We could lose our DLA and other help come nov - please act!!

blueamber

Please read this mail and support the fight to save DLA as its relevant to all who get or may need help in the future:

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.

Even if all you can manage is a quick email saying:

'What are you doing about the green paper plans to abolish some disability benefits?'

that will be enough to make them realise people are aware of, and concerned about, the issue.

But if you feel able to write in more detail, below are some of the points you may want to make. We haven't written a standard letter or email for people to copy because we think that they may quickly be dismissed as just a sort of spam.

1 Explain very briefly that you are concerned about the proposals in the Shaping the Future of Care Together green paper to integrate some disability benefits into a new funding stream for a National Care Service

2 Explain why DLA care component or AA is important to you.

3 Point out that it's vital that their organisation work with other disability charities to fight with you on this issue, because the government will find it hard to ignore a wide coalition of disability organisations.

4 Point out that RNIB have put a statement on their website saying they will oppose the scrapping of AA and other disability benefits and that if such a reputable organisation is prepared to do this then there's no reason why every disability organisation can't do the same.

5 You might want to explain that at the moment the campaign against abolishing disability benefits is being led by a private sector company and that you think this is highly inappropriate, it ought to be a coalition of charities leading the way.

6 You may also want to suggest that if charities look the other way as their members are deprived of a vital part of their income then it may result in charities getting a great deal less support, fewer members and fewer donations in the future.

7 Most important of all: ask for a reply. And if you don't get one, keep going back until you do. And when you do, send us a copy and we'll publish at least some of them. Or if you're a Benefits and Work member, post the reply in the forum here:

www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/forum?func=showcat&catid=13

If you'd like to contact more than one charity, then members of the Disability Benefits Consortium are worth considering. This is a coalition of charities which "aims to lobby and campaign on welfare benefits as they relate to disabled people." Clearly they are the people who should be running this campaign, rather than Benefits and Work.

You can find the email contact details for all these organisations on this page:

http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/forum?func=view&catid=13&id=10362

Another possibility is the members of the green paper stakeholder panel. There's a list of the members here, though we haven't had time to research email addresses - volunteers to do so would be very welcome:

http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/forum?func=view&catid=13&id=10356

If you want to be getting on with other things rather than waiting for next weeks' email, then there's a few suggestions here:

http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/disability-living-allowance-(dla)/dla-aa-cuts/take-action

Thank you again for signing up to the No More Benefits Cuts campaign. At the time of writing you are one of an astonishing 13,815 people who have done so in less than a week.

You can read more about what's been happening, from RNIB's statement to details of a local campaign in deepest Cornwall, on this page:

Many thanks also to everyone who's been in touch. I do apologise if we haven't replied to your email or returned your call - there have been many more than we could cope with. But we do very much appreciate hearing what people have been doing.

Please feel free to forward or publish this email.

Good luck,

Steve Donnison


PLEASE NOTE: THE REPLY TO ADDRESS ON THIS NEWSLETTER JUST COLLECTS HUNDREDS OF AUTOREPLIES. If you have problems accessing the site or logging in, visit the Help with the site page, where you can find possible solutions and contact details for our technical support.

(c) 2009 Steve Donnison. All rights reserved.

sharmaine

Dear Steve

I have sent an email pointing out my reasons why this nonsense is stopped.

Hopefully I will get a reply.

I hope everyone acts on this matter as it will affect us.

Sharmaine

jaspercat

Hi Steve, I am just about to send an e-mail, it is all crazy I am not sure whether I can apply for a mobility car now love Jaspercat

vonski

Hi

Me being a bit thick :oops: not sure where to send my email.
Help

Love
Vonski x

kathbee

I dont know either, I have added my name
to the petition but would like to inundate the
place to send the emails to as I feel so strongly
for everyone concerned.


Thank you in anticipation for the email address.

Kath

alicea

Hi I have joined up for the campaign , lets hope you get everyone to help, even people not getting it now may need it in the future to keep themselves mobile , i know a couple of people who would not get out without mobility help to buy a scooter or car and then there is the cares side it helps them pay for help ....aliceax

tweedie

Hi,
I have sent an email to Arthritis Care , asking what their official veiw is on this matter , I am waiting for a reply -- lets face it -- if they don't support us in this , what is the point of being a member ????
Joanna
(Tweedie)

mouseymousey

Joanna you read my mind! I'd like to hear ARC's view on this too, I've read a few other things (elsewhere) saying this was all hocumn.

joyful164

I contacted my MP yesterday with regards to the change in my mobility component of DLA As from 4th January, I will not be entitled to it because I can manage to walk 100 yards with the aid of sticks.

