"The green paper says that the government is “keen to hear views from a wide group of people, in particular disabled people and people with health conditions and disability organisations”.
The consultation will run for 12 weeks, with an end date currently set for 30 June.
You can respond to the consultation online here. There are 17 questions to answer, although you can leave some blank if you would prefer.
Alternatively, you can email consultation.pathwaystowork@dwp.gov.uk or write to the Disability and Health Support Directorate, Department for Work and Pensions, Level 2, Caxton House, Tothill Street, London, SW1H9NA.": How to make your voice heard against DWP's disability benefit cuts Pls. also see article
My response to govt. (“ahem!”) “consultation” …
“Chapter 2: Reforming the structure of the health and disability benefits system
1.What further steps could the Department for Work and Pensions take to make sure the benefit system supports people to try work without the worry that it may affect their benefit entitlement? Multi Line Text.
Address working hours and address the problem of the lack of communal & social enterprise as well as improving working conditions for all…ban individual surveillance in the work-place…
2.What support do you think we could provide for those who will lose their Personal Independence Payment entitlement as a result of a new additional requirement to score at least four points on one daily living activity? Multi Line Text.
non-question I do not support the policy that will see many lose PIP
3.How could we improve the experience of the health and care system for people who are claiming Personal Independence Payment who would lose entitlement? Multi Line Text.
Same answer as "
4.How could we introduce a new Unemployment Insurance, how long should it last for and what support should be provided during this time to support people to adjust to changes in their life and get back into work? Multi Line Text.
Please explain “unemployment insurance” I thought we called that taxation…
5.What practical steps could we take to improve our current approach to safeguarding people who use our services? Multi Line Text.
Reject this legislation in favour of some with less duress & more support…
Chapter 3: Supporting people to thrive
6.How should the support conversation be designed and delivered so that it is welcomed by individuals and is effective? Multi Line Text.
Consultations should be far more widely publicised…possibly subject to referenda…and be held over a much longer timescale (min. year)… at the moment, like this one, they are “rubber stamps” railroading claimants and causing undue distress…
7.How should we design and deliver conversations to people who currently receive no or little contact, so that they are most effective? Multi Line Text.
See prev. treat people with respect & gentleness…& do not approach them with financial agendas!
8.How we should determine who is subject to a requirement only to participate in conversations, or work preparation activity rather than the stronger requirements placed on people in the Intensive Work Search regime?Multi Line Text.
This is a huge question & that cannot be answered here…mainly though the Dept. should relay solely on the testimony of claimants and the opinion of their medical professionals…DWP should not make medical determinations!
9.Should we require most people to participate in a support conversation as a condition of receipt of their full benefit award or of the health element in Universal Credit? Multi Line Text.
No!
10.How should we determine which individuals or groups of individuals should be exempt from requirements? Multi Line Text.
See answer to 8
11.Should we delay access to the health element of Universal Credit within the reformed system until someone is aged 22? Multi Line Text.
Absolutely not.
12.Do you think 18 is the right age for young people to start claiming the adult disability benefit, Personal Independence Payment? If not, what age do you think it should be? Multi Line Text.
Yes!
Chapter 4: Supporting employers and making work accessible
13.How can we support and ensure employers, including Small and Medium Sized Enterprises, to know what workplace adjustments they can make to help employees with a disability or health condition? Multi Line Text.
Subsidy…& ensure shorter working hours & appropriate health & safety provision.
14.What should DWP directly fund for both employers and individuals to maximise the impact of a future Access to Work and reach as many people as possible? Multi Line Text.
A sustainably economy with plenty of opportunities in ethical endeavours…many claimants refuse to work for a political/social/economic system that actively impoverishes them (in all ways)!
15.What do you think the future role and design of Access to Work should be? Multi Line Text.
To enable the kind of employment I have outlined prev.
16.How can we better define and utilise the various roles of Access to Work, the Health and Safety Executive, Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service and the Equalities and Human Rights Commission to achieve a cultural shift in employer awareness and action on workplace adjustments? Multi Line Text.
Without the kind of system I outlined in 14 this will not be possible.
17.What should be the future delivery model for the future of Access to Work? Multi Line Text.
Open ended and engaged…prepared to learn from claimants & institute changes as necessary
Other
18.Which of the following best describes how you are responding to this consultation. Are you responding: Single choice.
As a member of the public
As or on behalf of an individual business
As or on behalf of an employer/ business representative organisation
As or on behalf of an interested charity or other representative organisation
19.Do you consider yourself to have a health condition or a disability? Single choice.
Yes
No
Prefer not to say
20.Do you live in:Single choice.
England
Northern Ireland
Scotland
Wales
Prefer not to say”