DLA Again but everyone needs to read this.

I have just had this forwarded to me by the Lib Dem Disability Group. I have not had the time to check its validity and I have a million things to do not least of all find somewhere for my box mountain, and tomorrow Josh has a very important appointment with a specialist at Bristol Childrens Hospital so I am unlikely to be able to check it out properly until wednesday. In the mean time don't panic but do sign it can't hurt! The wording is a little iffy as I know the Lib Dems have no plans to abolish DLA.

Hugs

Bex

Dear Subscriber,

Claimants have just 100 days to prevent their DLA and AA being abolished.

A government green paper has revealed proposals to stop paying ‘disability benefits, for example, attendance allowance’’ and hand the cash over to social services instead.

Under the plan, current claimants would have their disability benefits converted to a ‘personal budget’ administered by local authorities and used to pay for services – not to spend as they wish.

Once the green paper consultation period ends in 100 days time, if an almighty row has not been raised, it is likely that both major political parties will see the lack of outrage as a green light to end both DLA and AA.

We’re looking for a minimum of 1,000 claimants, carers and support workers to join our campaign to save these benefits from being abolished.

Find out how you can take part from this link:

benefitsandwork.co.uk/disab...

We know that many people will take false comfort from the fact that, unlike AA, DLA is not specifically named as being for the axe. But if the government was planning only to abolish AA it is extremely unlikely that they would refer constantly throughout the green paper to ‘disability benefits’, a term which includes not just AA but also DLA.

Others will dismiss this as just another idle discussion document and our concerns as scare mongering.

But it’s much more than that.

36 meetings have already been organised around the country for people working in government and the caring professions to meet to be told about the setting up of a new National Care Service which would oversee the system. In addition, a stakeholders panel of more than 50 voluntary sector organisations, trades unions and academics has been established to offer advice to the government.

Some organisations and individuals, such as RNIB and welfare rights worker Neil Bateman writing for Community Care magazine, have already voiced their alarm.

But not every disability organisation is opposed to the proposals and some even agree with them.

In a press release, Disability Alliance has welcomed the publication of the green paper and said that it ‘looks forward to working alongside Government and all the other stakeholders in bringing these plans into fruition.’ They have even said that they agree that there is a case for ‘integrating disability benefits such as attendance allowance’ into the new system.

One thing everyone does seem to agree on is that huge cuts in public spending will have to take place in the next few years as a result of the credit crunch and global recession.

Political parties are desperately looking for the softest targets to be the victims of these cuts. Dismissing the green paper’s proposals as hot air and not worth worrying about could be the costliest mistake you ever make.

Find out more about the proposed abolition of DLA and AA and how you can join our campaign to fight back:

benefitsandwork.co.uk/disab...

[KateMoss]

I will await your verdict!

Thanks Bex.

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Hi Bex

Thanks for this, had a quick look at the site, and notice from your post that this site if I am right is a ""Lib Dem"" Disability Support Site. In its self, that's okay, but concerned on how valid this. Usually when there are proposed changes to disability benefits, the media are usually there, so wondering why we haven't heard about this before. Not sure about giving my email address, to something that I don't know is valid.

Thanks Katina

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I am getting it checked out by some MP type people. It is not what you know its who you know.

Bex

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this link dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsan... or tinyurl.com/nmptmg are not Lib Dem sites it seems there is some truth in this one!

It is so long since I worked in Parliament I will try and get a run down of time scales I have a feeling green paper is pre-legislation the media don't tend to take much notice of green papers Give me a day or 2 and I will get a full run down.

Bex

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I have used the Benefits and Work site for a few years now for help with DLA forms. They are a help website for disability benefits. I received an email from them the other day highlighting the proposal and asking for signatures. I am not aware they are attached to any politacal party and have found the site invaluable for infomation and help with the dreaded forms and appeal procedures.

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Thank you, just always concerned in giving my email address to something I have never heard of before, plus Bex because you mentioned you had this proposal passed on to you by a Lib Dem Disability Group, wondered if there was a connection.

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Thought this might be of interest. Could care element of DLA go? note the paragraph

""Key Assumptions/Sensitivities/Risks This option has not been modelled. However the estimates make a number of assumptions, including that funding from some disability benefits, for example Attendance Allowance (AA) could be drawn into the care and support system to deliver a new and better offer.""

Extract taken from green paper on gov site.

dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/gr...

The worrying part of this that it says from some disability benefits, which could include the care component of the dla, not just attendance allowance. So we would loose the care component of DLA and social services would receive extra money to care for us. Also mentioned that these benefits could become means tested so if you work or have savings you might not be eligable for DLA.

Both my husband ( ex civil servant) and i have read the green paper and this is what we think they are proposing. As Bex said it is very difficult to know what is being planned, so will be very intrested and concerned to find out what is actually happening.

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This is part of an email I received from the Benefits and Work website today:-

Persuading disability charities to speak out against the threat to disability benefits is absolutely crucial. Unless leading agencies like Mind, Arthritis Care and the MS Society are prepared to openly oppose these proposals it will be very difficult to halt them. The government will be able to argue that they consulted with 'stakeholder' organisations and they supported the green paper.

So whether charities are swayed by the strength of your arguments or alarmed by the prospect of losing members who feel abandoned by them, it's vital that they commit themselves to defending AA and DLA. So far only RNIB has been courageous enough to risk the wrath of six secretaries of state rather than desert its members.

So what we're going to suggest you do today is to get in touch with a local or national disability organisation, preferably one that deals with a condition that affects you or someone you care for.

