General Chat

Actually, we can add another £22 million pounds onto the cost of assessing the disabled for work - the amount the Government has put aside for 2016 - 2018 appeals against the assessments :-|

http://www.buzzfeed.com/alanwhite/the-government-has-put-aside-ps22m-to-fight-benefits-claim-t#.nhGYb7o70

Peoples GPs know them best
They know their illnesses
and could assess them at a lot less cost than any other firm/ company ect :-(

They certainly could, Joy.
Unfortunately both ATOS and Maximus override the doctor's report.
Hence my view that the whole thing is just vindictive.

Your right Maggie
But ATOS and Maximus
Don't have enough Advisers in the right fields to cope or asses fairly

Take the Midwife how can she asses anybody
except if they are having a baby
Sadly It just doesn't work :-(

Money needs to be targeted where it is needed and not given to everyone who goes through the "gateway" without looking at their actual needs. No one should be able to build up thousands of pounds of savings just from benefits while others are struggling day to day. If they can save that much, then they don't need it and it should go to the people who do need it.

GPs have been threatened by "skivers" unless they sign that they are unfit, which is why their word is no longer accepted on its own.

Anybody threatening a GP would be struck off the Doctors list

But to be honest why should it be means tested
when its not a exactly a Benefit when You have paid Tax's
and national insurance all your life to cover yourselves

Its not their fault they become ill

and skivers in my book are the lowest of the low :-D :-D

David Cameron got DLA ect for his son Ivan

Unfortunately, the really sick and disabled are paying the price for those who have discovered that one can get more money through that source than by being on the dole.

For many years, quite a few people, having been made redundant because of closure of industries, have gone down that route. I was told this about 15 years ago by someone who told me that a fair few of his old workmates had decided to 'go sick' rather than claim unemployment benefit. Some of the tricks they go through to claim sickness benefit are diabolical and I'd be surprised if none of us knew someone who had tried to defraud the government (ultimately the taxpayers).

It is a sad fact of life that quite often when one has worked in one particular job for 20 or 30 years, re-training for something different is a stumbling block for many. It is akin to a professional footballer saying his working life is short when, in fact, it's the same as everyone else's - he has to find different employment that's all.

I feel heartily sorry for the genuine sick and disabled who may be temporarily penalised because of the cheats.

It isn't just the elderly who get sickness related benefits. Some people claiming DLA etc have never worked a day in their lives so have contributed nothing through tax and NI. Some of them deserve every penny, others just don't.

My cousin Kenny
Doesn't get DLA and he has no legs

Because he can just about walk using his sticks on his false legs

I agree, Guinevere. There are young shirkers who don't want to get up and travel to work and expect everyone else to pick up the bill for their shirking.

I can appreciate how difficult it is to live in woop-woop where the buses operate hourly, the fares are costly and the young still want to live with their parents but moving and sharing with friends can be a viable option. After all, when conscription was in force they would have no option but to move. I am not one who believes that conscription ought to be re-introduced but I do think some people should 'man up' and get on with it.

It could mean a world of difference to the taxpayer and to those who were genuinely sick.

Well, I am on 24hr oxygen since 2011 and I am sure that I am not the only one on these boards.

It is the disability benefits which bother me - it is bad enough for those trying to convince ATOS they are unfit to work. I have read a decision given by the Appeal Judge (solicitor) in conjunction with an ATOS dr - the report is incorrect - the judge literally moved the position of the plaintiff's home to local shops, ignoring it was up a very steep hill, moved his drs.address, his dentists address not to mention that of his bank and to add to it changed his bank for him (he has been there for 40 yrs) and so it went on littered with errors - said he was fit for work. The judge at the hearing told him his cane was too short for his height - he proved to them it was a collapsible one He has spinal arthritis which is worsening.

Spend some money on finding those who have being working the system for years and getting away with it No child benefit after third/fourth child, no child benefit paid for children non-resident in UK.

I agree less sugar should be in drinks/foods/cough bottles etc. but not convinced re sugar tax , just another means of taxation?

I had hoped that this present government with a majority would give Mr. Cameron some steel in his backbone but I fear sadly not.

Well said Chris :-D :-D :-D

Planned changes to disability benefits will be "kicked into the long grass", according to a government source.

Chancellor George Osborne faced criticism over the cuts outlined in the Budget, which were likely to affect some 640,000 people.

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FINGERS CROSSED
:-D :-D

...not much of a Budget then, was it? Doesn't this man know his job?
Two changes within 2 days!!!

If I was due to give a report to an employer, gave to them on a Monday and changed half of it the next day, my boss wouldn't be very happy!!

Iain Duncan Smith resigns as Work and Pensions Secretary over pressure to cut benefits Express & Star 21:14

Iain Duncan Smith Resigns Over Disability Cuts Sky News 21:11

Iain Duncan Smith resigns as Work and Pensions Secretary London Evening Standard 21:11

Iain Duncan Smith resigning as Work and Pensions Secretary 'due to Treasury pressure to make… Mirror.co.uk 21:11

Iain Duncan Smith resigns over benefits plans The Scottish Herald 21:10

In the last 15 minutes

Breaking: Iain Duncan Smith Quits Over Disability Benefit Cuts Row Daily Star 21:10

Iain Duncan Smith's resignation letter in full ITV 21:09

In the last half-hour

Duncan Smith quits over benefits plans BBC 21:04

Iain Duncan Smith resigns from Cabinet over disability cuts New Statesman 21:02

Work And Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith Quits Cabinet In Protest At Shambles Over… Daily Mail 21:02

I don't care if a bottle of Vodka goes up
to £22 after the Budget

I will still gonna Party like its £19.99 :-D :-D :-D

I have just spent hours filling in a fitness for work 20 page assessment form on someone else's behalf.
The subject has a mental age of around three years and cannot understand or carry out even simple instructions consistently or hold a conversation of any sort nor read and write.
There is no way that anyone would contemplate sending a three year old to work but there is no provision in the system for a medical or other professional to certify that someone is totally incapable, the form must be filled in in full by or on behalf of the subject and the subject may be called in for an interview (which they would be incapable of attending without being led there almost by the hand).
The system is as idiotic as some of those subjected to it.
I shall be pointing this out to our MP (but he is equally as useless, he just passes any issue to the relevent Civil Service department who trot out their lame excuses).

Cutting disability is a low blow.

Assessing it is another issue tho. Gp's arent in the best position as often they are unable to be objective in individual cases..
As for the issue of midwives, many have been nurses for years before undertaking their training and part of midwifery training enables midwives to be more autonomous so as to make diagnosis and decisions. Even those who have done midwifery without nursing know plenty about pathology.