Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Yes, further cuts to bereavement benefits, ESA and Working Tax Credits are due in April 2017.

A lot of people are still under the mistaken impression that Cameron backed down over planned cuts to Working Tax Credit, however, these related to further planned cuts.

These original cuts are still due to go ahead, whilst most benefits lose value due to inflation as they are frozen until at least 2020.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Work capability assessment overhaul for disabled to be announced on Monday.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-37810701

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

So "unable" but "able" at the same time?

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

And the full text is The word 'currently' makes the difference....

For instance, one of my team leaders has Lupus - at times, she is not capable of working, but most of the time she is; we cater for this, and work together to mitigate the impact of her condition.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

I can read that 2 ways unfortunately. And the devil is in the detail with the Cons.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

There is a difference tho between someone already in employment getting an illness and someone trying to find work. Not to mention senior staff are more likely to be accommodated.

I think the statement on WRAG is not worded well, but what it is supposed to mean is that the person has been assessed as unable to work during their prognosis period but are expected to recover at the end of it and as such should make preparations for going back to work e.g. keeping their CV up to date.

I think the idea of WRAG was ok, but the implementation has been aweful. The DWP had an opportunity to genuinely help people but instead relied on a system of threats and sanctions and like to call it helping people. This has in turn just made most claimants fearful of appearing able to work and ultimatley less enthusiastic then was hoped.

Charities seemed to have not learnt their lesson from last time, they will probably be told all sorts of promises by government officials and then something different will happen to what they been told. The clue is in the wording of statements e.g. one statement mentioned the SG was targeted to only have 10% of claimants in it but actually has close to 50%, so one primary reason for the rehaul will be to get that down to the target in future, in other words reinventing disability so less people are classed as unable to work. The people found fit for work will probably get no more help than before, I may sound negative, but my comment is based on whats happened in the last 20 years of reforms.

If PIP is used as a precedent, I can forsee them increasing payments to those who qualify so they can claim more help is been provided but alongside changes that make a lot less people getting support.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

The Benefits Cap reductions kick in soon. Wait for the wailing and protests.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Hot on the heals of the sensible decision to stop pointlessly putting the most severely disabled through the Work Capability Assessment is some rather less welcome news.

A green paper has been published regarding the consideration of ALL sick & disabled people being required to take part in mandatory work related activity as a condition of receiving benefit:

http://www.disabilitynewsservice.com...support-group/

This would include everybody in the ESA Support Group (even the terminally ill).

I urge those opposed to this to make their views known.

You can do this via a questionnaire here:

https://consultations.dh.gov.uk/workandhealth/consult/

Or let the DWP know your views here workandhealth@dwp.gsi.gov.uk

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Not a surprise at all, it's the month HMG uses to set any increases in Benefits next April AFAIK.

If indeed there will be any increases at all.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-37986365

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

If there were any hidden increases, those increases would appear anyway in next years figures.

Hardly big differences involved.
Any increase in production costs wouldn't appear immediately in prices. There are contracts and price lists in place that have to be amended. That takes time. If may jump next month, but as I said that jump will appear in the next benefits change. They have to pick a fixed point each year. It is not about picking the "best" month.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

New article about Government plans to force all disabled people to become work focused:

http://www.disabledgo.com/blog/2016/...o-green-paper/

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Sorry to say this, for all the Tory lovers out there. This is typical of them. What the problem here is. They are all always attacking the Disability budget.

Why don't they change the record and bring out the Mansion Tax for all the rich.

I read recently that a House in Hampstead fetched 40 million for a 15 ROOM mansion. Who the bloody hell needs 15 ROOMS.

This is where the extra money would come from.

The Tories always hit the vulnerable of this world. They don't want to hit the rich, as they put money into the Tory coffers Makes me sick

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Come the revolution Arthur I'm right beside you. Clarkson is first on the list... The 'list' goes on a bit so I'll stop there.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

SWMBO used to work for DWP there was a guy who worked there, who had no legs & one arm missing

Outside of work he was a foster carer, heavily involved in the disabled footballers supporters association, He also carried the torch in the Olympics relay.


If someone who has one functioning limb can work FT hours. Is it a massive ask? I dont know?

