I just wanted to provide a link to a petition on 38 Degrees about protecting DLA/PIP from further welfare cuts.
Quote from petition: "It’s been leaked that David Cameron could be planning to cut support. Payments that help people cover the extra costs that come with disability: new wheelchairs, help with travelling and extra things to have at home. If these cuts go ahead, thousands of disabled people could be plunged into poverty."
I have looked at the petition and I do not think it is helpful. Someone has to pay for the disability benefits. Quite a number of people feel that they are supporting free-loaders. I have my ear bent more times than I would like on this issue.
I am on ESA. So I know what it is like living on benefits. I have been on benefits since 1993. Every time I receive a brown envelop through the post I open it with dread worrying if something has been cut.
A better issue is how can people who are on disability benefits be helped to contribute back to their local communities instead of taking something for nothing. I have been to meetings of disabled people who only want to take what ever they can get. It is most uncomfortable.
I do understand what you are saying, but I think it is unfair to label those on DLA/PIP as 'freeloaders'? Many of us on this welfare DO work and pay our contributions whilst receiving it! Of course there are some others who simply cannot anymore - but thats not to say that they have never paid into the system. Would you deny someone welfare who is 50 and worked everyday and before needing this help?
I am on DLA. I use the DLA to pay for private medical help. I can only report what other people have told me. I have had the third degree on this issue. Wether it is unfair or not this is what some people who pay taxes think.
I have attended many meetings where the discussion is where is the money coming from to pay for the benefits. The figures show that in the near future there will not be enough people of working age to pay the the taxes that enable all the benefits.
It does not matter how much money someone has paid in if there is no money coming in each year to pay what is needed there is going to be a shortfall. This is the result of the baby boom following the second world war. The baby boomers are in the process of going onto receiving pensions.
This country is in competition with Europe in attracting rich people who pay taxes. Put their taxes up to much and they will go and live elsewhere. This will result in this country losing the tax money from these rich people.
The system as it is at the moment forces me to be a freeloader. Though I do not want to be. I have always considered myself able to do some work, but not at employment type stress as I never know what condition I will be in from one minute to the next. The result I do no work that contributes back into the tax system. Although I like to think that I do some things that is of benefit to the local community.
The NHS is not geared to helping people contribute to society when they have a long term health disability. This needs to change although I have at this point in time no idea what needs to change. I have met so many dishonest replies from the Social services that I am fearful of discussing anything with them. The parliamentary select committee report on the NHS complaint system in February was uncomplimentary of the NHS.
I do not know what the answer is. I hope better minds than me can come up with working solutions that are beneficial.
Sadly this was all started by Mr Brown labour party they found 1% of people claiming benefits were doing so fraudulency so they changed the way people claim benefits by giving a big contract which was a licence to print money to a IT company. Mr Brown gave them a free rain to treat people claiming to be treated like free loaders.
Mr Brown was then voted out and along came Camron he did nothing to change this system back all he did was let Atos go what we need is a petition to change back the claiming system where it was dealt with by Dr's and DWP staff that was in the day when DWP staff contacted your GP for your medical conditions and it was not down to the claimant to prove they were disabled
I absolutely agree. It is a complicated system that encourages people to answer in a negative way and be brain washed into thinking they cannot do any thing. If they were properly assessed as to what they CAN do, encouraged to sign on as Disabled and given the support to work for up to 16hrs a week, it might be a different story. Zero contracts with Disability safe guards might be a good thing.
I agree this system was the brain cold of Gordon Brown and the Tories have gone along with. I'm going to write to my MP and explain that we are very vulnerable and by something as simple as being in a public place we are at risk of getting the flu I'm going to ask her to look at this system we should all do this united we Stand decided we fall and don't forget universal credit is just around the corner
I have signed this. My view is instead of labelling people, things should be done to support their needs. If people want to and can work then things should be put in place to help them. If they cannot and are unable to support themselves then the State should help them to live in an a reasonable manner.
I have worked since the age of 14 and had a hell of a fight to get PIP. It took me over 14 months to get the lowest award.
I am so tired of having to go to repeated medicals, to be asked to do the same tasks and have the same examinations.
I am tired of being asked to perform a task and being questioned as to why I could not.
I am tired of so called health professionals answering their own questions without waiting for me to speak.
I am tired but I am not finished yet.
I wish you all good physical and mental health.
Best wishes.
Dave
I have worked since I was 15 and am 55 now and paid into the system all that time. I am recently unable to work due to several conditions and need help to live. I tried cutting hours and changing tasks with the help of my long term employer but could no longer stay employed. It took me 2.5 years to get low rate award of DLA to try to stay at work and the stress of that claim caused further illness. Most of the media in this country has a lot to answer for as they are the ones putting the divisive message out there that everyone on benefits is a scrounger who doesnt want to work. Not everyone chooses benefits. Its not luxury living as it is a struggle to live on and stressful to claim.
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