Concerns about prepaid benefit cards
The use of prepaid cash cards for benefit payments surfaced a few months ago. The Telegraph published a story that Iain Duncan Smith had asked his advisers to look at paying benefits to "problem families" on smart cards to limit their spending so … [Read More...]
Letter to my MP on new ESA regulations #esaSOS
As promised, although a little late due to lack of spoons, here is the email that I sent to my MP regarding the new ESA regulations. Feel free to take any text from this for your own use. Dear Mr Luff, I would like to apologise for the swearing … [Read More...]
Sneaky Work Capability Assessment rules judge you fit for work based on imaginary help
There are new regulations for Employment Support Allowance about to come into force on the 28th of January. These regulations were proposed only six weeks before they will come into force, leaving very little time for the impact to be … [Read More...]
Banks and benefits
I recently applied for a new credit card. Not because I want more credit, but because I have a credit card at the moment which is carrying more than a thousand pounds of debt and charging me 34% APR for it and I want to move to a cheaper card. I've … [Read More...]
Compulsory Jobs Guarantee
Labour have announced their answer to unemployment. They have called it a "compulsory jobs guarantee". "A One Nation approach to welfare reform means government has a responsibility to help people into work and support those who cannot, but those … [Read More...]
The continuing saga of my electric wheelchair
I have to use a wheelchair for most journeys outside of my home and car. Because I do not need one inside the home I do not qualify for any help at all from Worcestershire Wheelchair Services even though an NHS occupational therapist has agreed that … [Read More...]
Johnny Needs More Than Chalk - why welfare reform needs a cumulative impact assessment
To do his schoolwork, the bare minimum Johnny needs is: paper, a pen, a teacher, a school, a chair to sit on, a desk to sit at, and a packed lunch. If you take away just Johnny’s lunch, he will go hungry. It would be almost impossible for him … [Read More...]
What’s the state of ESA?
This won’t be a short post, but it is a crucially important one. I have never written about something on this blog that I couldn’t prove to be true. If I didn’t have evidence that I could show you online, I didn’t write about it. I’ve … [Read More...]
If you can only walk twenty metres you’ll get no help
When PIP starts to replace Disability Living Allowance next year anyone who can walk just twenty metres will not qualify for help with mobility. Twenty metres is less than the distance most of the disabled parking bays at my local Tesco are from the … [Read More...]
There’s a war on welfare - FIGHT BACK
Pat's Petition took a year to accumulate 62,694 signatures asking the government to "Stop and review the cuts to benefits and services which are falling disproportionately on disabled people, their carers and families." Pat's Petition has secured a … [Read More...]
