This is your chance to shape The Broken of Britain's submission to the Public Consultation on DLA reform. Being an user-led group, we are interested in everything you have to say, even if you have never been on our blog or forum before. Read what we've written, take bits out, put new bits in, tell us what you like and don't like, and tell us if you disagree with us - we just want to make sure that we're accurately putting your views across.
This is a link to our forum where there is a downloadable first draft of the submission.
We need criticism and testimonies. First, on criticism, read our submission and either tell us what you want to critique, change, or get rid of completely. Or you can do it yourself given time/spoons and email the amended document to: rhydian@thebrokenofbritain.org
On testimonies, we need:
• A paragraph long testimony from DLA claimants who are enabled to work because of DLA
• A paragraph from a claimant who is chronically ill and will not ‘get better’ about why re-testing every few years is a waste of their time
• A paragraph about why you think DLA is fit for purpose
• A paragraph explaining why three rates of Care component is easier to understand than two (i.e. if you have medium care needs, how do you choose?)
• Why renaming the benefit PIP will not change your life
• A paragraph about the barriers to life that you face because of disability or illness?
• A paragraph on ‘[things] about DLA that should stay the same’.
• A paragraph on the main extra costs you face due to disability or illness.
• A paragraph about what would happen to you if you went down from Middle to Lower rate of Care (losing up to £29.85 a week).
• A paragraph about the broad range of specific activities that you consider essential to your life.
• A paragraph on how DWP can appropriately take account of variable and fluctuating conditions when
Very importantly, we also need input from carers explaining how DLA affects them, including as a passport to CA. A paragraph should be 300 words at most, but use your own judgment. Choose what topics you want to write on – all the topics listed or just one, depending on time, energy and spoons – and get cracking!
To submit your input, e-mail me at: rhydian@thebrokenofbritain.org
Non-partisan UK-based Disability campaign. Advocacy for people with invisible illness and/or physical & mental health conditions. Also Carers, their Families and Friends. Our individual voices are too quiet to be heard, but collectively we can shout loud enough to drown out this tide of abuse against us. Disability Hate Crime, lack of full legal protection, people in care homes costing too much to be let out and not one political party willing to fight for us.
Got. Have also passed this information on to others I know in receipt of DLA. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThank you Jen
ReplyDeleteI used to clai DLA, then I got significantly better. I may not have recovered without it.
ReplyDeleteIt's not one of the testimonies you listed, but would it be any use to you?
yes please sanabituranima
ReplyDeleteI have multiple health problems but primary claim is for a mental health problem that saw me hospitalised. My CPN had to fill in the form as I didn't have the faculties to do so myself at the time. I am now waiting over a year for an appeals tribunal and am currently living on handouts. It's slowed my recovery. I've lived in squalor, skipping meals and not bathing. My quality of life is awful. Medication is now helping me articulate these problems for myself but when first applying the guilt of asking for help almost drove me back into psychosis.
ReplyDeleteThis is my testimony.
Lynsey
My husband 75 this year was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease within a short time of retiring ten years ago. In spite of excellent care from his neurologist he has steadily deteriorated. Other events have contributed to his current condition in which he is permanently catheterised; has a restricted diet; sits in a specially adapted wheelchair; cannot weight bear nor turn over in his profiling bed. Continuing care provides carers. He has no Disability Allowance and his Attendance Allowance has no mobility component, so he must pay full road tax for his newly purchased WAG car. As a retired GP he is fully conscious of his condition and bears his reduced lifestyle in a way that earns admiration from all who come into contact with him.
ReplyDeletePlease use this testimony if you feel it will help the cause.
DL
This government is totally oblivious to the world the ordinary person has vto survive in,and their total disregard for the poorer sections of our society is a disgrace.The targeting of disabled people with the cuts/reforms to dla should have decent members of this so called coalition government hanging their heads in shame.This benefitis through it's links with motability a lifeline to many and without it's support we are destined to being imprisoned in our own homes without access to places and facilities thet give us some quality of life,I can not over stress the importance of this to myself and many others,I can only pray someone will listen.This is my testimony hope in some small way it helps,Andy.
ReplyDeleteThe increase of disability claims is nothing to do with lazy scroungers, it is due to a huge REAL increase of disability (much higher than the increase of accepted claims). See some of the evidence at http://tiny.cc/disabil and also http://www.autismcauses.info
ReplyDeleteA fuller report on this catastrophe is in preparation. And pass on this info!
My daughter died alone in her bed on Dec 18th. Yes she was an alcoholic but disabled also. She had not been out of her house for 18months without me...I took her for an ESA medical in November when they immediately stopped her benefit saying she was ok for work!! Even though her doctor stated she was unfit both mentally and physically.