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

There is nothing wrong with helping those who could work to get work they are only doing what those people want anyway, but assuming everyone can work is taking it too far. If them telling me I'm fit for work made it so I'd save up some money and pay them but sadly it doesn't work like that. Using myself as an example i leave with pain 24\7 and that's just being in the house, tomorrow i go to see my rheumatologist the hospital is 700 metres away it'll take me 45 minutes to get there and just over an hour to return home. Thankfully i have an excellent Dr who understands by the time he see's me pain will be affecting my concentration so he speaks slowly and takes all the time needed. I'll get home by about 11:30 and the main pain will start to ease off about 21-2200 if I'm lucky I'll be able to sleep.

Now if i had to repeat the same trip tuesday it would take just over an hour and a half to get there and a good two to get back home with the pain substantially increased and it would not ease off till mid morning wednesday. Doing it for a 5 day week would make me completely useless to a company by wednesday my concentration levels would be seriously compromised and my general mood wouldn't be good I'm told i get snappier the more pain I'm in which I'm not aware of at the time. For the last year and a half I've been getting very severe headaches which can last months current one has been going for about 18 weeks and the cause is currently being sought. I haven't included that on any forms as there isn't a cause and specific diagnosis even though it further compromises my ability to concentrate. This is why the assessment in the current form isn't doing as much as it could and needs to be improved.

Like so many other terms in modern life disability is used to describe many people that don't match the image many people have from a couple of decades ago. It's also a term some think explains everything and puts any debate to bed and it doesn't, I've always believed that more could and should have been done to help the public understand how the term disability was being applied and how it's meaning hadn't so much changed as expanded to cover other things. I also would support very heavy penalties on anyone found to be commiting fraud using disability.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Even though the cause hasn't been found you should include the headaches as they effect your everyday life which is what the form is all about.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Normally i would but with no medical reason or proof beyond me saying i have them i don't feel it's right to list them as a condition yet my rheumatologist has some theories and I'm waiting for an appointment with a neurologist. I was sent to a pain management clinic but after touching my head in eight different places he stated there were no major issues and just doubled one of my meds not sure how reliable touching is but he was a doctor so till another says different I'll go along with him.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Matters not about medical evidence although that sounds stupid. You should tell it how it is, the neurologist may find something so if/when you have to have a medical you would then have evidence to hand.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

The same disabilities affect different people in different ways, as does any treatment/medication taken to help with them eg cancer.

After I posted about someone with cancer being told that to receive any benefit, he would have to stop his anti cancer treatment and look for work instead (basically he had a choice, die of cancer or starvation), someone once posted on here that he worked with someone who had cancer that managed to stay working throughout.

I explained that it all depends on what type of cancer, how it affected him personally and how any medication affected him personally that mattered.

I think that some people have a little experience of things and wrongfully assume that every case is the same.

Then there are the disabilities that untrained people believe that they have a right to comment upon and make assumptions about eg mental illness.

Untrained people that have been doing the face to face interviews for PIP have been coming out with ridiculous and offensive remarks like:

- To a man with acute depression who said that he had a history of suicide attempts"how come you're still alive then"?

- To a person affected by Thalidomide "Do you have any idea when your leg will grow back again"?

This is purely a cost saving exercise and has nothing to do with helping disabled become more independent etc.

I used to work full time, but have had to go part time. Who knows, I may need to give up work altogether in the future.

This will be my decision and not someone like the idiots quoted above.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Mistakes in ESA benefits claims could cost up to £500m to put right.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-42012116

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Sounds like only people with other income were affected.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Yes, it sounds like they haven't applied the disregards properly. This is what happens when staff with years of experience are let go and replaced by new staff on lower wages.

They should be paid interest too, in the same way that tax refunds for overpaid tax are when HMRC miscalculates what is due.

Maybe compensation too for having to live even more below the poverty line. I honestly don't know how those who have to live on ESA only manage, I now receive it but am lucky in the sense that I have other income coming in like earnings from work, pensions, investments etc.

This Government has frozen part of this benefit for many (a loss of about £13 a week for a single person) and actually cut it for others (a loss of about £43 in total).

Yet, those in the House of Lords can (perfectly legally) get out of a taxi, leave it running, sign in to say that they attended and run back to the taxi. For this they get £500 a day. When challenged about this, the arrogant bustards said that as lawyers can charge up to £600 an hour, the taxpayer is getting a bargain!!!

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Seeing as it applies to a fairly specific period, it sounds like it has nothing to do with the quality of staff. Probably interpretation of the rules and changes to their computer systems.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

It is possible to check that you are receiving what you should, but not so easily under Universal Credit where the calculations are devilishly complicated.