There is going to be an awfull lot of hardship for everyone soon. As if we are not already struggling. They must expect us to just stay at home sat in front of the TV (won't be able to afford one mind you) freezing to death. Perhaps they hope we shall all die of swine flu.


Sorry have I made you all depressed again?

I will go on to the next stage tomorrow.

joy

jeannie2

Hi Steve,
There has been a meeting in our area today - prior to a local election. There were asking for points for debate.

I couldn't go personally but I've briefed someone else who has a vested interest and they are more than capable of putting the point across in the strongest possible terms. Will wave the banner wherever and when it's possible.

vonski

Hi Mine has gone now and I've recuited a couple more too.

Love
Vonski x

jeannie2

I've sent a message to 'Dom' at the One Show. Perhaps if other people did too he would publicise the matter of the green paper - there is not much being said about it at the moment and it needs to be out in the open.
Jeannie S

eckstardeluxe

I'm just waiting on an e-mail from them now after signing up.

Thanks for making me aware of this. I wrote to Dom at The One Show too, explaining why I need my DLA and my worries re this stopping.

eck

jeannie2

Just an update on the pre-local election meeting yesterday ..... none of the politicians there knew anything about this green paper on DLA and AA! They just looked blank .... I'm told.
Jeannie S

livinglegend

Just copying someone else's long email without comment is not really good forum protocol, what I want to see are the poster's opinions. It is unclear from initially reading the post who it is that the email is sent from or to. Was it a mass email posting on behalf of a limited company, (Benefits and Work Publishing Ltd.)?

However, not until after multiple paragraphs attributed to the actions of the RNIB do we find the following information:

Thank you again for signing up to the No More Benefits Cuts campaign.

The links go to a single website, http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/ (Benefits and Work Publishing Ltd.) which invites people to join, 'A subscription costs just £18.55 for a full year' to access further detailed information.

I am sure that AC are aware of any 'green paper' issued and are working on our behalf. If they think that emailing anyone would help, they should say so.

Joseph 8)

roczko

Sorry Joseph I disagree.

Any means of bringing this awful proposal to the attention of anyone who could be affected by this green paper is to be applauded.

Although the initial mailing is from Benefits and Work, a limited company, there is no requirement to join the site to read about their campaign.

As they point out, not every organisation working with disabled people is against the proposals and it's therefore wrong to assume that AC/ARC/NRAS will be on the side of those who want to receive the monetary value of DLA/AA rather than an equivalent in care from Social Services. We need them to state their position and sooner rather than later.

Many fear it's a cost cutting exercise rather than a proposal to enhance the care for the disabled and we need organisations such as this one to fight on our behalf should that prove to be the case.

As it stands, only the RNIB have come out against the proposals in the green paper.

Patrick

kathbee

joyful164 wrote:

I contacted my MP yesterday with regards to the change in my mobility component of DLA As from 4th January, I will not be entitled to it because I can manage to walk 100 yards with the aid of sticks. There is going to be an awfull lot of hardship for everyone soon. As if we are not already struggling. They must expect us to just stay at home sat in front of the TV (won't be able to afford one mind you) freezing to death. Perhaps they hope we shall all die of swine flu.


Sorry have I made you all depressed again?

I will go on to the next stage tomorrow.

joy

Hi Joy

Was wondering if you know that if you are told that
if you can walk 100 yards with the aid of sticks by the DLA decision maker,
if and when you appeal, ask your GP to go through the form that they will send to him regarding the appeal procedure, it states on the first page something on the lines of

If a task cannot be done without pain, then consider that it cant be done.

So if that applies to you, maybe you would have a good chance of being considered for the mobility component.

Hope that helps

Kath

eckstardeluxe

I mentioned the green paper issue but in my own words. I described the circumstances which caused my disability, my symptoms and my care issues. I explained why I am so suddenly dependent on my husband and gave an example of my life up until last year. Running marathons, moonwalks etc.

I told Dom what I have been able to do with my money, the difference it made to our lives ie being able to reduce my hours to PT, buying a specialist ortho bed and equipment and to help pay for prescriptions as I receive no help with this.

This is why my DLA is important.

livinglegend

As an input to the green paper there is a direct email address: careandsupport@dh.gsi.gov.uk or write to the Care and Support Team, Room 149, Richmond House, 79 Whitehall , London SW1A 2NS.

I have just sent the following email as a considered input.


To: the scum of the earth.

As stated on the Disability Alliance website:
The intention is that everyone will get fully funded help to meet between a quarter and third of their care needs. Those on low incomes would get more financial support. Everyone else would have to pay towards their care.

1. Everyone is on low income compared to any MP/Civil Service moron.

2. Who is going to pay for the other 3/4 of my care needs?

3. This green paper has been done by a bunch of people who are well paid, final salary pension, retire early and private health funded, jobsworths who wouldn't know work if it hit them in the face.

