Monday, 5 September 2011

Template Letter to Lords Re: Welfare Reform Bill

So, with the welfare reform bill about to have its second reading in the Lords, I've written this template letter to send and DarkestAngel32 blog http://darkestangel32.wordpress.com/  have produced this brilliant list of email addresses to send it to.

Obviously feel free to send your own letter about the things that matter most to you, but if you'd like to send mine, you're very welcome. Email addresses are at the end and whether you send the letter to one peer or everyone on the list, it all makes a difference.

Please do join in. The more letters and emails they receive, the more chance we have of making a difference. The bill is already facing difficulties because of the brilliant work we did while it was in the commons. Now we need to build on that and make sure that as many peers as possible know about the issues.

Finally, please share this article, tweet, link and send to friends. Thanks.


Dear ..........[insert name of peer]

On the 13th September, the welfare reform bill will have its second reading in the House of Lords.
Rather unusually, many aspects of the bill are yet to be finalised or fully detailed. This in itself will, I'm sure, make your job rather difficult as you consider the many, many details and changes proposed.

However, I'm writing to you with some very specific concerns that sick and disabled people have and I've linked to some articles and research which I hope you will find helpful.

1) Removing Disability Living Allowance mobility payments from adults in residential care.
An adult who needs to live in residential care will have extensive needs and are often amongst the most severely disabled. The mobility component of DLA afforded them their only freedom, allowing them to choose to fund a power wheelchair otherwise unavailable on the NHS, or to pay for taxis or transport to get out now and then. Taking this away would leave the most vulnerable disabled people effectively housebound. There is no support for this change anywhere - charities, independent benefit reports and even the government's own advisers have called for this to be removed from the bill.

2) Scrapping DLA entirely and replacing it with Personal Independent Payments (PIPs).
DLA is a very effective benefit with fraud rates of less than 1% (DWP own figures) It is already incredibly hard to claim and the qualification criteria are very narrow. The government have announced that DLA claimants will also soon face assessment and that the overall number of claimants will be reduced by at least 20%. The government's own advisory committee concluded that they could find no justification for this reform and have asked for clarification from the government.
If a benefit is already very efficient, yet a government announce a 20% cull before a single assessment has even taken place, we conclude it can only be a cost cutting measure that will ignore genuine need.

3) Time limiting Employment Support Allowance (ESA, previously Incapacity Benefit) to 1 Year
Many people who need to claim ESA have "long term variable" or chronic illnesses such as MS, Parkinson's, Bowel Disease, Leukaemia or severe Mental Illness. These conditions often do not go away after a year and sadly, often get worse over time. A high percentage of those with these conditions are being found "fit for work" under ESA but after 1 year, even those who have been found unfit for work will receive no state assistance whatsoever if they have a working partner. All of their benefit will be stopped, a loss of just over £5000 a year.


4) ATOS assessments are "unfit for purpose" and a better way of assessing need must be implemented. 

ATOS are the private company charged with assessing over 1.5 million sick and disabled people during this parliament.

-Up to 40% of rejected claims are going to appeal with up to 70% of those decisions being overturned with representation.
-Assessments are humiliating and degrading causing great anxiety to those genuinely in need.
-Just 7% of previous claimants are being found unfit to work on a long term basis.
-Testimony from Consultants and GPs is often ignored entirely.
-People are dying before lengthy appeals can be heard.
-Even the professor who designed the structure of ESA calls them a "complete mess"

There are other problems with the bill - capping housing benefit; re-classifying "mobility" so that those who use their wheelchairs too efficiently can be classed as "fully mobile"; removing an age related payment from ESA; scrapping the Independent Living Fund; cutting community care provision; cutting the Access to Work programme and many more - all of which will hurt sick and disabled people disproportionately, but the four points above MUST be addressed before the Welfare Reform Bill is passed.

They are causing or will cause real hardship.
They will not achieve savings as pressures will only be shifted to the NHS or social care provision.
They will increase homelessness, mental illness and poverty amongst this most vulnerable group of all
They will leave many in genuine need without support
They reduce the independence, standard of life and dignity of those we have a basic duty to protect.

I urge you to give these issues your time and consideration. Please, help us to make sure that amendments to the bill are passed ensuring that these 4 issues are addressed.