---------- Post added at 14:21 ---------- Previous post was at 13:47 ----------

And as an example, many will lose out over Xmas this year..

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-42036462

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

More cock ups seem inevitable when things are so complicated.

Reforming the benefits system is a bit like reforming the NHS. It's something many people think needs to be done but doing it without adversely affecting those who rely upon it seems to be impossible. Does anyone recall any government being able to significantly change any of it without wasting a whole lot of money and/or causing a whole lot of grief in the process? I can't. The truth is it's all been cobbled together over many decades and the consequence is that it's all become too complicated to manage efficiently. :shrug:

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

1) It's not many.
2) It will happen for any month where there are 5 Fridays in the month(if that's the criteria). Ie Dec 16, Mar 17, Jul 17, Sept 17, Dec 17, Mar 18. So it will have happened a few times already this year.

Surely a system that adjusts more easily to fluctuating income is a good thing.

Some of the issues are no different to where there is a weekly/monthly income/bill combination. Eg If you pay rent weekly and are paid monthly, then there will be 4 or 5 weeks a year where you are paying out 5 weeks of rent with one months income. It's called the real world. You have to plan for it.

One thing that should be looked at, is having to restart their claim when that happens. One of the core principles is meant to be to make it easier to put in more hours in a month and not be out of pocket for it. The benefits may reduce, but not by £1 for £1.

The concept of a single combined benefit payment system was mooted before 2010, by Labour.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

The two are inextricably linked IMO and it was only discovered when the Office for National Statistics did a check.

---------- Post added at 18:05 ---------- Previous post was at 18:00 ----------

[/COLOR]The first i've heard about Labour mooting the idea, but it is a good idea if done properly.

It was labour who introduced ESA to try and get more disabled people into employment and save money, but the Tories changed what it was from its original conception and it has consequently failed on both counts.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

It's not the quality of the individual Decision Makers in this case. It would've happened under Labour.

From 2008 DWP report.
And the 2 reports mentioned there were from 2007.

Many of the 2011 ESA changes were suggested in reviews of 2009/10, so would have taken place even if Labour got back in.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Funding increase announced for disabled workers.


https://www.businessleader.co.uk/gra...s-third/42143/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-43473077

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Esther McVey misled MPs over universal credit says the Head of the National Audit Office.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/...s-auditors-say

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Apparently she has the PM's fullest confidence. What's the odds she'll be gone within the week?

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Either she is incompetent because she didn't read or understand it.

Or she lied.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Incompetent and lied. The usual requirements etc......

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

No doubt about that..

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Theresa May wouldn't sack anyone, even if they were stabbing her in the back at the time like BoJo and Rees-Mogg tend to do.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Don't think anyone would notice, Esther who??

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

You do understand the delicate political balance that exists in the Cabinet, don't you, Andrew? That comment is not worthy of you.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Absolute claptrap as if a politician lies its very simple you resign if one has any integrity or honour no matter what party it is.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

It is not claptrap, Den, it is the political reality. TM has to retain a delicate political balance until Brexit is finalised, at least in terms of setting out our proposals in the White Paper.

Once that is done, she will have more flexibility. Hence her reason for having taxi companies put on alert during today's meeting at Chequers. Today is crunch time.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

It amazes me OB that you preach that politicians should behave with the upmost propriety and yet you are willing to accept the impropriety of a cabinet minister.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

That's a big assumption you made there, and it's not true. That was not the point I was making - I was explaining why Boris could not easily be sacked up until today. But I think you knew that! :D

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Fortunately, Theresa May followed a more assertive stance on Friday and I hope that her reinstatement of joint cabinet responsibility will lead to a more effective government. We were the laughing stock of the World when Boris scarpered off to Afganhistan to evade the Heathrow vote and I don't want to see that kind of banana-state tomfoolery continue.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Of course she did, she is now in a position to assert her authority!

I think you will see a lot more spunk in Theresa now that we've reached this point.

I'm very surprised that some posters on here have such a dark spot when it comes to political reality.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

She was in a position to before, she just left it to the last minute. It's called being Prime Minister!
Insisting Boris voted for Heathrow would not have altered Friday's outcome. He doesn't have the following he once had and will never be PM.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Theresa has been hampered throughout by the lack of a parliamentary majority and divisions within her own party over Brexit. It is worth mentioning that there are similar divisions within Labour.

All this nonsense about Theresa May being weak! Watch this space! She will be accused of being dictatorial soon!

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

All of her own doing of course.

