More Stupidity

The Coalition Government plans to scrap DLA in favour of a new objective benefit called Personal Independence Payments and will include a medical assessment in order for a claimant to prove entitlement according to a public consultation paper into DLA reform.

So the attack on sick and disabled people is set to continue! Please share this frightening information with as many people and groups as possible so that a proper campaign against scrapping DLA can be coordinated. I can see these changes bringing out a huge number of people onto the streets in protest to show the government that ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!

The full consultation can viewed and downloaded here;

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/dla-reform-consultation.pdf

The following comes from that said report;

THE GOVERNMENTS APPROACH TO DISABILITY BENEFIT REFORM

We propose to replace Disability Living Allowance (DLA) with a new cash benefit – Personal Independence Payment – which will contribute to the extra costs of overcoming the barriers faced by disabled people to lead full and active lives.

The benefit will reflect changes in society, such as legislation. Disabled people are rightly not prepared to accept being restricted from playing an active part in society. We need a benefit that helps contribute to the extra costs of living independently, in a way that is right for each individual.

The benefit will continue to take account of the social model of disability. The assessment will be objective, reflect the impact of the barriers disabled people may experience, and make sure they are treated as individuals.

Central to Personal Independence Payment will be a new, fairer, objective assessment, which will allow us to identify those who face the greatest need, in a more consistent and transparent manner. We are developing the new assessment in collaboration with a group of independent specialists in health, social care and disability, including disabled people.

Personal Independence Payment will be based on need not income and will be a more active benefit, recognising changes to individuals’ situations and taking account of the support that disabled people can access to help them live independently. Where possible, we will signpost individuals to support that may help them manage their condition. We will ensure that the award continues to reflect the individual’s changing needs over time by building in periodic reviews.

The new benefit will be introduced in 2013/14, so there will be further opportunities to feed in views on how we might deliver it. We are already involving disabled people in developing the new benefit and will continue to do so.

We will introduce a Bill that will set out the high-level legal framework underpinning the new benefit, with the detailed requirements set out in secondary legislation.

Responses to this consultation will be used to inform secondary legislation on this detailed design, including the new assessment process. Where possible, and in particular on the new assessment, we will be publishing draft regulations during the passage of the Bill.

WHAT WILL STAY THE SAME

We want to be clear about what we propose will remain the same under the new system. We recognise that there are a number of features of DLA which many disabled people value, in particular the ability to spend the money in a range of ways to meet their personal circumstances. That is why Personal Independence Payment will remain an extra-costs benefit, providing cash support and allowing disabled people to spend the benefit in the way which best meets their individual needs.

The new benefit will not be means-tested or taxable, and payment will not depend on having paid National Insurance contributions. It will continue to be available to those who are in work, as well as those who are out of work.

Support will continue to be provided to children and adults up to the age of 65. Individuals who receive the benefit before reaching 65 may continue to receive Personal Independence Payment if their needs continue. We will keep the upper age limit for receiving the new benefit under review, given the changes being made to the State Pension age.

We will continue to support those in the most difficult circumstances by
maintaining special rules for people who are terminally ill. Claims submitted under these rules will be fast tracked to provide financial support as quickly as possible.

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I can not stress the importance of getting this information to as many people as possible. If you run a group which has interests in protecting disabled people please copy this message and forward it on to others.

If you are a member of such a group or organisation please forward this message onto whoever runs the group or organisation or anyone else who may be interested.

This shocking treatment of disabled people can not be permitted to continue!

This I took from the facebook page Welfare Rights. With thanks to Steven Preece.

I am again seeking legal adivce about my benefits. I have been told by several people including my own MP Sir Peter Soulsby, that they think that I should be on the higher rates. The DWP have said I am not able to work yet they are saying im not disabled enough to get the higher rates. I now have the support of my local councilor Ross Grant.

I dont choose to be disabled I dont think that anybody would. I would love to be able to go out and work again. That way I wouldnt get comments like im being greedy or lazy.

Most of my family go out and work and it seems that I am the only one not able to. I have to watch every single penny I get coming in. Sometimes my account gets overdrawn and my accoun accours charges.

