Disability vouchers instead of cash

[Corey N Georgie]

It still hasn't been decided. You would think so many worried people including myself would be a top priority for the Government.

[papa smurf]

Originally Posted by Corey N Georgie

It still hasn't been decided. You would think so many worried people including myself would be a top priority for the Government.

they have different priorities to the last government.

[Corey N Georgie]

Originally Posted by papa smurf

they have different priorities to the last government.

Maybe so but it's still ongoing.

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by Corey N Georgie

It still hasn't been decided. You would think so many worried people including myself would be a top priority for the Government.

What is still being decided? If it happened and that's a big if it would be a good few years before they could do anything.

[papa smurf]

Originally Posted by Corey N Georgie

Maybe so but it's still ongoing.

The thing is you're just not important to them,like older people you'll just have to be happy with the crumbs from under the top table ,sadly that is life in this new sunlit utopia that labour are building.

Nothing is happening with it because it's not in motion. Unless they proactively say they're doing it you can assume they're not.

[RichardCoulter]

The last official update was that they were going through the responses to the consultation set up by the Sunak Government with regards to this.

No news is good news.

It is known that Labour are to continue with the Tory intention to make financial organisations flag up accounts of people on benefits who may have undeclared capital or income, albeit with more protection measures in place to protect the most vulnerable people in society.

[denphone]

Originally Posted by Paul

I expect PIP is like any other benefit, there are the majority who correctly get it, and a minority who abuse or scam it.

Correct but governments of both persuasions and certain media outlets demonise us all as benefit scroungers who should not be awarded it.

[Mr K]

And some that don't claim it that should, or don't appeal a DWP decision when they should. 70% of PIP appeal tribunals decide against the DWP but a lot of people find it too much to deal with.

[Anonymouse]

I suppose this is the time to tell you all: I receive PIP. For the record, I'm a genuine claimant...not that I believe there's any other sort, given how bloody hard it seems to be to get.

I was due to do a Pedestrian Pallet Truck course, another string to my bow. But the Thursday before, i.e. the 5th May 2022, I woke up at about 7:20am - completely disoriented. The room was spinning, my eyes wouldn't track, I had double vision and the right side of my face was (and still is; I suspect nerve damage) seized up.
I'd had a stroke, it turned out. No pain or headache, oddly enough. At the time I was 56.

I'm not sure how I survived. But in one of my books there's a passage where a character is close to death, and he grits his teeth and concentrates on the single necessity of breathing until the danger passes. That was all I could think about. I had no idea what was happening, I only knew there was something badly wrong and I needed help. For a few minutes I just breathed. My brain getting enough oxygen may be what saved me.

Somehow I rang 999. Then I had to get to the front door to unlock it and take the chain off so the ambulance crew could get in without breaking down the door. Again, I don't know how but I did it.
I spent a month in hospital. Bolton At Home assigned me a support worker; she put in the PIP claim. I did some exercises with the Stroke Team.

Two+ years on, I still don't feel I've recovered. I'm on four pills (five for 3 months - folic acid). One is for high blood pressure, and a side-effect is that it makes me unsteady on my feet. But high blood pressure can lead to a stroke - and a second one will likely kill me, so I know which bet I'll take. I appear to be living on borrowed time.

I have tried to convince the DWP that not only am I unfit for work, I can't work. My unsteadiness makes me unsafe, to myself and anyone nearby - Health & Safety At Work Act (1974); H & S starts with and applies to every employee. Plus I get very tired, very easily, very quickly. Just a trip to the local Lidl, about 200 yards, does me in. Imagine me trying to work.

I used to ride a bike. I can't now. I daren't - too unsteady and I've been off the damn thing too many times already.

Even if I could work, an unrelated issue is my right hand, which arthritis has made virtually useless. I can't even make a fist with it. I asked my sister, who was a manager for years, if she would take me on - and she said no, she wouldn't; too much liability. She gave me the impression I would never work again.

I can see her POV - if I were a manager, I wouldn't take on a stroke survivor. They might die on shift - and how, knowing the risk (as I intend to point out in the unlikely event I ever get an interview - H & S again; for the safety of my colleagues and myself I have to tell them), can they prove the job didn't kill the employee? How much could relatives sue for? In this day and age, no company could afford that.

I've been assessed. Not in person - over the phone. How can you assess anyone over the phone? And why does the DWP think they know better than doctors? I'm sure I could get another fit note, but the DWP says I am fit for, and I quote, "some kind of work". No-one has said what kind.

