others. On those days I am extra careful about how I complete my workload. I am also better in the morning, so I have asked my colleagues to schedule more complex tasks in the morning session, even if it means I often take the busy shift. These are all reasonable adjustments which were decided informally in my workplace among ourselves, because my manager is lovely and my team are great. But how many workplaces are willing to really sit down and do that with each and every disabled jobseeker?

I can also only work part time. Right now I work 21 hours a week, which is 3 full days. My bus is so bad that getting there and back is an extra 2 and a half hours travelling and waiting around on top of that. I often get in from work and crash for an hour or more. Many advertised jobs expect full time or are not as flexible as they advertise - which counts out people like me. The most I have ever managed to work is 25 hours. Any more than that causes complete burnout meltdown, which ultimately led to me leaving the position.

This is why they need to speak to us, not to the media or to "organisations" about work.

I have no confidence in people who don't even understand the disabilities concerned to make the right decisions for our dignity or quality of life.

I've been on enhanced since first applying for PIP; the award goes to 2028.

To keep this short, I handed in over 99+ pieces of supporting evidence(it was even remarked on by the assessors lol)

PIP have scrutinised everything to the nth degree ! -specialist contacts etc.

So with all these changes and the obvious chance of errors in assessments; the overall unfairness in certain cases. How would someone with constant variable symptoms that will never cease; somehow manage the costs of living after their money is reduced ,or entirely cut. How would someone manage to survive?

Especially if they have no friends or family.

sadly I only have benefit rise with inflation figures for 2025/26 year

The dwp wanted to start any pip rise in 2026/27 which there no data for that financial year yet (nor the 27/28 or 28/29 years) - though with everything going on in the world yearly inflation could be much higher than then the % used for benefit up-rating this financial year

I’d love to have the future data so I can give you all more accurate sums (though it may overwhelm some of you if I calculated to the pence

I put my hand up and say I’ve never had training in accounting or being a economist

But my maths skills are pretty solid

Also cpi was messed up in terms of 2025/26 welfare uprating - the state pension got the full 4% rise but reeves/kendall fiddled a bit with the exact dates used in calculating cpi for incapacity benefits (which I think pip is included in that but I’m not sure)

More explanation see below:

https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-10105/CBP-10105.pdf

@worried33 I don't know how to link im sorry, it was mostly management jobs, there was only 2 pages. Bottom of first page was an admin type job in Wrexham. I think it was the second page that was work coaches jobs or the work psychologist that refers to work coaches.

I'll be posting very shortly re Equality Act 2010.

Looks like the average weekly PIP rise for enhanced / enhanced over the last 8 years was £6.01

I think i should 🤐🤣

but by removing pip altogether is worse . Are they just incompetent are evil ? Maybe a bit of both

We have similar diagnoses 👍.. I'm back in St Thomas' London again in 2 weeks time.

Maybe i shouldnt go, as these cuts will miraculously make my symptoms disappear😎

They're going to have to almost rewrite PIP as part of the primary legislation process to achieve anything like they're proposing. I imagine that the Committee Stage of a future Bill, following its Second Reading will be very long with every word scrutinised and multiple amendments tabled.

that’s good news to hear thank you . Any idea how this will take especially if it goes to court.