So, with the welfare reform bill about to have it's second reading in the Lords, I've written this template letter to send and DarkestAngel32 blog 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 it'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, if they have a working partner, they will receive no state assistance whatsoever. All of their benefit will be stopped, a loss of just under £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 these assessments 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 faithfully,
...............[add your name]
List of contact details :
Baroness Thomas of Winchester
thomascm@parliament.uk
Baroness Morgan of Drefelin
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/baroness_morgan_of_drefelin
Baroness Sherlock
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/baroness_sherlock
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 Stoneham of Droxford
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/lord_stoneham_of_droxford
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 Donaghy
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/baroness_donaghy
Baroness Drake
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/baroness_drake
Baroness Flather
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/baroness_flather
Baroness Greengross
greengrosss@parliament.uk
Baroness Grey-Thompson
greeythompsont@parliament.uk
Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town
hayterd@parliament.uk
Baroness Healy of Primrose Hill
healyab@parliament.uk
Baroness Hollins
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/baroness_hollins
Baroness Hollis of Heigham
hollisp@parliament.uk
Baroness Howe of Idlicote
howee@parliament.uk
Lord Kennedy of Southwark
kennedyro@parliament.uk
Baroness King of Bow
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/baroness_king_of_bow
Lord Kirkwood of Kirkhope
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/lord_kirkwood_of_kirkhope
Lord Knight of Weymouth
knightja@parliament.uk
Bishop Leicester
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/bishop_of_leicester
Baroness Lister of Burtersett
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/baroness_lister_of_burtersett
Lord Low of Dalston
lowc@parliament.uk
Lord Mackay of Clashfern
mackayjp@parliament.uk
Lord Mckenzie of Luton
mckenziew@parliament.uk
Baroness Meacher
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/baroness_meacher
Lord Morris of Handsworth
morrisw@parliament.uk
Lord Newton of Braintree
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/lord_newton_of_braintree
Lord Patel
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/lord_patel
Lord Ramsbotham
ramsbothamd@parliament.uk
Lord Rix
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/lord_rix
Lord Touhig
touhigjd@parliament.uk
Baroness Turner of Camden
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/baroness_turner_of_camden
Lord Whitty
whittyl@parliament.uk
Lord Wigley
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/lord_wigley
Baroness Wilkins
wilkinsrc@parliament.uk
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.
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
ReplyDeleteBeing 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
That is a very well drafted letter, well done!
ReplyDeleteOne thing I noticed, is that you mention that you have included links to articles and studies, but have not actually included any.
I think it would help folks if perhaps links to 1 or 2 were included.
Regards
Jim
I have emailed 3 for the west midlands, lord archer, lady boothroyd and the lord reverend of hereford.
ReplyDeleteTGhe lord reverend of hereford has instructed someone to contact me and said that he has lots of correspondence regarding this and is considering it carefully