Yours sincerely,

...............[add your name]

List of contact details :


Baroness Thomas of Winchester
thomascm@parliament.uk
Baroness Stowell of Beeston
stowellt@parliament.uk
Lord Bishop of Hereford
bishop@hereford.anglican.org
Countess of Mar
marm@parliament.uk
Lord Feldman of Elstree
chairman@conservatives.com
Lord Freud
freudd@parliament.uk
Lord German
germanm@parliament.uk
Lord Addington
addingtond@parliament.uk
Lord Adebowale
adebowalev@parliament.uk
Lord Beecham
beechamj@parliament.uk
Lord Boswell of Aynho
boswellte@parliament.uk
Baroness Campbell of Surbiton
campbelljs@parliament.uk
Baroness Greengross
greengrosss@parliament.uk
Baroness Grey-Thompson
greythompsont@parliament.uk
Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town
hayterd@parliament.uk
Baroness Healy of Primrose Hill
healyab@parliament.uk
Baroness Hollis of Heigham
hollisp@parliament.uk
Baroness Howe of Idlicote
howee@parliament.uk
Lord Kennedy of Southwark
kennedyro@parliament.uk
Lord Knight of Weymouth
knightja@parliament.uk
Lord Low of Dalston
lowc@parliament.uk
Lord Mackay of Clashfern
mackayjp@parliament.uk
Lord Mckenzie of Luton
mckenziew@parliament.uk
Lord Morris of Handsworth
morrisw@parliament.uk
Lord Ramsbotham
ramsbothamd@parliament.uk
Lord Touhig
touhigjd@parliament.uk
Lord Whitty
whittyl@parliament.uk
Baroness Wilkins
wilkinsrc@parliament.uk





Posted by at
Labels: , , , , , ,

39 comments:

  1. Anonymous5 September 2011 at 12:08

    This is a really good letter Sue. Just one point of clarification: Professor Gregg, who you refer to, didn't design the assessments, he designed the structure of the benefit (i.e. having the WRAG and Support Group, as well as the type of support people should receive). Still legitimate to reference his view of the WCA as key player in the process though.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous5 September 2011 at 13:28

    got a reply almost straight away

    Dear Mr Eagling



    Thank you for writing to me. I am very familiar with the points you raise and will be voicing my concerns during the second reading of the Bill.



    With kind regards

    Margaret Mar

    ReplyDelete
  3. Chris Bracken5 September 2011 at 13:34

    Should be 'sincerely' at the end, I think. Grammar nazism aside, thanks very much for this. Haven't got a lot of steam lately but this let's me do my bit.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sue Marsh5 September 2011 at 13:58

    Anonymous (Mr Eagling, lol)That's SO encouraging! How brilliant that you got a positive reply so quickly!! It should give others a real boost to know that there's a point to all of this, thanks for letting us know :)))

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous5 September 2011 at 14:10

    On the DLA front, I have already seen two DLA doctors, have had four applications on of which went to Tribunal which I won.

    Finally I was awarded and indefinite decision. This means they accept there is little chance of me getting better. After trying to prove this for 12 years. It fills me with dread the very idea that I might have to go through yet more processes that just make me more ill and dominate my life for months (the highest being 18 months) waiting for a decision.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous5 September 2011 at 14:47

    Great work Sue and have sent to all on list.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous5 September 2011 at 15:25

    Great stuff. Just one quibble: it would be better if the bits that are links had the actual URL in brackets after the linky writing. Otherwise, when you paste the text into an email, they are just text, not links. So they won't lead the peer to anything as they are no longer links.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous5 September 2011 at 17:06

    Hi, great letter, I am just a bit confused about the paragraph about time limiting ESA where it says many of these people are being found 'fit for Work' should n't that be 'unfit for work'. It seems to be confusing two issues 1. that many people who are failing the test should be passing it. 2. Even those who are found unfit in the WRA group will lose their benefits after a year with the new proposal.??

    ReplyDelete
  9. diane5 September 2011 at 17:07

    Sent letter to all who had email addresses - greeythompsont@parliament.uk i think has 1 too many e's as "Postmaster" returned email; removed an 'e' & sent again! Many thanks for blog.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Aufstehenuk5 September 2011 at 17:24

    For those of us not suffering from a disability, it may be worth while our pointing this out in the version of the letter we send individually.