Even if all you can manage is a quick email saying:

'What are you doing about the green paper plans to abolish some disability benefits?'

that will be enough to make them realise people are aware of, and concerned about, the issue.

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Signed up!! There is no way I want to be loosing my DLA as it helps me pay for my care and my car and without it i dread to think where i would be!!! Thanks for the heads up bex Xxx

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Briefly, this is not a Lib Dem thing I just happened to get because I am member of the Lib Dem disability association. I am wading through replys from MP's etc but please sign up. It is at consultation stage, it will then go on to the Queens Speech not this time but next when it may well be a Tory Government as far as I work out they are not opposing this so draw from that your own conclusions.

I really urge people to sign up the more people who do the better. I will let you know if it becomes to the lobby your MP stage.

This will not affect mobility componant but will affect care componant of DLA.

Bex

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Signed up, thank you for clarifying a few queries!

I also might add that Disability Alliance have said on web site that they have been contacted by people recently regarding their position regarding AA and DLA, copied below is what they say!

Disability Alliance supports DLA/AA

Disability Alliance has been contacted in the last few days by people who believe that we favour attendance alllowance (AA) being integrated into Local Authority care service budgets. This is incorrect.

We support disability living allowance (DLA) and AA as national, non-means tested benefits paid to disabled people to meet their higher living costs. We have provided research and evidence on the higher costs of living that disabled people experience.

DLA and AA were intended to help with the higher costs of living disabled people and their families experience, and to help tackle the link between disability and poverty. We believe placing either or both of these funds in the pool for Local Authority distribution could cut support and restrict choice and control for many disabled people.

Our position (responding to the launch of the Government's ‘Shaping the Future of Care Together' Green Paper) is online. We are also running a survey online which will help shape our response to the green paper. It includes questions on benefits. Please fill it in, if you have time, at:

disabilityalliance.org/care... .

[KateMoss]

Signed up and also looked at the web site - looks very good!

[yaf_user681_25820]

Ive signed up. I use mine for my living bills and my car-without car im housebound, cant do public transport either.

dont know how i would manage without it.

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Signed up !

Hello Bex... thank you for the information.... I too have signed up and passed the information link to others ...

Thank you for bringing this issue to our attention

Susy

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Ok I have had better brains that me look at all this and long and short of it is DLA care componant (that is the only bit affected by the green paper) comes from a huge central pot of money but it is costing far too much so they are going to give each Local Authority a pot of money to spend on the DLA care componant. The problem is if you add all the pots of money together they probably won't equal the amount currently spent. When people complain about cuts in DLA the Government will be able to say ""not our fault we handed it over to local authorities"" it is a stealth cut. At the moment it is at the ""consultation"" stage once it has been through that it will announced in the Queens Speech and whoever is in power (the evidence is the Tories will support this) at the time Tory or Labour *cos it was their idea) will then try to get it through Parliament. Once through Parliament thats is our DLA care componant will come from the Local Authorities, who will have to learn how to apply it and you could well end up with a postcode lottery, if you live in Devon (one local authority) you get middle rate care but if you live in Torbay (a unitary local authority) then you get lower rate and it may well be the case that each Local Authority sets its own rates as well. So higher might be £50 a week somewhere and £35 somewhere else.

Now do you see the problem!

Bex

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Hi everyone, have spoken to Disability Alliance today, who were really helpful, they do not support the integration of the Care Component of DLA and Attendance Allowance into local authority coffers.

Below is a copy of the email they sent me today!

Dear Katina

Thank you for your call today - I look foward to reading about your experiences.

Disability Alliance supports disability living allowance (DLA) and attendance allowance (AA) - as national, non-means tested benefits paid to disabled people to meet their higher living costs. We - and others - are well aware of the evidence on the higher costs of living disabled people experience. DLA and AA were intended to help with those costs and help tackle the link between disability and poverty. We believe placing either or both of these funds in the pool for Local Authority distribution could cut support and restrict choice and control for many disabled people.

Our position is online - disabilityalliance.org/care... - and we are running a survey to encourage people to respond to the green paper titled 'Shaping the Future of Care Together' and help strengthen our response by telling us your views. Please fill it in if you have time at: disabilityalliance.org/care... The questions are those posed in the green paper - we need people's answers to these, but we have also added a couple of our own. We look forward to reading your response.

It would help in our campaign work if you also write to your MP describing your experience. If you don't know who your MP is you can find out (by using your postcode) at findyourmp.parliament.uk/ Attached is a sample letter that you might like to consider sending to your MP.

It would also help if you wrote to the Department for Work and Pensions on this issue - but please highlight that you are contacting them about national policy and not your individual case, or they may refer you to another agency. You can find the e-mail address for DWP Ministers on the following webpage at dwp.gov.uk/contact-us/

Disability Alliance works and campaigns at the national level to influence Government plans in this area. We are members of the Disability Benefit Consortium, and our website hosts the DBC at disabilityalliance.org/dbc.htm We meet regularly with the Department for Work and Pensions and HM Revenue and Customs on a range of benefits related issues.

Yours sincerely

Michele Holland

Disability Alliance

Universal House, 88-94 Wentworth Street

London E1 7SA

Tel: [phone]

Registered charity number 1063115

Company limited by guarantee number 2056801

disabilityalliance.org

Any of you wishing to have a copy of the sample letter Disability Alliance have sent me, regarding writing to your MP please pm me and I will happily forward it to you.

I have also completed their online questionaire regarding this paper, and found it very interesting, worth a read at least!