IDS grows a pair and resigns as Work and Pensions Secretary

[Celestine]

Re: IDS grows a pair and resigns as Work and Pensions Secretary

Did anyone watch Question Time on Thursday. Nicky Morgan's attempt to defend/deny benefit cuts was shambolic and embarrassing to watch.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news...n-said-7581736

[Amethyst]

Re: IDS grows a pair and resigns as Work and Pensions Secretary

I'm not entirely sure what PIP is tbh..most of the stories about the cuts don't actually say what the payments are for and what effect they will have if they go. Is it to pay for accessibility aids etc ? Once you have a ramp / handrail / adapted bed etc - you have them ? I'm not sure why there is a weekly allowance ? or is it meant to be saved to purchase equipment etc? Or is PIP not meant for that kind of thing at all and I'm misunderstanding ?

IDS lost in court a few days ago to keep the c*ck up with universal credit under wraps... so it is possible the resignation off the back of PIP changes is a cover for him going to try save face about UC - and when the stuff about UC comes out, he'll be 'forgiven' because of course he resigned because of cuts to disability benefits... ( http://www.politics.co.uk/blogs/2016...redit-problems )

[Kati]

Re: IDS grows a pair and resigns as Work and Pensions Secretary

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/poli...tary-live.html

Iain Duncan Smith has been replaced by the Welsh secretary Stephen Crabb after resigning from Government in protest at George Osborne's proposed cuts to benefits for the disabled

He also voted for cuts to ESA (see attachment)

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/pe...-a6940991.html

He has been a vocal supporter of Mr Duncan Smith’s welfare reforms, telling the Spectator in July 2015: “One of the arguments I’ve been trying to make is that we can’t go soft on welfare reform in a place like Wales — it’s precisely the place that needs it.”

http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2016/03...s-secretary-2/

He also falls into another minority: being Christian, and willing to talk about it. ‘Beliefs are shaped by all kinds of life experiences,’ he says. ‘I’d say mine have been shaped as much by my experience of growing up in a council house as by my Christian faith.’ But being a Christian, he says, ‘gives you a sense of duty to those who are most vulnerable in society; that’s a core theme of the Bible’.

He deplores those who try to enlist God for their own political cause; he doesn’t think God is a Tory. Nor does he think politicians are helped by ‘doing God’. ‘Without question, there has been a secularisation of society in Britain which has had a chilling effect on Christians. And Muslims as well — expressing their faith in a comfortable way free of derision, ridicule.’ He wants people to be able to ‘express their beliefs without fear of being ridiculed or labelled as extremist, as homophobes, as dangerous, bad people’. He was accused of some of these things himself after voting against same-sex marriage.

- - - Updated - - -

are we any better off :noidea:

[charitynjw]

Re: IDS grows a pair and resigns as Work and Pensions Secretary

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news...duncan-7588725

Top Tory says Iain Duncan Smith backed PIP disability cuts round the Cabinet table this WEEK

Michael Fallon blasted the welfare chief's claim he quit because slashing Personal Independence Payments (PIP) was a "compromise too far"

[Kati]

Re: IDS grows a pair and resigns as Work and Pensions Secretary

are we any better off :noidea:

doesn't look like it :sad: - http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entr...b030d552ef5ef3

How Stephen Crabb voted on Welfare and Benefits


Consistently voted for reducing housing benefit for social tenants deemed to have excess bedrooms (which Labour describe as the “bedroom tax”)


Consistently voted against raising welfare benefits at least in line with prices


Consistently voted against paying higher benefits over longer periods for those unable to work due to illness or disability


Consistently voted for making local councils responsible for helping those in financial need afford their council tax and reducing the amount spent on such support


Consistently voted for a reduction in spending on welfare benefits


Almost always voted against spending public money to create guaranteed jobs for young people who have spent a long time unemployed

[enaid]

Re: IDS grows a pair and resigns as Work and Pensions Secretary

PIP
Personal independence payment (PIP) is a new benefit for people who need help taking part in everyday life or who find it difficult to get around. It replaces disability living allowance for people between the ages of 16 and 64 inclusive.