    I have done so in the ones I have sent today.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Sue Marsh5 September 2011 at 18:06

    Aufstehenuk - I think that's a very important thought. It's always good if we can point out that those unaffected are just as concerned as those who are. That is one of things I think really makes politicians stop and think

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous5 September 2011 at 22:31

    I have as always use Rowan Williams for my point of contact and have stressed in no uncertain terms of what i won't him to address

    Being both men of the church we have as you would expect common ground and have stressed to him he needs to stand up a deliver a knockout blow to David Cameron who is not a man of the church and never could be

    If i could stand up in the lords and deliver my speech you could be well assured a general election would be forthcoming and soon

    I have told Rowan Williams to get well and truly stuck in with no holds barred and blow David Cameron out of the water even if the other lords shout you down or even kick you out at least the government will have been told once and for all

    If Rowan Williams fails in this then he should consider stepping down as that is the only honourable alternative

    The sick and disabled need to have piece and quite brought into their lives in what for many may not have long to live and that's the bottom line

    They do not wont to feel tortured and punished for being sick or disabled or having to face an uncertain future with the DWP procedures and face death in the meantime

    9/11 was a very dark day in the history of mankind for it showed evil towards others but it also showed heroes’ like in the medical professions along with the fire and the police services in which so many lives were saved and yet 10 years on we have a government out to destroy life yes it’s hard to take in and for some like myself will never be able to come to terms with that and for me my nightmare will never be over not until everyone that I hear about is safe and well

    What I have written above is what I expect of Rowan Williams for I believe that is his role in the house of lords no one else as a man of the church all of us here would expect nothing less of him

    ReplyDelete
  13. MacKenzie'sRant6 September 2011 at 11:29

    I am so impressed with your blog that I have added a link to it on my own blog page - I do hope you don't mind. If you'd care to return the complement, check out http://ocklety-cocklety-witch.blogspot.com/ "The Journal of a Parasitic Wanker" as we were all recently labelled by an Atos employee on a well-known social networking site!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous6 September 2011 at 11:42

    And one further thing i should add is that those in the house of lords in the vast majority haven't even have a clue on disability or long term sickness that with most being deaf through old age and falling asleep i have grave doubts about anything that house could dish up let alone serve

    They may mean well and some could be sincere and i do agree there better then nothing at all but they sure do need reforming if they are able to do their duties on behalf of the public

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anonymous6 September 2011 at 18:20

    two replys so far not that they seem in the least bit interested, just boosts their ego's common man having the audacity to even send them a mail

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anonymous6 September 2011 at 18:45

    [QUOTE]Anonymous said...

    two replys so far not that they seem in the least bit interested, just boosts their ego's common man having the audacity to even send them a mail[/QUOTE]

    Indeed they are so remote they could talk about anything under the sun and still keep the same tone of voice
    The only thing that gets them worked up to a frenzy and frothing at the mouth is when their discussing themselves with the house of lords reforms that they have successfully defended for the past 100 years

    So yes they can fight hard when their talking about themselves. When it comes to the sick and disabled however that's a very different matter" who the hell are they"

    ReplyDelete
  17. Anonymous6 September 2011 at 19:04

    what is the average of the lords anyone know

    ReplyDelete
  18. Sue Marsh6 September 2011 at 19:07

    Come on guys!! Enough with the negativity!! If the Lords come through with significant amendments to the bill, we'll be happy bunnies no?

    ReplyDelete
  19. Anonymous6 September 2011 at 19:26

    [QUOTE]Sue Marsh said...

    Come on guys!! Enough with the negativity!! If the Lords come through with significant amendments to the bill, we'll be happy bunnies no?[/QUOTE]

    If your happy sue then i think we will all go with that as your judgement like mine is good in the small detail and as they say the devil is in the detail

    but if i find some detail lacking or a small group left out and sidelined then i will of coarse speak out as you would expect :)

    it's a pity I'm not speaking in the house of lords it would be the most explosive sitting they would have ever had in their history and also probably the finest of tv lasting well into the early hours of the morning such is my style of wit but would win the argument hands down on just my passion alone i would think

    ReplyDelete
  20. Anonymous6 September 2011 at 19:30

    Negativity NOT, just plain old anger and frustration, it should not have happened in the first place, although i do understand why its needed but not the outright targeting of the less able.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Anonymous6 September 2011 at 20:52

    [QUOTE]Anonymous said...