---------- Post added at 18:16 ---------- Previous post was at 18:13 ----------

Take your political blinkers off for once OB and learn a bit of balance and unbiasedness in your posts as thus so far all we seem to be getting is a party political broadcast by the Old Boy channel...

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Well, yes, she called the election, precisely because she didn't have a comfortable majority. What would you have done in her position?

---------- Post added at 19:14 ---------- Previous post was at 19:10 ----------

You are a fine one to talk about balance, Den! All I'm trying to do is talk about reality, whereas your agenda is what? To shoot everyone down who disagrees with your perspective?

Ok, at least we know! :D

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

She made things far worse by calling the GE as instead of listening to those spin doctors she should of realised the grass is not always greener on the other side.

Personally there is no way l would of called a election but alas l am just a simple uneducated pleb so what do l know..

---------- Post added at 19:22 ---------- Previous post was at 19:16 ----------

Nothing to do with balance , perspective or agenda as l don't have any particular agenda as l have criticised both party leaders in equal measure as they are both as bad as each other IMO as politics currently is in a deep hole which in general politicians have dug for themselves through their duplicitous and self serving ends..

l don't shoot down anyone as l just say it as it is and if one does not like it then they have the problem as l certainly don't have one.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

So, you would not have called an election, despite the fact that the polls appeared to be in your favour and the lack of a decent majority was hampering all efforts to bring the malcontents in the party to heel so you could get a deal with Brussels? I get it, I do.

But my question was, what would you have done? You can't go around criticising everyone else if you don't have a credible plan of your own.

So what would have been your way out of this predicament? Just give in, I suspect. In which case, it's just as well you don't have to rely on votes to survive.

Politics is a dirty business, and no place in which to exist if you have high and mighty principles that are out of touch with reality. Just ask Jeremy about his position on tuition fees. He knows.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Are you that gullible to believe everything you read and hear?.

---------- Post added at 20:24 ---------- Previous post was at 20:16 ----------

No l would have not given in.

Non politicians don't need votes as thankfully l am not one of the current duplicitous politicians that reside in Westminster.

---------- Post added at 20:27 ---------- Previous post was at 20:24 ----------

The public want politicians they can believe and trust and not some of the current insincere rabble that pass for politicians currently in this country..

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

When have the public ever had that? I have never known a politician that I can believe or trust. Please educate me if you can. Name one in the last 50yrs.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Can't think of many off the top of my head pip but further back then that the public certainly trusted politicians more.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Universal credit IT system 'broken', whistleblowers say.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/...tleblowers-say

https://www.theguardian.com/politics...versal-creditt.

Perhaps if they listened and learned to start with rather then being dogmatic and indifferent they would not be in the mess they are in now.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

I have a soft spot for that old rogue Dennis Skinner..

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

The fact that you haven't named a single one shows that you can't think of any!

And you think that politicians don't give straight answers.

---------- Post added at 08:46 ---------- Previous post was at 08:43 ----------

Honestly, Den. You would not have given in if you were Theresa May. Fine. Unfortunately, you have failed to tell us what you would have done in her place, which was the question.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

No there ain't any politicians l can trust as those who put their faith and trust in them will be severely disappointed as you will find out once you take those political blinkers you seem to have permanently stuck on you.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

DWP 'consulting' as they wish to start making extra checks on benefits for disabled children, disabled pensioners and carers, despite overwhelming evidence that the level of fraud in these groups is negligible.

The highest amount of fraud is committed by Housing Benefit landlords & claimants (38.4%).

https://www.thecanary.co/uk/2018/07/...enefit-cheats/

PIP and DLA claimant ovetpayments amount to 6.8%, the Government chooses not to collate how much PIP and DLA isn't claimed, but generally speaking the amount of benefit underpaid is about four times the amount of benefits overpaid.

Overall, claimant fraud amounts to 1.2% of the total benefits bill, unchanged since 2016.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Once PIP is fully rolled-out for adults, it will no doubt be rolled-out for children. And after that it will cease to be direct monetary aid each month, but a system of providing physical disability aids such as wheelchairs and home adaptations. All provided by a company with financial ties to the government perhaps?

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

The PIP process is a total shambles and needs fixed.

I applied in March and in May got rejected as they scored me 6 points. The 'medical' person basically said that almost everything I have difficulty with I can manage she feels.