The DWP makes the decision about the amount of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) you get and for how long. It’s not possible to say exactly what you’ll get before you apply because the DWP bases the amount you get on your application, and the length of your award on the likelihood of your condition changing.
However, if you have a terminal illness you’ll get at least £82.30 a week, which will last for 3 years.
PIP rates

PIP is made up of 2 components (parts) called daily living and mobility, and each can be paid at either a standard or enhanced rate.

Component	Weekly rate
Daily living - standard rate	£55.10
Daily living - enhanced rate	£82.30
Mobility - standard rate	£21.80
Mobility - enhanced rate	£57.45

If you have a terminal illness, you will automatically get the daily living enhanced rate. The mobility rate you get (if at all) will depend on the level of help you need with mobility.
The daily living rate is for the extra help you need with everyday tasks. This can include preparing food, washing, getting dressed or communicating with other people.
The mobility rate is for the extra help you need getting around. This can include moving, planning a journey or following a route.


This is assessed on a points system, examples of 2 of the questions on the assessment below

DAILY LIVING ACTIVITIES
1. Preparing food.
a. Can prepare and cook a simple meal unaided. 0 points.
b. Needs to use an aid or appliance to be able to either prepare or cook a simple meal. 2 points.
c. Cannot cook a simple meal using a conventional cooker but is able to do so using a microwave. points. 2 points
d. Needs prompting to be able to either prepare or cook a simple meal. 2 points.
e. Needs supervision or assistance to either prepare or cook a simple meal. 4 points.
f. Cannot prepare and cook food. 8 points.


MOBILITY ACTIVITIES
1. Planning and following journeys.
a. Can plan and follow the route of a journey unaided. 0 points.
b. Needs prompting to be able to undertake any journey to avoid overwhelming psychological distress to the claimant. 4 points.
c. Cannot plan the route of a journey. 8 points.
d. Cannot follow the route of an unfamiliar journey without another person, assistance dog or orientation aid. 10 points.
e. Cannot undertake any journey because it would cause overwhelming psychological distress to the claimant. 10 points.
f. Cannot follow the route of a familiar journey without another person, an assistance dog or an orientation aid. 12 points.
To get an award of the daily living component, you need to score:

8 points for the standard rate
12 points for the enhanced rate

To get an award of the mobility component you need to score:

8 points for the standard rate
12 points for the enhanced rate

From what I understand any kind of aids that are used will go towards reducing points until many people will be reduced from the enhanced rate to standard or from standard to nothing.

[Amethyst]

Re: IDS grows a pair and resigns as Work and Pensions Secretary

Ahh thanks Nelly. So if you are unable to cook with a cooker but could use a microwave you get 2 points and once you've got a microwave you lose those 2 points? ( and so on until you have too few points left to qualify for PIP ?)

[enaid]

Re: IDS grows a pair and resigns as Work and Pensions Secretary

Ahh thanks Nelly. So if you are unable to cook with a cooker but could use a microwave you get 2 points and once you've got a microwave you lose those 2 points? ( and so on until you have too few points left to qualify for PIP ?)

That's how I understood it yes x

[Amethyst]

Re: IDS grows a pair and resigns as Work and Pensions Secretary

On the positives... Crabb ' voted to introduce Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payments '

( well depending what you think of UC and PIP of course )

[Amethyst]

Re: IDS grows a pair and resigns as Work and Pensions Secretary

That's how I understood it yes x

Cool, that makes complete sense. ( do you have a specific time to go and buy a microwave etc or have to use a certain % of the money to do so if it's on the list of needs ? )

So what's the government changing with the budget ?