    Negativity NOT, just plain old anger and frustration, it should not have happened in the first place, although i do understand why its needed but not the outright targeting of the less able.[/QUOTE]

    Agreed never a truer word said

    ReplyDelete
  22. Anonymous6 September 2011 at 20:55

    [QUOTE]Anonymous said...

    what is the average of the lords anyone know[/QUOTE]

    80 years and it shows >:(

    ReplyDelete
  23. Anonymous6 September 2011 at 21:01

    The House of Lords: the perks, the pay, the pomp they have it all and if they saw you in the street they would walk stright past you as one lord once told me

    . Some people seem to be using it as the smartest retirement home in the world.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Anonymous7 September 2011 at 00:11

    i like the way you think fourbanks

    ReplyDelete
  25. Anonymous7 September 2011 at 18:01

    [QUOTE]Anonymous said...

    i like the way you think fourbanks[/QUOTE]

    Thank you i just wish i didn't need to get involved at all but with the way politicians and lords think today everyone needs to get involved as they sure have a very odd way of thinking

    There is a program on horizon tonight at 9pm Horizon -Are You Good or Evil? hopefully it might shine some light on todays politicians

    ReplyDelete
  26. Anonymous8 September 2011 at 15:16

    I've had six responses so far the best coming from Baroness Wilkins who writes;

    Thank you for taking the time to email me and my colleagues with your concerns over the Welfare Reform Bill, which I share. I can see in your email that you feel as passionately as I do about many of the changes this bill will force onto people who are already struggling. I have received many emails similar to yours outlining the four issues of Removing Disability Living Allowance mobility payments from adults in residential care, Scrapping DLA entirely and replacing it with Personal Independent Payments (PIPs), Time limiting Employment Support Allowance (ESA, previously Incapacity Benefit) to 1 Year and ATOS assessments are "unfit for purpose" and a better way of assessing need must be implemented.

    The welfare reform bill disguises cuts and changes to a number of benefits that will punish disabled people. In particular, the bills will time-limit contribution-related employment support allowance to 365 days, so that a claimant becomes ineligible after a year if their spouse or partner works.

    The bill confirms that disability living allowance (DLA) will be replaced by the personal independence payment, which will use unfair assessment and conditions to disqualify 20% of the current DLA caseload. The inclusion of this change in the bill took place before the consultation on DLA reform was completed. The reasons for this reform are unclear, as reported by the social security advisory committee, with ministers denying that cuts are the motivation for change. Objectivity and independence of assessment are some of the reasons offered by the minister for disabled people; while there may be a case for objective assessment, I believe that evidence from GPs and specialists should be sufficient in many cases as it is at present. I am concerned that the reasons given by the minister suggest GPs and specialists cannot be trusted to provide medical evidence.

    Available evidence, including DWP research, suggests DLA is an efficient and well-regarded benefit, with the lowest rate of fraud in the benefits system. As such, any reforms should be undertaken with caution, and it is important that any evidence-gathering is relevant, truly independent and conducted by appropriately qualified professionals, and that proper weight is given to other evidence, for example from the claimant's GP.

    For these reasons, I will be speaking in the Second Reading and voting against the reform of DLA, and other "anti-disability" provisions that will place extra pressure on social care and social services in the welfare reform bill on September 13th.

    Thank you once again for your email,

    Yours sincerely

    Baroness Rosalie Wilkins

    ReplyDelete
  27. Sue Marsh8 September 2011 at 17:20

    Brava!! Brava!! Baroness Rosalie Wilkins, we salute you :))

    ReplyDelete
  28. Anonymous8 September 2011 at 18:58

    3 replies so far - 2 acknowledgements & same email as above from Baroness Wilkins.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Chris Bracken9 September 2011 at 14:27

    Write to Them is giving me grief. Or, rather, the House of Lords has decided they won't listen:

    Quote

    Sorry, but we have to limit the number of similar messages sent to members of the House of Lords. We are using the House of Lords fax machine for all correspondence, and they have told us they simply disregard more than 6 messages of substantially identical content arriving within a couple of days. The Parliament website gives details of how to send mailshots to all Lords by post.