The government are now going to cut benefits for people yet again. Will we be going back to Victorian times and having poor houses. Pick Pocketing is susposed to be illegal yet with the government cutting peoples money surely thats what they are doing? More people will be turning to crime to be able to live. Then again I suspose that people would be better off in prison. They would get 3 meals a day, no bills to pay and more human rights.

Acceptance

Children seem to be more accepting of disabled people than adults. I go to visit my friends and their daughter Shannon runs up to me and gives me a hug. She doesn’t care about anything I have wrong with me. She just wants me to play with her.

With my condition Neurofibromatosis, it causes me to have tumours all over my body. She asked me why are you so spotty. She’s only 5 years old. I explained to her in simple terms and that was that.

It’s the adult population who change the kid’s minds. Children don’t see the wheelchair they seem to see the person that is in it. If people teach their kids to accept others more then they will grow up understanding everybody is different.

Just because a person looks different on the outside or has different abilities they still have feelings. I remember a quote from somewhere I forget where, “if you cut me do I not bleed”. A disabled person still has feelings. Disabled people are not second class citizens if you got to know them you may find that you have things in common with them.

It’s the same with people of different races and sexuality. In this day and age most countries are multicultural and have people with different sexual preferences. If a child is brought up to accept this as normal then they will grow up to treat all people the same.

I don’t see a person for their colour or sexuality I just see them for the person they are. Why should a person be judged for being different to his neighbour or friend?

News Article

I read a news article today passed on to me by friend. This gentleman had major brain surgery and the DWP expected him to go back to work 2 weeks later.

pa.press.net, Updated: 03/08/2010 06:56
Brain op man told to return to work
A man has received an apology after his benefits were stopped by officials who he claims told him he was well enough to return to work just days after having brain surgery.

Bryan Haigh, 50, from Leeds, underwent the major operation to remove a tumour from his brain on July 20. He said bosses at the Department for Work and Pensions decreed in a letter dated July 22 that he was officially fit to work and they could stop his £65-a-week benefits.

But a spokeswoman for the Department for Work and Pensions said: "Having reviewed the case, we have arranged for Mr Haigh's Employment and Support Allowance to continue. We have contacted him to apologise and inform him of his future payments. If anyone is unhappy with a benefit decision they should get in touch with Jobcentre Plus, and we will look at it again."

The next thing they will be trying to force me back to work. There is already 2.5 million people not working in the uk, if they dpeople who are to sick to work where are they saving money in the end.

Welfare Rights

Those who commit benefit fraud make it more difficult for those honest and genuine claimants to successfully claim benefit's by forcing the Department for Work's and Pensions to raise the criteria, and dramatically slows down the time it takes to review a claim.

Benefit thieves are the enemy of all people, benefit claimants and Tax Payers alike. If someone is committing benefit fraud they WILL eventually be found out no matter how hard they try to hide it from the public eye.

Should you know of someone who may be claiming benefit's and services by immoral means you should report them immediately, even if they are close friends or loved one's. Doing so is in everyone's best interest including the Benefit Thief themselves due to saving them from a long spell in prison and/or a hefty fine.

Report a Benefit Thief on-line. You do not need to give your name and you only need to complete the area's in the form that you know about. You have nothing to fear as the case will be investigated fully, so if the person concerned has done nothing wrong it will come out in the investigation. It is 100% secure and any information you give will be treated with the up-most secrecy.

https://secure.dwp.gov.uk/benefitfraud

Thankyou again to Steven Preece

New blog time.  Ive not written one for a while so I thought that I would do one. I want to talk about the was disabled people are portrayed on TV.

Firstly I want to talk about the show on Channel 4 called Cast offs.  This show is excellent. It is a drama based on a reality show of disabed people on a desert island.  All of the actors on this show have genuine disabilities and are  showed in a sympathetic light.  They have a wide range of people in the show with different difficulties.  It shows that people with a disability can learn to cope in extreme situations.  Like I have said before though  learning to cope an adapt doesnt make you less disabled.

In Eastenders they have a character who is in a wheel chair the actor is genuinely in a wheel chair and is not an actor in one.  They also have a little boy who is deaf in the show and deaf in real life.  In Emerdale there is a blind lady which is played by a genuine blind actress. 

The show Tracy Beaker has a character in it with Cerebral Palsy.  She has the condition in real life.