Mandatory reconsideration had no bearing on things and at the middle of June a formal appeal was logged via the Tribunal service. I have still not had any letters or contract from the DWP regarding this. Its stressing me out how long this damn process seems to take.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

The tribunal service is that backed up expect 12-18mths before you hear anything.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Pip is spot on with that analysis Stephen as one thing claimants must not do is to grow tired of the long winded process and give in as that is what the DWP want claimants to do.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Exactly right Den. The system is deliberately set up so as to grind (often very poorly people) down.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Stephen, contact their complaints line and ask for an update.

https://www.gov.uk/government/organi...ints-procedure

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Well good news. Got a call on Friday afternoon from the DWP and it was to say they have looked at my application again and are giving me the standard payment for daily living and mobility. Backdated to March.

If I accepted they would contact the tribunal to say it's closed. They clearly don't want it going that far.

I'm happy.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Duration? Many I share info with have had DWP backtrack before Tribunal but the duration of the claim was only a year or two. That meant reassessment almost immediately.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Its for 2 years. Which is fine. My conditions will be worse by then anyway.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Fantastic news Stephen :)

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

It does make you wonder what you'd get if you did go for the tribunal.

Please for you though that you got a result.

It's been 9 weeks since I've sent my form in and still waiting to hear back. Though I did send in 39 pages of supporting medical evidence, 8 pages of addition information, 5 pages of a personal letter from my wife and a few photos.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

As you're the one that requested the appeal. doesn't that mean you are the only one that can withdraw it? The DWP can concede an appeal, but the appeal still goes ahead even if only a paper hearing to agree with the DWP conceded decision .


Bear in mind that if you do go ahead with the appeal to get more, the Tribunal also has the power to remove any existing award.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

No they can notify that an agreement has been reached.

---------- Post added at 21:53 ---------- Previous post was at 21:52 ----------

I know, so relieved really.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

The appellant would still have to notify the Tribunals Service as to whether they agreed with it. The general principle in any legal or quasi-legal(eg benefits Tribunal) situation is that only the party bringing the claim/appeal can stop it. The DWP are the "Respondents" in this process.

I recently had an odd situation with an ESA appeal. The appeal process of a previous ESA claim and gone through without success and went further to the Upper Tribunal which decided on a rehearing. At the rehearing the Tribunal was cut short with them deciding in my favour.

In the meantime I had reclaimed ESA(it can be done but it is tricky and indeed risky) and was turned down. I queried what would happen if I informed the future Tribunal of the rehearing a few months earlier? In the end the Tribunal hearing went ahead and the DWP sent a Presenting Officer. I walked into the room and the decision was on the table. They had come to a decision without seeing me, and the DWP were going to concede anyway.

Didn't have to go through the appeals process for PIP. It was awarded at the Capita assessment stage and it helped with the ESA Tribunal hearings.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

A 8am phonecall this morning asking for my daughter, turned out to be the ESA assessor asking her to arrive 40 minutes early tomorrow (through rush hour traffic).

This is a known tactic to see if you can change plans at short notice.

However, the contact should have been via myself as I am her appointee. But it's too late now. She has already fallen into one of their traps.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Arrive late proving otherwise then !

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

So, has their "trap" proven that your daughter can change plans at short notice and what are the ramifications?

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

They know that I, as her Carer and appointee, will be taking her there by car. I wrote so on the forms they issue after the assessor for my son wrote that he told them that we arrived by car. But we both told her that we came by bus.

Catch them in one lie, and all other statements by them are therefore suspect.

And the Tribunal agreed.

---------- Post added at 17:41 ---------- Previous post was at 17:39 ----------

Arrive late, assessment cancelled, ESA can (and often is) suspended, even with very good excuses and proof.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Sorry Taf, I'm not sure why it matters that you traveled by car or bus but I won't bother you with (any more) banal questions :)

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

I'll call the tribunal service tomorrow and check with them to be sure.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Can't harm to withdraw your appeal stating why, as the issue has been settled to your satisfaction.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

By bus: able to navigate on public transport, offer correct change, not affected by crowds, able to understand and read timetables, able to accept changes caused by delays, able to step up to enter the bus and step down to leave it.

By car: able to drive independently and safely, navigate and comply with the rules of the road... or... able to enter and leave a vehicle as a passenger, not suffer from anxiety or other distress as a passenger.

There are other indicators they look for, but these are the main ones IMHO.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Thanks Taf.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

My daughter's ESA reassessment went well. The lady was very thorough, digging deep into all aspects, and was pleasant throughout.

