all big ideas start small

Thursday, 12 January 2012

what spartacusreport means to me....

for me the spartacusreport movement has been life changing. I have mental health problems and I am very socially isolated. I'm findng life really tough at the moment and even getting out of bed was a struggle.

And then monday happened. all of a sudden I was part of a community, all with the same aim and purpose. We wanted a pause to Pip and we had a legitimate case in the spartacusreport.

I no longer feel alone, I don't feel helpless and worried about the future of my life on benefits. I feel empowered, stronger and feeling like I can make a difference, no WE can make a difference.

I haven't met any of these people, but to me they have become family. Its been an emotional rollercoaster this week as last night we virtually held hands watching parliament tv as the vote came in, and then the explosion of tweets tentatively celebrating, and breaking out into a full blown party.

Disability activism has found a new voice on twitter, thanks to the #spartacusreport.

fallout from welfare reform votes links

Wednesday, 11 January 2012

hi everyone :)

Tuesday, 10 January 2012

DLA is my lifeline, PIP would mean life gone.

Over the last few days there has been incredible support from all sorts of different people, organisations and the media about the spartacus report. This blog will explain what it actually is, and then what a difference it will make to my life if the government are allowed to press ahead with the welfare reform bill without proper consultation with disabled people (by proper I mean asking, listening and acting on what disabled people and our supporters are saying we need). The hash tag on twitter is #spartacusreport. We are fighting for our lives, and some are literally fighting with their lives, causing them sickness and ill health because of this report. We need support, This report is 100% disabled people from inception to delivery. Our main aim is to get the government to at least pause their plans for PIP.

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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%

In short, this report says that the government broke the rules, LIED, are still lying, and we can prove it. They are lying to force through legislation that will affect millions of people, and could one day affect you. Anyone can become sick or disabled. We simply ask that the legislation is paused and given proper scrutiny.
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.

Tweeting ideas

Seen any good tweets? comment with them here and I'll add them to the list, again, I am just trying to make it easier for spoonies to tweet and to keep #spartacusreport trending.

Just copy and paste whatever you want to use.

Brilliant easy read version of #spartacusreport. Many thanks to United Response for their work. http://tinyurl.com/7ym7st6

Exclusive Interview: William Beveridge backs #spartacusreport | Liberal Conspiracy http://liberalconspiracy.org/2012/01/10/exclusive-interview-william-beveridge-backs-spartacusreport/ via @libcon

Prime Minister, do 'you' actually know what you are doing? asks (wait for it) The Daily Mail. Yay… http://wp.me/pNwla-2mE via @Quinonostante

WE are the #spartacusreport. WE have kicked some big blue arse. WE will not be ignored. WE ARE WINNING! Keep it up, lovelies! #teamwrb

Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me. so I got together with disabled people and wrote #spartacusreport

RT @latentexistence http://youtu.be/oYsIoAiazZ0 @BendyGirl + @suey2y have literally half killed themselves working on the #spartacusreport.

I support the #spartacusreport because charities and medical professionals support its conclusions.
never 4get a small group of committed pple can and will change the world. #spartacusreport

important to note that 4 every1 fighting with the #spartacusreport there are at least 10 pple who they represent.

no ifs, no buts, the government didnt listen to us. #spartacusreport tells everyone why.

the government want to take away my dla, i say no way. #spartacusreport tells them why.

we are angry @ gov. Use #spartacusreport to direct rage at them. No anger needed. Truth will set us free

disabled people are desperate to see #spartacusreport have an impact. We r tweeting for our lives. Keep calm and carry on tweeting. No2Anger

i support the #spartacusreport and im behind a pause to PIP. Are you?

#spartacusreport matters to me. Shows the gov. Misled people about dla which is my lifeline.

Please RT: #spartacusreport shows that govt has hidden evidence on Disability Living Allowance.

No, I'M #spartacusreport http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/16008

https://twitter.com/#!/spartacustweets
this account also has a good hub..

I am just creating a hub here ok, trying to help...

Monday, 9 January 2012

Happy Disability day

I dont know how many people celebrate the day they were 'disabled'?

I did for a little while, and then it faded out with time. But today I am very aware that 12 years ago as a 16 year kid I realised I had a serious mental health condition. I never thought that twelve years later I would be sitting here getting excited that a report into Disability Living allowance reform is finally telling the truth.

Disability living allowance is my lifeline. I now know what is wrong with me and how to help with that condition. It is long term psychotherapy. The NHS simply doesn't fund this and so I have to go private. I spend 45 pounds every week from my DLA for this purpose.

If the reform went ahead I doubt I would be entitled to the higher rate of care. The help I need with my mental health problems are not recognised. It talks about therapy, but it means home based therapy. It talks about not being able to plan a journey, but planning a journey is the only way i can get around. It is planning and planning and planning again for all the different options available to me that keeps me from getting stressed out and makes it manageable.

I am scared of the reforms, so this is a positive thing to happen on such an important day for me personally.

Please look back and see the links links links page for all the press coverage about the responsible reform report.

http://www.brandontrust.org/get-involved/responsible-reform

Saturday, 7 January 2012

In relation to Harry Potter...

please forgive me, I sometimes have very strange thoughts....

When I found the daily mail article about Boris Johnson's support of DLA last night it got me thinking. I aplogise if harry potter isn't something you have read but It struck me as very similar to a harry potter plot.

In HP at the end of one book, Voldemort comes back in the graveyard. During the next book the wizarding world struggles to believe that he really has come back and calls both harry and Dumbeldore liars and mad etc etc.

There is just one newspaper, the quibbler that believes them, and prints the truth. Until this one incident happens that changes everything.

No one can deny it any longer, he is definitely back, and it is time to start fighting against the forces of darkness to save the wizards everywhere.

Until last night, it was just the Guardian that allowed stories to be written against what the co alition government are doing to sick and disabled people. All the other media and press were writing us off as scroungers, and spongers and following exactly what the coaltion wanted them to believe.

And then yesterday it started to change. It all started with Boris Johnsons submission to the DLA consulation being published on the net. First the right wing telegraph, then the mirror, and then the daily mail all published the story. Boris Johnson, a conservative going against his own party and standing up for his disabled constituents. The truth has started to seep in, people are finally waking up to what is truely going on with the coaltion government.

Its time to start fighting the forces of darkness, although not with magic.. but with the plain and simple truth.

Thursday, 12 January 2012

Wednesday, 11 January 2012

Tuesday, 10 January 2012

Monday, 9 January 2012

Saturday, 7 January 2012

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