There still needs to be more disabled people on TV.   There was uproar in the UK because they had a childrens presenter with one arm.  I don't see the problem with it.  If your child asks questions then they are only curious and its better for them to learn to accept people.   It would stop a lot of bullying in schools because a person seems different to them. 

Being disabled doesnt make you any less normal it just means you have different challenges in life to other people.

Disability

Just because a person looks "normal" on the out side doesn't mean they are normal on the inside.I appear normal on the outside but on the inside is where the problems lie.

People with certain conditions get a raw deal. The government would rather get everyone into work to save money. They do not think about the long term. If like the government preferred, everyone worked it would cost them billions in hospital costs.

When I was fit and able to work the manager employed someone on a trial with downs syndrome. The company I worked at had n problem employing disabled people. I have been told by someone I can sit on my computer so henceforth I can get a job. If I worked now I would find it very hard. I do a bit of volunteer work now and I struggle after 3 hours. People say im just lazy but I have to work twice as hard as most people. That's what makes me tired.

I already feel useless that I have nothing to contribute, but when people snipe about it that hurts more. I would love to be able to make a difference to at least one persons life but I cant. I did want to try and do a degree just to prove to people I may be disabled but im not thick.

People think having a brain injury means that you have mental health problems. That is not always true. It sometimes means you have to try a lot harder to do basic things.

When you look in the mirror
What do you see
Do you see a waste of space
Or the man I could be


Yes I have no purpose
I sit bored every day
Because I cannot work
Well so the dr does say

That short poem I wrote is basically how im feeling. I shouldnt I know but when you cannot contribute anything to life, you start to feel useless.

Disabled people are not useless. A lot of people with disabilities have things to offer. Just because a person has got limitations or its not safe for them to work they might have skills other people dont.

Dont stare at a person because they look different. Ask them questions. Most disabled people dont mind questions. It educates people. That way it makes people more tollerant of others.

My home town of leicester recently hosted the special olympics. The visitors were all welcomed with open arms. This was plesantly surprising.

No 2 people on this planet are the same so treat everyone as a human being.

Money

I have a challenge.

I would like to see any of the british MPs live on £105 a week and see how they cope I don't choose to be in my situation I can never work again so only get incapacity and low rate DLA. Keith Vaz claimed that its necessary to claim £500 for 22 cushions. Yet they say you can manage on low incomes. They want shops to put the prices up for food as well to cut down waste.

What about people like me because I'm borderline, I'm only entitled to lower rates and I am now living in poverty. You will say he can afford the net and that's a luxury, but its a necessity to me and to a lot of disabled people. I am already isolated due to my disability and now my money has been cut I have become even more so.

Most of the friends I have left live in luxury. I don't care about luxury I just want to be able to live a little more comfortable. I will never be able to afford a decent holiday. I have to save up for a year just to go out for a couple of drinks now with friends. I'm losing friends because I am becoming more reclusive.

I'm 30 now and will never work again. Ive faced facts that I will never be able to buy my own property and I will never have children because I wont be able to provide for them. When there is so many people already living in poverty in this country why do we have an open door policy. There are 2.4 million people unemployed in this country. I am unfit to work with 2 brain tumours and people who are fit to work seem to get more help.

I don't want sympathy I just want to get on with my life. But with the government keep cutting my money crime seems the best way out my predicament.

I'm gonna start blogging here about living with a disability. In September 2003 I had a brain haemorrhage When they did an MRI scan they found that I had 2 brain tumours. I can never work again because of this.

Last year I had to reapply for disability living allowance. I had this rejected. I went to Community Legal Advice in Leicester, they managed to get me the lower rates. I need the rates I was on before to manage to live. I was on middle rate care and high rate mobility.

Because of this I lose my income support and I'm just on low rate DLA and incapacity. This means they expect me to pay council tax some rent and for my prescriptions. This is unfair.

If I was an asylum seeker or committed crimes I would be treated better than I do now. Because I can walk but slowly and I have learnt to adapt I'm worse off.

It makes a man want to go out and get himself arrested just so he has more rights.

Just because a person learns to adjust there way of life so they cope it doesn't make them any less disabled. People will tell me to get a job, but would it be better of that I worked and ended up in hospital costing more. Or paying me that little bit more just so I could survive.