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Freedom of information requests were used to gain access to responses to the consultation on replacing disability living allowance with personal independence payments. The response (and subsequent report) showed that:
- The government said that the responses support the reforms. They lied. The consultation showed that only 7% do.
- The consultation did not meet the government’s code of practice. It was too short and it ended two days AFTER they wrote and presented the bill to parliament.
- The government has consistently claimed a 30% rise in DLA claims. It is 13% and they admit they know this but still claim 30%
Facts courtesy of latent existance: (http://www.latentexistence.me.uk/responsible-reform-report-in-simple-terms/)
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At the moment I use my Disability living allowance for private treatment. Treatment that isn't available on the NHS because its deemed to costly. I also use it to remain independent which for most people are little things. This includes being able to have ready meals, my dishwasher and kitchen gadgets (my blender, grill and rice cooker means I can can do it myself). I also use it for getting shopping delivered, and those unexpected things. When I am depressed I can't focus or budget properly so knowing I don't have to stress about money is one less thing to stress about. Basically it keeps my life going.
my life? I am currently a student studying for a degree at university, and I am in my third year. I took the decision to do this final year over 2 part time years because of my disability, and knowing I had the security of DLA was a big factor in my decision. I am also creative and enjoy photoshop and taking photos.
So, Thats me and my life with DLA. If the proposals for PIP go ahead you might think I am safe enough as I am disabled and clearly using the money appropriately. No, you would be wrong.
I try not to dwell on it, but the criteria for PIP are vastly different to DLA and the fact that I can use my microwave and rice cooker, and blender negates me from the cooking test. Ironic, the things I have spent my DLA on to enable me to be safe in the kitchen means I wont qualify. I don't know what would happen if they break down? I do know that without them I was living on takeaways and eating from paper plates.
Under DLA the fact that I need supervision to go out in unfamilar places qualifies me for lower rate mobility. Under pip, it is no longer about mobility but cognition. I can plan a journey and follow it through so that again negates me from the benefit. However, the way I plan a journey is in itself disabling. I have to plan and plan and plan every possible route to get me somewhere. I get stressed if the bus gets too busy, or noisy or it might even be something random that triggers me into getting off the bus. It is the rigorous planning that keeps me safe. But it means I can't just go to a place, I need to exstenively look into it and consider all the risk factors before i decide if its worth it.
As I mentioned I have treatment, which isn't covered in the new criteria. Without this treatment it would make me seriously unwell again, and I would go back to relying on police, ambulance, crisis team etc etc. not somewhere I want to be thanks.
Quite simply DLA is my LIFE and with PIP I wont have one.
