Urgent - Government Proposals To Axe Dla And Aa

[seftonview]

Claimants have just 100 days to prevent their DLA and AA being abolished.

 

A government green paper has revealed proposals to stop paying ‘disability benefits, for example, attendance allowance’’ and hand the cash over to social services instead.

 

Under the plan, current claimants would have their disability benefits converted to a ‘personal budget’ administered by local authorities and used to pay for services – not to spend as they wish.

 

Once the green paper consultation period ends in 100 days time, if an almighty row has not been raised, it is likely that both major political parties will see the lack of outrage as a green light to end both DLA and AA.

 

We’re looking for a minimum of 1,000 claimants, carers and support workers to join our campaign to save these benefits from being abolished.

 

Find out how you can take part from this link:

www.disney.go.com/mickey//disability-living-allowance-(dla)/dla-aa-cuts

 

We know that many people will take false comfort from the fact that, unlike AA, DLA is not specifically named as being for the axe. But if the government was planning only to abolish AA it is extremely unlikely that they would refer constantly throughout the green paper to ‘disability benefits’, a term which includes not just AA but also DLA.

 

Others will dismiss this as just another idle discussion document and our concerns as scare mongering.

 

But it’s much more than that.

 

36 meetings have already been organised around the country for people working in government and the caring professions to meet to be told about the setting up of a new National Care Service which would oversee the system. In addition, a stakeholders panel of more than 50 voluntary sector organisations, trades unions and academics has been established to offer advice to the government.

 

Some organisations and individuals, such as RNIB and welfare rights worker Neil Bateman writing for Community Care magazine, have already voiced their alarm.

 

But not every disability organisation is opposed to the proposals and some even agree with them.

 

In a press release, Disability Alliance has welcomed the publication of the green paper and said that it ‘looks forward to working alongside Government and all the other stakeholders in bringing these plans into fruition.’ They have even said that they agree that there is a case for ‘integrating disability benefits such as attendance allowance’ into the new system.

One thing everyone does seem to agree on is that huge cuts in public spending will have to take place in the next few years as a result of the credit crunch and global recession.

 

Political parties are desperately looking for the softest targets to be the victims of these cuts. Dismissing the green paper’s proposals as hot air and not worth worrying about could be the costliest mistake you ever make.

 

Find out more about the proposed abolition of DLA and AA and how you can join our campaign to fight back:

www.disney.go.com/mickey//disability-living-allowance-(dla)/dla-aa-cuts

[MARTIN3030]

SV will make this a sticky here.

Edited August 15, 2009 by Rooster-UK
Better ?

[Maggie_moo]

Thanks for the post Seftonview, had no idea about this at all . Absolutely disgraceful, once again the most vulnerable and in most need targetted by the government

 

Will definately be signing up for this.

[jailbird]

Signed

[roger_37]

signed

roger

[Bookworm]

Signed and forwarded to NAS local officer and other disability agencies representatives.

[skegleg]

signed also

this is awful

[groovycaz]

Signed..Gc

[EYEBALLS01]

Signed

[littlewillie]

Hi All, in response to the initial email requesting 1000 signatures.

Look at the power of CAG

I received an email today, as follows;

 

Many thanks for joining the No More Benefits Cuts campaign.

 

We had an astonishing 5,245 people sign up in the first 24 hours of the campaign. I confess this has taken us rather by surprise: we thought it would take most of August just to get 1,000.

 

What happens next?

 

Over the coming months we'll be sending out an email each week asking you to do one thing in relation to the campaign. It might be writing to your MP, submitting a response to the green paper, contacting a local disability group and so on.

 

The emails will be sent out each Tuesday morning with the first one being sent on Tuesday 11 August.

 

As new people sign up to the campaign they will receive the same emails in the same order that you received them. Once the 100 days are up the emails will stop.

 

We've already been contacted by literally hundreds of people about the campaign and in truth it's already started without us. Lots of you have been posting on forums, contacting your MPs, writing to papers, emailing TV and radio programmes and generally making an enormous fuss.

 

Thanks again. And, until next Tuesday, please keep up the good work - you don't really need us at all.

 

Best regards,

 

Steve Donnison

Keep up to date with the no more cuts campaign at:

http://www.disney.go.com/mickey//forum?func=showcat&catid=13

 

 

This message was sent by: Benefits and Work Publishing Ltd, Park View, Foxham, Chippenham, Wi SN15 4NQ, United Kingdom

 

I'd like to add my warm thanks also, to all that contributed.

Kind regards, Bill.

[msowing]

Signed...

[alanfromderby]

Signed - and added an announcement to the top of the forum.

[fedup74]

Signed. This is disgusting, what will SS do with the money??? Probably pay top brass over inflated salaries and still children die even though they are knowingly at risk.

[The GodMother]

Signed My partner is a benefit claimant for DLA. I will try and get him to sign.

[yourbank]

Shaping the future of care together : Department of Health - Publications

 

Rather than reading what one website says you can have a look at the proposals in full

 

Shaping the future of care together : Department of Health - Consultations

"There will be public leaflets and postcards containing three consultation questions distributed to GP waiting rooms, pharmacies and other public outlets. They can be sent back to DH, postage paid."

you can get involved in the consultation process.

[pompeyfaith]

My claim is currently being assessed, what will happen to claims that are not in the system yet ? and should i sign.

 

PF

[Maggie_moo]

If you've read the information and feel that you don't agree with the proposals and want to be part of the campaign, then sign.

 

As for your claim, (I'm assuming it's for DLA) it will be processed as normal - it's only at the green paper stage so no decisions have been made yet, and DLA is not affected yet anyway in this paper. The main worry is if these proposals are put through for AA the same thing will happen to DLA.

 

Hope this helps.

[sunflower99]

subbing

[pompeyfaith]

Sure does maggie thank you.

 

PF

[mazbck]

subbing

 

My son is on DLA and has just renewed his claim, not heard anything back yet though.

 

Its a lifeline to him, along with his car.

[boston3603]

Very angry about this and have signed. Will be writing off to local dla office

[kiptower]

from BBC news 24

 

do we really want other to handle the money

 

read this

 

Carers funds 'lost in the system'

 

BBC NEWS | Health | Carers funds 'lost in the system'

[Bookworm]

from BBC news 24

 

do we really want other to handle the money

 

read this

 

Carers funds 'lost in the system'

 

BBC NEWS | Health | Carers funds 'lost in the system'

Shocking. But then, what do we expect when carers get paid a measly £50 a week to put their lives on hold to care for someone through bad and worse times?

 

We are not even treated like second-class citizens. We get paid far less than any minimum wager, (and it's a taxable income!!!), get made to jump through hoops for that pittance, and some of us even have to beg the Job Centre to allow us to keep on being carers instead of looking for jobs as if we were just leeches keen to keep on sponging off the system! :mad:

[The GodMother]

bookie count urself lucky u get the £50 i know ppl who are doing the same job as a carer but get nothing as the JC dont think they qualify for it.

[boston3603]

Theres a definate pattern involved when it comes to caring. Nurses, police, ambulance, fire, air rescue, sea rescue, home care.........all get ****e wages BECAUSE they care. So those who care for rellies or friends get even less. BECAUSE they care. Its exploitaion. BASTARDS.:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad: