100 days to save DLA & AA from the axe

[curlysue]

I got an email from Benefits & Work today about the first phase of the campaign...

It involves approaching charities which deal with medical conditions/disabilities and asking them what their stance is on the Green Paper. This is a quote from the email:

Persuading disability charities to speak out against the threat to disability benefits is absolutely crucial. Unless leading agencies like Mind, Arthritis Care and the MS Society are prepared to openly oppose these proposals it will be very difficult to halt them. The government will be able to argue that they consulted with 'stakeholder' organisations and they supported the green paper.

So whether charities are swayed by the strength of your arguments or alarmed by the prospect of losing members who feel abandoned by them, it's vital that they commit themselves to defending AA and DLA. So far only RNIB has been courageous enough to risk the wrath of six secretaries of state rather than desert its members.

So what we're going to suggest you do today is to get in touch with a local or national disability organisation, preferably one that deals with a condition that affects you or someone you care for.

As things are quite informal here on this forum, I'm wondering whether this is the place to ask the mods what HMSA's official stance is on the Green Paper and whether there will be a press release or other official statement published. And what, if any, action HMSA as an organisation is going to take?

CSx

[grey owl]

Dear Bendy Bods,

I have just written to my MP about this. This is what I wrote:

I am writing to express my concern regarding the 'Shaping the Future of Care' Green Paper in which it is suggested that Attendance Allowance and potentially, in future the Care element of DLA be paid to local councils to provide care rather than direct to the disabled person.

I have been on DLA (lower rate mobility and care) for about 5 years now and have found it really makes the difference for me between just living and having a life. My only other income comes from Incapacity benefit for which I am currently undergoing my 7th review!

My disabilities Anxiety, Depression and Hypermobility Syndrome (a genetic joint disorder causing joint instability, fatigue and pain) are invisible and so do not easily meet council criteria for the provision of services. They are however very real and have quite an impact on my daily life.

As my (modest £18.65 per. each component a week) is paid to me it means I can spend it on the things I need. For instance it means that I can have a cleaner for one hour a week to do the tasks I find difficult and painful e.g. hoovering, changing my bedding and cleaning the bathroom. Our local council doesn't provide that service.

I can also have ready made meals or groceries delivered or go out to a local cafe at those times when I need something nutritious to eat and am too exhausted or down to cook. This has a positive knock on effect as it means that I can use my limited supply of energy to do other things such as my governor work for the Partnership Trust, help at the Evergreen Club and, yes do my Lib. Dem. deliveries.

When I applied for DLA I was helped by a lady from the local Mind who insisted that I should apply with her help, even though she had terminal cancer at the time, because she knew what a difference it would make to my life.

I am not alone in feeling so strongly about this. In fact over 5000 people have already joined the campaign on this issue in less than a week. Please could you give this issue your urgent attention as those of us who often feel voiceless in the face of the pronouncements of the DWP but non the less are giving our all (and more) on a daily basis need your support to retain the little bit of dignity and independence our DLA/AA allows us.


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I copied my letter here as I hope others might find it interesting or helpful in deciding what they might like to write.

All the Very Best
Grey Owl

[barkingmad]

Hi CS,

The HMSA are aware of this and are considering any or if any action will be taken. I will come back to you when we have some idea of the HMSA's stance on this.

Grey Owl, that was a well worded letter! I hope you get a positive response!

TC Donna

[Englishgremlin1]

Well put Grey Owl.

very worryingly my soaical worker was here yesterday and she had not heard of the review. She did not like it either and is going to talk to her co workers

[barkingmad]

Hi,

the HMSA has decided to express its concern and we will be contacting Norman Lamb (our Patron) about this and seek further clarification. We will of course,
be adding our concerns to those of other organisations.

[Englishgremlin1]

Thanks Barkingmad.

[juliehplus6]

Hi,

the HMSA has decided to express its concern and we will be contacting Norman Lamb (our Patron) about this and seek further clarification. We will of course,
be adding our concerns to those of other organisations.

Thank you!! My understanding of the situation is that we REALLY need charisties and associations linked to specific conditions to start shouting. The louder they shout just maybe the govt will find it harder to ignore

[curlysue]

Grey Owl - fantastic letter! Really good point about the invisibility of the conditions.

Donna - that's great news!

CSx

[Hayley]

Graham that's a brillinatly written letter - well done you!!

Since I receive DLA as well as our 3 Autistic sons, we would stand to lose the majority of our income! The boys DLA is used for things like computers, games consoles and holidays as they are unable to go out unsupervised so they need to be entertained. We can't always go out and do things because it depends on how bad a day I'm having. Sitting in a cinema can be agony and they boys aren't very 'sporty' so they don't want to go to football matches etc (in fact one of them becomes extremely distressed at loud noises!). I honestly don't know how we would manage without the DLA

Hayley

[grey owl]

Dear Bendy Bods,

Thank you, you are all so kind . Slightly puzzled who Graham is though

All the Very Best

Grey Owl

[Englishgremlin1]

Graham is a mysterious gremlin in the NHS works, very English he he

[grey owl]

Ahh now it all becomes so clear


Thanks English Gremlin. I enjoyed your poems by the way!

Whoops, sorry for this little excursion away from the thread!

All the Very Best
Grey Owl

[poppy]

I have a major on the case. He doesn't get DLA or AA but after I emailed him he said he's going to sort it out. If any of you knew this major you would be seriously thinking he probably could sort it out all by himself and have the government absolutely terrified of him. He's a nice guy...as long as he likes you and you respect him. Saw someone call him by his first name once...bad idea, that nice smile suddenly left and he was like a different man. So with the major on their case the government ought to be very very scared

[nonyanomemory]

http://careandsupport.direct.gov.uk/greenpaper/execsum/

good place to vent one's spleen perhaps on this major issue.

I would definately sign a petition on behalf of eds/hms sufferors if the HMSA created one, a thread on the bbc ouch site suggested that support from individual charities in getting this stupid idea scrapped (not just leaving benefits & work site to do it all which afterall is a profit making organisation) would have significant impact.

In the meantime try commenting in link above, it would be interesting if comments were listened to or if this facility is mere lip service to the disabled population.

[roqchiq]

Thanks for that link. People have already posted lots of very strong arguments against the proposals; admittedly I only really skim read most of them but I couldn't see anyone in favour of the proposal!

Had an email from Benefits and Work today, the next step is to email our MPs. So I'm off to pinch all the best bits from all the excellent letters that have already been posted on here...