Here's another thing how about reducing unemployment benefit for people who don't apply and keep jobs.
That already happens
The amount of people claiming has nearly doubled
Covid has had a real long term effect on physical and mental health
. And I believe that the majority of those could work,
Your evidence for that is?
given that we haven't suddenly all got less healthy as a population.
Obviously we have, we have just been through a pandemic
Other countries don't have this issue as far as I'm aware.
I do not know about that, but our reaction to the pandemic left us more vulnerable
For a start we need to stop making assessments remotely via just forms or video calls.
Have you ever had an assessment? I have and they are degrading and inhumane. My last assessment i had a physiotherapist assess me, they had not heard of my illness, they did not examine me medically, but they wrote on the assessment form and I quote " i observed the claimant opening a bottle of water" as i result i lost 25% of my PIP
Those with obvious physical disabilities should be automatically excluded from further assessments. That would be a start.
can you explain what an obvious disability is?
Do i have to literally have to be in a wheelchair dribbling whilst pissing myself to qualify?
My mates wife has an invisible disability, her back is held together by various pieces of metal work and if you looked at her you think she was fine, but the problem is you do not see her when she is not fine, because she becomes invisible as she cannot leave the house and on some days cannot leave her bed.
You are one of my favourite posters on here, you are level headed and whilst we dont always agree, i always get the impression you are compassionate and empathetic.
Given that, i will explain more about my situation as i think that might help you see why i think you are misguided here.
I got a throat infection when i was 13 years old and it changed my life, as a result i was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis at 17 and was told by the doctor to give up my true love playing football because if i did not i would be in a wheelchair by the time i was 35.
I was a teenager, it felt my life was over, it led me down many dark paths as my friends met girls and got married and had kids. i am now 59, im single, still live with my illness and live most days in pain.
I tried to work and did so until i was around 26, but it became physically too demanding for me and i started getting really ill. i have been in hospital 29 times, i have spent 3 years of my life on a ward at Salford Royal.
I still tried though, i went to college and got an HND, went to UNI and got a degree thinking i could maybe be a teacher, but ended up in hospital once again and missed my teaching exams.
My disability is not obvious, some days as lads on here will attest, i am quite normal, but on other days i cannot get out of bed.
I still keep trying though, i am a trustee/vice chairman of a charity which i do voluntarially. i do loads of patient advocacy work when i can and i am able. I volunteer to do research when i can, i keep trying to make my life worthwhile whilst the system wants to punish me for being who I am.
I never asked for my life and i would not wish it on anyone else, but it is my life and i have lived it as well as i can but i have only been able to do so because we have a welfare system that enables me to live my life. I am not rich, i struggle to pay my bills, i do not go the match anymore because i cannot afford it, but i can go for a few beers with my mates and they get me.
I do not ask much, i just want to able to live a little longer without fear of poverty hanging over my head.
If anyone thinks being disabled is easy, i truly hope it never happens to you.