4. How many millions of pounds will be spent on this 'reform' just so that disabled people can be ripped off? Scrap the whole idea and pick off the scroungers in our society. Oh, I see! Far too difficult as it requires thinking about, far easier to hit on the vulnerable in society, the disabled, (new deal, new soft touch).

XXXXXXXX

I would suggest that people do a similar task.

Joseph 8)

kathbee

I will be sending an email Joseph.
I feel very strongly about it.
Thanks for that

Those XXXXXXX's at the bottom werent
kisses to them were they. :shock:

Kath

livinglegend

kathbee wrote:

Those XXXXXXX's at the bottom werent
kisses to them were they. :shock:

Kath

More likely a series of for them.

No, just where my name was.

Joseph 8)

tweedie

Hi Everyone,
I have sent an email to Arthritis Care and the reply I have from them says that they fully support US , the real threat at the moment is to AA and not as yet DLA , they ARE fighting the government as much as they can about these proposals and will be keeping us informed about HOW WE can help them AGAINST the government -- I asked why should we be members of Arthritis Care , the answer is ---- THEY DO CARE !!!! carry on the good work , as we thought they are the best to help us arthritis sufferers in SO many ways,
A Relieved Member
Joanna
(tweedie)

jeannie2

Hi All,
Haven't been around much - feel a bit rough - send you all best wishes. In meantime I've received the following e-mail - thought you might be interested:


'Thank you for e-mailing the Care and Support inbox. If you have a specific
query that is not answered below, a member of the team will endeavour to
respond to your message as soon as possible.

The Big Care Debate ends on 13th November 2009. For the latest news, please
read more about the debate at www.careandsupport.direct.gov.uk and have
your say on this crucial reform

If you would like to request copies of Shaping the Future of Care Together,
please contact Prolog at the address given below.

DH publications orderline
PO Box 777
London SE1 6XH

Email: dh@prolog.uk.com

Tel: 0300 123 1002

Minicom: 0300 123 1003

Please quote the reference 295936/Shaping the Future of Care Together for
the full Green Paper

For the Easy Read version, please quote the reference 295936/ER Shaping the
Future of Care Together - Easy Read



Whether I'll hear any more I don't know. Will keep yopu posted. Am still beating the drum and getting more and more angry!
Jeannie S

janie68

We are going to e-mail our MP (Labour though), this needs to adressed, please everyone lobby your MP, MIND, any major charity, the govt are planning to steal from us.

We can not take this lying down, what would people do if their car got towed away one day, money stopped. Sorry if this is dramatic but it could happen!

:x

Janie

livinglegend

Just another posting from me on their Concentrating on the Positives page at http://careandsupport.direct.gov.uk/blog/2009/05/time-to-concentrate-on-the-positives/comment-page-1/#comment-864

Awaiting Moderation so it may not appear. Only 1 (very positive) comment has appeared on the page, even though the web address code says 864 submitted :roll:

You say, 'the purchase of a laptop to allow more contact with family friends, the landscaping of the garden to allow easy and safe access, and the continued employment of Mrs P’s mother as a carer for 20 hours a week.'

When can I have my free laptop, my garden landscaped and pay my spouse 20 hours a week to care for me? I have enclosed an email address and if contacted will give full information, so that you can send me details of when I can collect my free, new laptop, date of landscaping gardener arriving and a series of cheques for 20 hours care per week. You claim that this is all readily available, so I expect a quick reply, (I am Concentrating on the Positives).

After all I have worked, paid taxes and spent long hours for the past 30 years on many community projects for free. I have worked up to 14 hours a day and 7 days a week to afford my own home, (It is called bettering yourself, in case you are vaguely interested), just to be stabbed in the back by feckless wastrels who are envious of my progress in an effort at vote catching.

Now that I need assistance, due to a long term disability, it has been a question of heating or eating, (benefits cover one or the other, not both). Now that I need care, and as all the care homes in Staffordshire were closed by the New Labour County Council, it will be snatched away to pay for unwanted ID cards, NHS computer systems that will never work, jobsworths such as Director Generals at the Department of Health and greedy MP's fiddled expenses.

Your attitude to disabled people such as myself is, NO! you don't deserve anything and we will crush you underfoot for having the temerity to ask. You claim that users were asked and listened to, (as long as they gave the 'right' answers), you will only get honesty from me.

I will repost here when I get the information requested. No reposting, no laptop, gardener or cheques. Still 'Concentrate on the Positives' and I will only be disappointed, if I live long enough. Oh sorry, did I miss that bit out, about living on borrowed time. Just another care statistic.

Joseph 8)

skezier

Hi

Just found this link and think its not a bad idea to bring it back to the front page. Cris x