[enaid]

Re: IDS grows a pair and resigns as Work and Pensions Secretary

This is a report done by the Extra Costs Commission all about extra costs disabled people and their families have. Some examples to help put it in perspective.
This is basically what the extra payments given by the government are supposed to cover, as you will see in this report this is not always the case, so more cuts would take many to the brink.

http://www.scope.org.uk/Get-Involved...on/Full-Report

Our recommendations focus on five areas of extra cost, informed by evidence gathered by the Commission. These costs were those most frequently mentioned by disabled people, those that have the greatest financial impact, and those areas where we believe change to be possible.
These five areas are:

• energy;
• clothing and bedding;
• specialised disability equipment;
• taxis and private hire vehicles (PHVs);
• insurance.

[enaid]

Re: IDS grows a pair and resigns as Work and Pensions Secretary

I been trying to think of a better example tbh, I came up with this and there be many more am sure.
Someone suffering with MS you may or may not know go in remission periods. So one day may be fine walking, next day need a walking stick and at their lowest need a wheelchair. So as DLA stands (DLA is being replaced by PIPs) you would give your condition at it worst and be awarded on that level so would probably get Higher rate mobility, this because you cant walk, find it difficult to walk or you need help getting around.
PIPs you would be assessed on the fact you have a wheelchair and a stick and because you have these you wont be entitled to PIPS

[Noah]

Re: IDS grows a pair and resigns as Work and Pensions Secretary

I'm not entirely sure what PIP is tbh..most of the stories about the cuts don't actually say what the payments are for and what effect they will have if they go. Is it to pay for accessibility aids etc ? Once you have a ramp / handrail / adapted bed etc - you have them ? I'm not sure why there is a weekly allowance ? or is it meant to be saved to purchase equipment etc? Or is PIP not meant for that kind of thing at all and I'm misunderstanding ?

IDS lost in court a few days ago to keep the c*ck up with universal credit under wraps... so it is possible the resignation off the back of PIP changes is a cover for him going to try save face about UC - and when the stuff about UC comes out, he'll be 'forgiven' because of course he resigned because of cuts to disability benefits... ( http://www.politics.co.uk/blogs/2016...redit-problems )

PIP is quite possibly one of the worst pieces of legislation I have seen. The drafting of it has been a shambles and has needed tinkering and changing from the start. It was clearly designed to cut the cost of benefits payments but has been so badly written.
The current debate is that it is claimed that some people get the standard rate of care when they rely on aids only . The standard rate of care is not only £55 per week but also adds more money if you are on other means tested benefits. If the legislation had been written properly in the first place it wouldn't be an issue

With DLA there was a lower rate of care worth about £22 a week that didn't alter other means tested benefits

I am beginning to think that the problem with IDS was that he felt he was being dictated to by the chancellor which is wrong whatever way you look at it and maybe he was tired of getting the flack for collective responsibility. I am not defending him because I think he is an obnoxious slimy man but there again so are many Tory Mps

[charitynjw]

Re: IDS grows a pair and resigns as Work and Pensions Secretary

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/reque..._iain_duncan_s

How many thankyou's Iain Duncan Smith has received from claimants for a sanction.

Zoe Kendal made this Freedom of Information request to Department for Work and Pensions
Currently waiting for a response from Department for Work and Pensions, they must respond promptly and normally no later than 12 April 2016 (details).


From: Zoe Kendal

10 March 2016

Dear Department for Work and Pensions,
The Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith claimed people liked being sanctioned - and that it helped them "focus", and also claimed people thanked him for taking their benefits away.
Source:-http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/iai...
Could you please give me the exact number of claimants who have thanked him for a sanction. Could you please give details of how many thankyous were sent by card or letter, and how many were verbal thankyou's.
Yours faithfully,
Zoe Kendal

[leclerc]

Re: IDS grows a pair and resigns as Work and Pensions Secretary

IDS is on Tomorrow's Andrew Marr show(Sir John Major was replaced ).

We might disagree with many of what the Tories are doing but the shamble of shyte opposition does not help anyone want them in office either