It would seem that the government are finally willing to step down over plans to remove mobility payments for adults in residential care.
Expect fanfares and trumpets in the next few days. Expect to hear that this is a government who “listens,” who does the right thing. A government who cares for the most vulnerable.
A cynic, however, might point out that a government who even considers taking this most basic freedom away from some of the most profoundly disabled is badly out of touch with the needs of disabled people. Suggesting that disabled people should be kept housebound and unable to access society is so very disgusting that one would hope they would see that it was impossible. After all, I don’t reward my children for not kicking puppies.
If one were even more cynical, one might conclude that this measure, which was only ever set to save a paltry 160 million per year, was only included in the bill in the first place to be dropped in a warm glow of benevolence.
One might conclude that it was a measure so outrageous, so cruel, that it was always designed to draw attention away from other element of the Welfare Reform Bill that were even more cruel, but much, much harder to explain to a wider public.
Such cynicism might lead us to conclude that Time Limiting Contributory ESA, which affects 700 thousand people and saves the government up to 5 billion over the term of the parliament is a much greater prize and that by giving ground over a miniscule 160 million, critics will be silenced.
The benefit cap, which is predicted to make up to 200,000 people homeless, the plans to cut housing benefit for some of the most vulnerable, cuts to childcare and child benefit – all of these measures save the government much, much more money.
So, when the Daily Mail and the DWP start gushing with paternalistic largesse, when they jubilantly proclaim their disabled-friendly credentials, let’s be glad. But let’s not, for one moment allow them to claim that they listened.
...but they are going to make it impossible to get higher rate DLA it wont matter..
ReplyDeleteCynical ploy ......convince us they listen...well yeah what else would it be OR maybe they will suggest the care homes take control of these payments..hmmm wouldnt put anything past these muppets
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ReplyDeletea cynic might even think that this battle over petty sums leading to virtual house arrest could be left for PIP...
ReplyDeleteToo right, we as a family still stand to lose £50 a week under universal credits as our children receive middle rate care DLA and therefore will be losing their 'severe disablement premium'. They still kept that cut quiet didn't they? I'm still not going to be able to shut the toilet door as I need to supervise 24/7 yet as that's not deemed 'severe' we're going to be worse off.
ReplyDeleteYou people just don't know how to be cynical and pessimistic enough.
ReplyDeleteA real depressed miser might think that it doesn't matter: when the case law history for DLA is erased, they don't need to explicitly legislate or regulate policy to kick residents off mobility because the case law precedent that allowed it will no longer apply. They will be considered 'hospitalised' and therefore not eligible by default.
its a victory none the less, but agree with sue & mason there is some method in their madness, lets just wait and see.
ReplyDeleteThere is always a calculated agenda in anything they do and we know that but those in the slumbering masses among us still cannot see it and by the time they do it will be too late.This govt,and millibeans labour ...blue ,red or purple,are just as bad and they take us for bloody fools and the trouble is they know a lot are cos they dont listen, they dont see and they dont care until it happens to them....
ReplyDeleteYou may well be right that the measure was only introduced so that it could be dropped again as a look-how-caring-we-are piece of spin. Even so, we can be sure that it would have been included if there had not been a strong campaign against it (and in any case I shan't believe it is being dropped till it actually happens).
ReplyDeleteI like the puppy-kicking analogy, by the way!
hi sue just read this on disability news baroness campbell said she was thrilled that the government had may reconsider the issue of changing the name of dla .she said that she like the different version of her suggested name of personal disability costs payment .P.D.C.P thats going to be easy to say
ReplyDeleteWhen a disproportionate number of our unelected leaders are drawn from the ranks of lawyers and accountants it is not to be uninspected for them to continue to behave in that narrow focused way in a similar way that a surgeon clinically and sterilely dissects meat in his kitchen.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing to consider which will disproportionally affect residents in care homes is the change in motability rules. Drivers now have to live within 5 miles of the person who needs the car.
ReplyDeleteThe argument for keeping the mobility benefit for people in care homes was very often to keep the motability arrangement. And it appeared that in a great number of cases the driver was not the claimant.
I suspect remarkably few relatives and friends of people in care homes live within 5 miles and so will no longer be able to drive their motability car. It also begs the question of whether staff would be able to drive their car for them if they needed them to.
So even if they retain their mobility money they will still lose their car, or at least it will be useless to a lot of them.
@Sue
ReplyDeleteJohn Harris makes hundreds of video clips on UK law example below
Need to know if they are factually correct if so some could explain in part how and why sick and disabled are treated in this disgusting way and perhaps find answers in law to solving it.
John Harris - Its An Illusion
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4024663011008894776
Have you all seen this?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.macmillan.org.uk/Aboutus/News/Latest_News/DWPproposestoforcechemotherapypatientstoundergostressfulbenefitchecks.aspx
Of course I should've added to the above post...
ReplyDeleteWho in their right mind would prefer to have cancer and all the treatment it entails to get benefits and possibly face death to take benefits and when you have a record of your treatment, a Dr and a Consultant to speak up for you(Oh, I forgot)many assessments these days will not allow you to submit information from your medical records and those treating you...
and some here my have criticised me in the past that David Cameron and co were acting or thinking on the lines of Hitler. Well the sad fact is that if they can get away with it they will especially where money is concerned
ReplyDeleteThere's an old saying in that they would sell their own mother of father if they could and anything is possible if you stand in their way
When the Macmillan Nurses charity starts to show their concern(you know that you are in trouble)
ReplyDeleteSadly out of the blue I have become official carer for my mother who has been diagnosed with cancer(it is more a case of symptom control and keeping her comfortable...)
In Mum's case the only good thing is that she is too old to worry about having to prove she is ill or that she can work but it doesn't fill me with hope about my own future health issues nor if I lose her how I will be treated by the system...keeping a roof over my head, not being forced to work even though my health is poor, being able to continue to claim what I already do which is not very much and so on.
All the concerns that have been expressed for months on here.
For now I take one day at a time and I dare not look too far ahead and my priority and time is for Mum's well being.
Some people who work in local Government and Social care for the little help we do manage to get, friends and neighbours say that I am worrying un-necessarily and my fears will never happen, I wish that I could be that certain.
So much is not reported or known by the mass public.
[QUOTE]So much is not reported or known by the mass public.[/QUOTE]
ReplyDeleteThat is very true we should never have ever voted for David Cameron the public did so with some not understanding this type of man and the truth is that we have a few years to run with him in control
At the next election we still have a uphill battle as labour themselves still don't understand what certain types of sickness and disability are all about and the worst thing for the likes of me is having to live in this country and having to listen to these so called politicians try to learn about illness and disability
It's a natural instinct for gods sake to look after the sick and disabled and to be seen to do your best as prime minister for them to make their lives of which at the best of times is very difficult' not to go on and daily say bad things about them so that there day is full of fear and in some cases tears
DLA? I'm too scared to attempt to claim what I am entitled to. 1-0 to Camerooney, I think :(
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