    Unquote

    ReplyDelete
  30. PaulSwannIL9 September 2011 at 15:15

    Inspired by Sue's template, Disability Wales has customized the letter and circulated it to our members, and also out through the Wales Council for Voluntary Action's networks too. http://bit.ly/DWLords

    Excellent response from Baroness Wilkins :)

    ReplyDelete
  31. Anonymous9 September 2011 at 16:12

    Look your supposed to write to the lords in your own words and not use a template that's for your guidance only

    They would rather that you write like i do with the grammar not perfect and on how you yourself feel about a policy then to write to make out that you have a degree in English and have copied someone which in internet terms is classed as spam

    What the lords will be debating is very serious and has very far reaching consequences for the sick and disabled such as the death and hardship of people over the coming years is is far to serious to just put to one side or to not get involved

    We don't as a country wont to take a step back to the days of Hitler where half the German people thought of him as a kind man and after the war that half found that he wasn't that decent after all we need to stick at all times to the facts

    At this time there are a few people that have died whilst waiting for there DWP appeal to come through at this time David Cameron has been lucky as those that have died did not have access to a lawyer for help as the cost is very substantial

    As we go forward in the coming years the death toll will rise and it only needs just one person to take the government to court or just one incident in which the police are involved to bring about future justice

    At this time David Cameron is only after catching scroungers to be able to give the likes of us more to live on these are facts and are widely publicised what we need here do is to make sure that fairness and common sense is carried out at all times by the DWP and when the DWP does not perform as expected and a death takes place that the police be informed and the coroner by the next of kin so that at all times the government can be monitored by those whose job it is to oversee what the government is doing

    Germany never had such a system during the war hence the holocaust we do have safeguards in place and we need to make sure that not only are they in place but working

    ReplyDelete
  32. Anonymous9 September 2011 at 16:39

    One further thing in that when you post you don't post anonymous as that doesn't do justice to Sue's blog in which it is one of the finest in the world

    So i do please ask of you to get yourself a google account or whatever other one that you prefer and join in this blog in an honourable way
    The issues discussed in this blog are far to serious to just have people posting causally

    I know that sue doesn't mind such is her gracefulness but i do and am sure that the majority of the followers to this blog do so also
    thank you

    ReplyDelete
  33. Anonymous10 September 2011 at 06:54

    I used the template then changed and added bits. I wrote to 27 (Yes 27) of them and how many replies did I get? - ONE! Just one little reply. I pray they are listening - I know my one reply listened but - I am now thinking the others won't have listened.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Anonymous10 September 2011 at 06:56

    Oh - That reply up there from Baroness Wilkins is the same as mine. Well either way I pray she can gt others to listen

    ReplyDelete
  35. Anonymous10 September 2011 at 13:25

    [QUOTE]Anonymous said...

    Oh - That reply up there from Baroness Wilkins is the same as mine. Well either way I pray she can gt others to li[/QUOTE]

    The only persons truly listening are us and us alone. The house of lords is very detached when it cones to sickness or disability as throughout their history there have been no lords with longterm sickness and for one very good reason they've died and before their death they were unfit for work for many years i know so as I've known many lords in my time and have been to many funerals

    How they get to discuss this type of topic is beyond me as without any personal experience it will be a complete farce when viewed on TV and will bear no relationship to any of our concerns with regards those that die Whilst there DWP appeal is bing dealt with and those that are just struggling in silence who commit suicide as a last result by having to suffer much pain and anguish and just looking at David Cameron on tv is enough to push them over the top

    ReplyDelete
  36. Anonymous10 September 2011 at 16:51

    And when things are at breaking point i would suggest listening to this broadcast for strength
    Why i hear you ask ? because your going to need it trust me believe me

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0145x7m/Soul_Music_Series_12_Dear_Lord_and_Father_of_Mankind/

    ReplyDelete
  37. Anonymous10 September 2011 at 20:45

    Too many similar messages have been sent

    Sorry, but we have to limit the number of similar messages sent to members of the House of Lords. We are using the House of Lords fax machine for all correspondence, and they have told us they simply disregard more than 6 messages of substantially identical content arriving within a couple of days. The Parliament website gives details of how to send mailshots to all Lords by post.

    If you wish to try again, please use the "back" button in your browser and rewrite your message.

    Please read our Frequently Asked Questions for more information about WriteToThem Lords.

    All the usuals
    -The WriteToThem.com Team

    ReplyDelete
  38. Anonymous11 September 2011 at 11:48

    Atonement - Dunkirk Scene (Tracking Shot)for when things are bad in dealing with the DWP or your just at your wits end

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5dqmUgu0SI

    ReplyDelete
  39. Paul15 September 2011 at 10:40

    Are there any more Peers whose email addess you know, i've sent to all those mentyioned now, but would love to contact more, but cant afford the postage to individually write to them all?

    Keep up the good work Sue!

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)