Disability vouchers instead of cash

[Corey N Georgie]

I've been reading a number of articles that state the government will start to pay in vouchers instead of cash.

Is it me or haven't they quite thought this through, for example I use part of my pip for taxi transport so vouchers will be useless.

What does everyone else think?

I think they need to go away and look up ‘personal’ and ‘independence’ in a dictionary before trying to control how you spend your personal independence payment.

If they think the system is being abused then they should be tackling the abusers, not making life difficult for the rest of you.

[Corey N Georgie]

Originally Posted by Chris

I think they need to go away and look up ‘personal’ and ‘independence’ in a dictionary before trying to control how you spend your personal independence payment.

If they think the system is being abused then they should be tackling the abusers, not making life difficult for the rest of you.

This is the problem the abusers make it difficult for us all.

[nomadking]

If any vouchers are to be of any use, then anybody who gets them as payment, has to be able to redeem the cash value of them. That would mean they are just the same as cash.


While for some people the money they get can be relatively high(equivalent to salary of £30+K), there are those that need that money, but not for general living expenses.

The Labour Party would have a massive rebellion if they tried to push this though. I suspect it's a hold over from the previous parliament that will be dropped.

[papa smurf]

Ah well we're all in it togeather, it's no good having buyers remorse because it's your turn to benefit[or not] from labour policies, "hard choices have to be made"

The policy suggestion predates Labour, it's just if they continue with it. It would be crazy for them to do so.

But just to remind OP there has been an election since it was suggested so it isn't 100% going to happen.

[papa smurf]

My neighbour was told he qualified for PIP ,he was due to get his first payement but instead got a letter stating he didn't qualify.

It was simply one of several suggestions by the DWP back in May.
Like many crazy ideas, its not very likely to ever see the light of day.

[Stephen]

I'm glad Scotland now control our PIP payments. Rebranded to ADP(Adult Disability Payment) less hassle overall, though with the same points etc but less in person meeting etc.

[RichardCoulter]

Originally Posted by nomadking

If any vouchers are to be of any use, then anybody who gets them as payment, has to be able to redeem the cash value of them. That would mean they are just the same as cash.

While for some people the money they get can be relatively high(equivalent to salary
of £30+K), there are those that need that money, but not for general living expenses.

PIP pays nowhere near £576 a week.

---------- Post added at 03:08 ---------- Previous post was at 03:05 ----------

Originally Posted by Corey N Georgie

This is the problem the abusers make it difficult for us all.

Indeed, but it's worth noting that for PIP the amount of fraud for live cases is so small that it registers as nil in their statistics.

PIP appears to be a maximum of £184.30 per week (if you get both parts, otherwise £108.55 per week).

Thats just over 9.5K, no idea where 30K+ comes from. https://www.gov.uk/pip/how-much-youll-get

[nomadking]

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

PIP pays nowhere near £576 a week.

---------- Post added at 03:08 ---------- Previous post was at 03:05 ----------



Indeed, but it's worth noting that for PIP the amount of fraud for live cases is so small that it registers as nil in their statistics.

With UC, PIP, rent paid, and council tax reduction it can all add up to an equivalent of a £30+K salary. That's before considering rents in London.

There are websites where you can enter an annual salary, and it will tell you the take home pay. You can take the total amount received in benefits and work out the salary it would need to get that amount. I didn't pluck the £30+K figure out of thin air.

To say there isn't massive fraud on the mental health side of things is quite delusional. It's NOT about whether you have X, Y, or, Z, but how much that impacts your life AFTER treatment. Eg Somebody SUCCESSFULLY claimed they should be allowed to spend 26 weeks of the year at a 2nd home in Spain, because of the sunshine. Not based upon a media report, but an actual Upper Tribunal decision that is publicly available.

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by nomadking

With UC, PIP, rent paid, and council tax reduction it can all add up to an equivalent of a £30+K salary. That's before considering rents in London.

There are websites where you can enter an annual salary, and it will tell you the take home pay. You can take the total amount received in benefits and work out the salary it would need to get that amount. I didn't pluck the £30+K figure out of thin air.

To say there isn't massive fraud on the mental health side of things is quite delusional. It's NOT about whether you have X, Y, or, Z, but how much that impacts your life AFTER treatment. Eg Somebody SUCCESSFULLY claimed they should be allowed to spend 26 weeks of the year at a 2nd home in Spain, because of the sunshine. Not based upon a media report, but an actual Upper Tribunal decision that is publicly available.

UC pays the rent. It's deducted of what you receive. I'm sure there is a limit to what they will pay also. It's not as kushy as some people think.

[nomadking]

Originally Posted by Stephen

UC pays the rent. It's deducted of what you receive. I'm sure there is a limit to what they will pay also. It's not as kushy as some people think.

You get the money to pay the rent, so it's not just the basic amount. The point remains that the equivalent salary required would be in excess of £30K, nearer £40K with London rents. As I said, I haven't plucked the figure out of thin air. It is an actual calculation.