There was a time when, if you had a sick note, that was it. No question. In fact in 2000 when I had an accident and was off work for weeks, the last time I took in a sick note I got the impression my job was at risk, so I reluctantly went back to work...only to be told a few months later that while an employee could do that, they weren't insured while the note was valid. You couldn't be sacked just for being ill, and it wasn't even my fault! If I'd known that I'd have told him to get stuffed!

I miss those days. Nowadays it seems the DWP is allowed to argue, but on what grounds I have no clue. Rishi Sunak and his "sick note culture" nonsense have a lot to answer for.

On the plus side, my PIP payment went in as usual, and no-one's mentioned vouchers to me. Damn stupid idea anyway, and if anything it'll cost more - printing (unless they're online), admin, and the chances are the suppliers will inflate their prices.

I suspect - and hope - it's just talk. I agree that something needs doing...just not this.

[Stephen]

It's definitely just talk.

I'm on PIP, well ADP as it's now called in Scotland. About to start looking for work again now my transplant and issues have settled down a lot. Though still get tired often and still can't really sleep. Been that way since the transplant last year. Hopefully at next review I'll hopefully get to keep it. Swapped some issues for other issues and still got my bad vision. So bad I can't drive and usually can't see the bus numbers I'm waiting for.

It took me two attempts to get PIP and then reapplied when my health worsened, and got advanced on both sections. It is a nightmare filling the forms and having the daft phone 'interview' not to mention the face to face. On my first appeal they claimed as I walked fine from the waiting room to the consult room I was fine, yes walking 15 metres in a straight corridor is easy. At the time, anything more and I was out of breath due to high blood pressure and being extra anemic due to the kidney failure.

The people doing these things have no clue what so ever and should nor be making decisions like that

[peanut]

It's just the constant worry and that you're never able to feel settled or secure. I'm taking 24 pills a day, not including b12 every 10 weeks and morphine as and when. Also 2 inhalers, St Marks Solution and Calshakes on top.

It doesn't matter how messed up I am, it's always in the back of my mind if they change it or move the goalposts.

I had a home visit for my PIP and must have had a one of the nicer ones, said I had nothing to worry about after the assessment but seems just luck of the draw just lately.

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by peanut

It's just the constant worry and that you're never able to feel settled or secure. I'm taking 24 pills a day, not including b12 every 10 weeks and morphine as and when. Also 2 inhalers, St Marks Solution and Calshakes on top.

It doesn't matter how messed up I am, it's always in the back of my mind if they change it or move the goalposts.

I had a home visit for my PIP and must have had a one of the nicer ones, said I had nothing to worry about after the assessment but seems just luck of the draw just lately.

My initial results on that person's recommendations annoyed me, only met me for ten mins. I had a member of Deaf Blind Scotland with me that day and they also filled in the form for me. So he suggested going straight to tribunal. I then got a call offering me full PIP. Clearly didn't want it going to the courts.

[RichardCoulter]

Disability Rights lawyers are actively working on fighting this. Last time I spoke to them they were examining exchanges in Parliament from the early 1970's when the first incarnation of PIP was introduced for those of working age (Mobility/Attendance Allowance).

This exchange points out why cash payments were the best solution out of all forms of help that were considered when it was being decided that financial help for disabled people should start to be made.

Invalid carriages would only be supplied voluntarily in lieu of Mobility Allowance and even this scheme was eventually abolished in favour of the current Motability scheme.

[Taf]

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

Invalid carriages would only be supplied voluntarily in lieu of Mobility Allowance and even this scheme was eventually abolished in favour of the current Motability scheme.

I remember those tiny death traps. A local used to have his break down and have to flag someone down to go home and call for a taxi and a recovery vehicle (long before mobile phones were a thing).

The mindset then, and in some ways still today, was "If you are disabled you use a wheelchair". Hence aids and adaptations were mainly walking sticks, zimmer frames, ramps, stairlifts and lowered kitchen surfaces. Even the international symbol for "disabled" is a person in a wheelchair.

Even the top criteria for a Blue Badge, was, until someone realised what they were doing was very biased were:

you cannot walk at all
you cannot walk without help from someone else or using mobility aids
you find walking very difficult due to pain, breathlessness or the time it takes
walking is dangerous to your health and safety
you have a life limiting illness, which means you cannot walk or find walking very difficult and have a SR1 form