But what she wrote could be entirely different as I have experienced.

Now it's just the wait for a brown envelope with the decision.

And next week her twin brother goes though it..... :(

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Good luck with that.

Post Brexit, when the economy nosedives, just wonder if the country will be able to afford to help all those that need it. Doubt whether Farage/Boris care.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Great news Stephen.:tu:

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

At long last got a home assessment down in a couple of weeks time. Just want to get it over and done with now.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Good luck peanut at my home assessment the lady witnessed me being sick and asked me if I wanted to continue and I just said yes as most days are like this for me, needless to say, I was awarded PIP standard rate for both and as you are far worse than me you should have no problem at all in getting your award but Good Luck anyway.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Good luck peanut..

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

My daughter is to remain in the ESA Support Group after reassessment.

But they have noticed that she has still not been "invited" to move from DLA to PIP.

The PIP form is on its way. :(

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

That is good news Taf.

---------- Post added at 12:53 ---------- Previous post was at 12:50 ----------

Sadly there are some still on DLA as its taking much longer then the DWP predictions were about the planned migration from DLA to PIP.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

I imagine that most people would be pleased about not being changed over and want to put it off for as long as possible!

Figures on BBC Business News this morning showed that 25% of the country is in poverty. Of those, 50% were disabled.

Pensioner poverty has decreased though. This is probably because pensioners were exempt from the benefit cuts, whereas the disabled weren't. They don't want to go upsetting all those Tory voting pensioners do they ;)

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

A neighbour got his "invite" to PIP last week after decades on Incapacity Benefit. His Specialists all say he should get it for physical and mental reasons, but now that I know the questions they ask (and the questions they don't ) I doubt he will qualify even after a Tribunal.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

If this is based on the Legatum report, the figures in the reports are a bit different - 50% of the families in poverty had a disabled person as part of the family.

http://socialmetricscommission.org.u...ULL_REPORT.pdf

Executive Summary, key findings, page 7

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

I only personally know of a scant few families with a disabled member that are not finding it financially very hard at the moment. Increased rents and Poll Tax hammered most of them. Then up went gas and electricity.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Former watchdog chief labels disabled benefits process a 'hostile environment'

https://www.theguardian.com/society/...nvironment#_=_

Pretty damning but not surprising sadly given the many personal stories l have read in these past few years.:(

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Huge backlogs are also dogging the system, the worst being how long claimants have to wait for tribunals. Often with no income at all, as payments stop the day the DWP decide the claim is not at the levels required.

On a good note, my daughter was kept in the ESA Support Group after reassessment recently. And her twin brother was moved from WRAG to Support also. And both award letters had a line at the end "We won't ask for you to go for another assessment unless there is a change in your health condition".

But then a letter "inviting" our daughter to claim PIP arrived. :(

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

These are the words of just a few people regarding PIP and it sadly does not make for good reading.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/...assessment#_=_

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

It would be better, in my view, if GPs, and where appropriate, consultants, were charged with responsibility for assessments, with their decisions monitored to ensure they were carrying out the task correctly. They could be paid a fee for carrying out this function.

After all, the GPs are closest to their patients, know their respective histories, and should be able to distinguish between those with genuine disabilities and those who were trying to milk the system.

I am completely opposed to the demeaning tests that people claiming benefits have to go through.

However, false claimants who lie in a bid to get a grant they shouldn't have should be punished severely. After all, they are the reason why the State has to be so cautious about who should receive these benefits.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

GPs do not know everything about a patient. GPs ARE asked about the claimant. There will be tests that provide proof of a particular condition, but the rest is merely what the patient/claimant says. The emphasis for the GPs is to believe the patient simply because there is no apparent reason for them to lie.


PIP form for GPs.

ESA

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

DLA and PIP are very different. The former is all about your disability, the latter (and new replacement for adults) is how it affects your day-to-day life.

Many with disabilities never see their GP for their disabilities, our twins for example.

You get various points that have to add up to get each part of the award. The mobility part is hammering many people, especially those who need a Blue Badge or Motabilty Car.

http://www.mybenefitsandwork.co.uk/pip/indexxx.php

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Exactly. They have squeezed the criteria and made the distances less realistic. How many people actually live close enough to a bus stop that they could manage the distance when walking that far would physically wipe them out, or in less severe cases get them lost.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Which, unfortunately, is naive.

I didn't say that GPs should be asked about the claimant, I said they should assess the patient, with guidance from a consultant where necessary.