ReplyDeleteThe DLA refused her mobility allowance on either level even though she had Neuropathy and had lost her balance. Social services offered a direct payment, then withdrew it saying they would look at it again next year!!
She was waiting for a place in rehab and had already had her daughter taken away by her father.
Two days before her death we called in her doctor as she was suffering panic attacks.Not suprisingly!!..she was given Diazepam, which I have found out since should never be taken with alcohol...It was meant to calm her..it certainly did that!! she died two days later...there is to be an Inquest.
Since her death she has had dates set for two tribunals..only one person will be missing at them...Well done Social Services for losing me my daughter... Maggie
Thanks to all who have posted here. I am writing the submission right now, and your testimony is included/
ReplyDeleteRemember, you are also more than welcome to e-mail me.
I am disabled as a result of catching an infection in hospital which spread to my bones.
ReplyDeleteAs well as being permanently ill with fevers/rigors, nausea, blood problems etc, I am in extreme pain, pain that I can't escape from. The outlook I face is death at some point which leaves me feeling very insecure.
Can't this government get it into their heads that wheeling us out to distant places for examinations by under qualified strangers not only exacerbates our symptoms - significantly sometimes - but is a real stress.
I don't know, I may be dead by the time the changes to DLA happen but the government is wrong. They have no idea what it's like to be disabled, they were probably just like me before I got the hospital infection.... blissfully ignorant.
We need stability and understanding not threats, Ian Duncan-Smith and his cohorts should understand this at least.
I would strongly advise anyone not to lecture people in power (or on public sites) about how utterly helpless and vulnerable they are. That's because these bullies are made all the more confident thereby that their victims cannot fight back against their bullying. You might as well say "Come along and kick my teeth in, as I can't kick you back."
ReplyDeleteHey, nice to meet you, regardless of circumstances, im in agreement as to the last post, the best way to fight these NWO Elitist Power Crazy absurdities (disguised as Government) is to expose the facts that are going to cause some questioning from those, as yet, idiotic enough to have absorbed the lies, The Taxpayer!.. So far the majority are told, its us (claimants of whatever disability?) are frauds, we are disabled but not unable! The media claims a story like, in the last such n such, '10.000' taken off disability, but of course, theres no reality added- non Drs ignoring specialists of a medical field, enforcing very ill to jsa benefit, despite the fact of no £ saved, & all those in power are fully aware as to the harm being caused Questions of importance to ask MPs & make public! Q1. Why are DWP, using the private company, Atos Origin, when fully aware, as to Atos' having been sacked from USA for falsifying documentation? Q2. Atos Origin has changed its name to Atos Healthcare, as yet the 'Healthcare' has not in anyway been evidented? please provide a listing of the 'what it is?' relating to any healthcare that Atos Provides. Q3. Neither of the Nurses nor Doctors within Atos, are specialists of either the mental nor the physical medical field, why is this? Q4, Atos is also, (despite being unqualified), given the freedom to ignore evidence provided by Long Term Physiotherapists/Psychologists & Doctors, how is this legally explained? And what 'specifically' are the qualified medical attributes to allow Atos' the self labeling Disability Analysts? Q5, what exactly is an Analyst of Disabilities?, and how is their training of a 3day course, at all 'sufficient' considering the vast amount of complex disorders/dysfunctions/disabilities? Q6, The renewal of the Atos contract is costing Taxpayers £500m, the Tribunals cost?? Taxpayers are not only paying for the both, yet also, for the evidently sick/disabled, now claiming jsa, What logical reasoning can explain any money being, if at all? Saved. Q7, there are £millions of taxpayers money (from DWP funds) being spent on 3rd parties, most being a business of some sort, who?, why? How ,much?. If we ask questions like these over & over, it gives us a little politcal & legal standing, the taxpayer is being duped all the time regarding taxes, hopefully the idea of fake companies Atos & unknown 3rd parties is the where wasted £ goes, it might make some see sense?
ReplyDeleteCameron & co come from a different world from the vast majority of the uk and as such are nor qualified to make decisions affecting the general public,you are not considered worthy of due consideration,as for the sick and disabled in our society we are seen as a burden on their resourcesand they have better things to save it for namely themselves.This all sounds very basic does'nt it,but this is 3what it boils down to,They do not care about you full stop.
ReplyDeleteCould someone please have a look at my request to join the forum
ReplyDeleteThanks
Jayne
ReplyDeleteI started on COPD Herbal treatment from Ultimate Health Home, the treatment worked incredibly for my lungs condition. I used the herbal treatment for almost 4 months, it reversed my COPD. My severe shortness of breath, dry cough, chest tightness gradually disappeared. Reach Ultimate Health Home via their website www.ultimatelifeclinic.com . I can breath much better and It feels comfortable!